Cultural | Family History | Local HistoryNot online The Salomons Museum The Salomons Museum comprises two rooms within the Salomons Estate located on the edge of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent. The Salomons were a Victorian family renowned for scientific endeavour and for campaigning for the political rights of Jews and other religious minorities. Sir David Salomons (1797-1873) became the first Jewish Lord Mayor of London in 1855. In 1937 Vera Bryce Salomons left the house to Kent County Council with the proviso that it be used in an educational, scientific, medical or museum capacity. The family heirlooms and papers were collected together into the Memento Rooms which now make up the museum. The Estate also features on the Jewish Country Houses website. Archive Description The Salomons Museum commemorates three generations of the Salomons family and includes artefacts and documents illustrating the wider Jewish world in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The main elements of the collection are family heirlooms including letters, photographs, portraits, religious books, scientific books, official catalogues, testimonials, patent specifications, medals, embroideries, furniture and other memorabilia. Access Information Many of the items are on display in the museum which is open daily to visitors to the Salomons Estate. Check opening times with Reception at the Salomons Estate 01892 515152. For general collection enquiries and access to photograph albums and other documents please contact the museum curator. You will need to arrange a date and time in advance of your visit and bring official identification. Online Accessibility Malcolm Brown’s 1968 catalogue continues to be a good general guide to the collection. The catalogue can be downloaded from the National Archives website (NRA 13573). There is also detailed information on Jisc Archives Hub (GB 2464 SF). Street Address Broomhill RoadSouthboroughTunbridge Wells, KentTN3 0TG
Family History | Historical Documents | Holocaust | Interfaith relations | Local History | ReligionPartially online Lambeth Palace Library Lambeth Palace Library is the historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury. The vision of Lambeth Palace Library is to collect, preserve and make accessible the memory of the Church of England, so that its cultural and religious history can be explored and enjoyed by all. Archive Description Lambeth Palace Library’s archives are broadly religious with a strong element of institutional corporate records. The library holds a large and varied collection including manuscripts, Archbishops’ archives, records of the central institutions of the Church, archives of churchmen and societies, and printed books. Much of the Jewish-related archival material held focuses on the interface between the Church of England and Judaism, and can be found in the Archbishop Papers, papers of other bishops/churchmen/societies, and manuscripts. Online Accessibility An online catalogue for Lambeth Palace Library’s collections can be found here. The Library also has a research guide to its Jewish holdings available here. Digital Accessibility Over 30,000 images and fully digitised volumes from Lambeth Palace Library collections can be viewed online. Access Information Access to the Library’s collections is freely available to the public. We strongly recommend that readers book an appointment at least two days in advance of any visit. On their first visit, users must register as a reader. Registration is valid for two years and allows access to all classes of material, with the exception of some restricted material. Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am -5pm, Tuesday 11am-5pm, Thursday 10am-7.15pm Check website for dates of closure and detailed information regarding ID requirements, Reading Room rules, order limits, fetching times, restricted material, and facilities. Enquiries can be made by email to archives@churchofengland.org Street Address Lambeth Palace Library15 Lambeth Palace RoadLondonSE1 7JT https://www.lambethpalacelibrary.info/
Commercial | Family History | Historical Documents | Immigration | Local HistoryNot online The Waddesdon Archive at Windmill Hill Waddesdon is a stately home, managed by the Rothschild Foundation on behalf of the National Trust, who took over ownership in 1957 and opened it to the public in 1959. The house was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1885 to display his collection of arts and to entertain the fashionable world. Archive Description The Waddesdon Archive brings together records and material relating to the history of Waddesdon Manor, the Waddesdon Estate and the members of the Rothschild family who have owned and managed Waddesdon from 1874 until the present day, particularly James & Dorothy de Rothschild. We also hold archives relating to the Rothschild Family’s wider interests including those of PICA (the Palestine Jewish Colonisation Association) and the Butrint Foundations archaeological archive. We also hold the business archive of P & D Colnaghi, the London art dealers. Access Information The collections are available for researchers to use by appointment. If you wish to consult the records or have an enquiry please contact the archive team on archive@waddesdon.org.uk or 01296 653413. Opening hours are Monday-Friday 9.30am to 5pm. At least 24 hours advance notice is required to access the archive. You will need a driver’s licence or other ID. If you are an academic student or staff member you will also need a letter of support from your institution. All researchers are required to complete a researcher agreement. Waddesdon Archive
Commercial | Cultural | Family History | Holocaust | Jewish Life | Local HistoryOnline World ORT Archive Radio workshop at ORT Bramson, Marseilles, France, 1962 • World ORT Archive Archive Description The World ORT Archive (WOA) exists to preserve the historical record of World ORT’s activities and to place these activities into the context of contemporary Jewish History. World ORT’s governance, fundraising activities and operations have left a paper trail of documents and photographs that tells the story of a prominent Jewish organisation participating in the major historical events of the period. The archives include documents, reports, correspondence, films, videos, objects, and photographs that provide a valuable insight into all the organisation’s past activities. WOA’s document collection includes records of World ORT (formerly World ORT Union), its governing bodies and associate organisations world-wide. It includes minutes of meetings, reports, correspondence, fund-raising and PR, research and development, administrative and financial records. The archive also contains several small collections of personal papers, from former staff members and students. These include correspondence, photographs, press cuttings, diaries, certificates, and reference letters. WOA’s photographic collection documents a Jewish organisation’s involvement in Jewish working life, education, and vocational training across the globe from the 1920s to the present day. Its holdings illustrate the hardships and triumphs of the Jewish people throughout modern history. In many cases these photographs are the only remaining record of past communities, places, and events. The ORT film collection is a unique record of the organisation’s contribution to the development and advancement of Jewish education and vocational training in the 20th century. The films document ORT activities among Jewish communities worldwide. Many feature communities that have since disappeared e.g., North Africa and Iran. ORT, also known as the Organisation for Rehabilitation through Training, is a global education network driven by Jewish values. It promotes education and training in communities worldwide. Its activities throughout its history have spanned more than 100 countries and five continents Access Information The archive can be accessed online. Physical access to the archive must be requested via the World ORT Archive email: archive@ort.org http://ortarchive.ort.org
Commercial | Communal Records | Family History | Historical Documents | Jewish LifePartially online Dorset County Archive The Dorset County Archive is a local government archive, held in the Dorset History Centre, Dorchester. It holds material on Jewish local history, communal records, and family history records. Archive Description Dorset History Centre is dedicated to preserving, sharing and celebrating the rich heritage of Dorset and brings together two services: Dorset Record Office and Dorset County Local Studies Library. It was awarded Archive Service Accreditation by The National Archives in 2018. The Centre cares for over 1,000 years of records on 8 miles of climate-controlled shelving in Dorchester – ranging from Council records to personal collections, as well as books, pamphlets and other publications. The Centre’s records reflect the diversity of Dorset’s population in its collections, services and engagement. Within its records, many minorities can be researched and Jewish residents, patients, office-holders, businesses etc can be identified. However, some of the collections are more specific to Jewish life in Dorset. These records mainly reflect Jewish communities in Bournemouth including a recorded talk about the heyday of Jewish hotels and back copies of the magazine ‘Ruach’ which contain lots of reminiscence and history going back to the 1940’s when the community was being established, as well as holding the first-person account of Harry Grenville and his life as a child in Nazi Germany and his move to England via the Kinder Transport. Access Information The archives are open to members of the public and can be accessed through pre-booked appointments. Documents must be pre-ordered using the archive catalogue. It is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Appointments should be booked in advance. Enquiries can be made to: archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/. Digital Accessibility The archive catalogue can be found online. Visitors may access any digital or hard copy material during a visit, or ask for materials to be shared with you, however there may be a small fee for this service. Street Address Dorset History CentreBridport RdDorchesterDT1 1RP https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries-history-culture/dorset-history-centre
Family History | Historical Documents | Jewish LifeOnly online National Register of Memorial Boards The National Register of Jewish Memorial Boards is a digital collection by the British Jews in the First World War project. It is a digital archive accessible to the public. Project Description The National Register of Jewish Memorial Boards is searchable database of UK Jewish Memorial Boards of First World War, 1914 -1925 period. These boards contain the names of members of the Jewish community who served during the First World War. Some are still on display in synagogues, cemeteries and museums; whilst others are kept in archives or lost. The collection includes photo images, introductory text and personal profiles of names listed on the board. Digital Accessibility The collection is available online, and the project can be contacted by emailing: contactus@jewsfww.uk. http://www.jewsfww.uk/memorial-boards.php National Register of Memorial Boards Family History | Historical Documents | Jewish LifeOnly online The National Register of Jewish Memorial Boards is a digital collection by the British Jews in the First World War project. It is […]
Family History | Jewish Life | Local History | ReligionOnly online Jewish Gilroes Jewish Gilroes is an archival project run by the Leicester Hebrew Congregation. It consists of an online database documenting the lives of the Jewish population of Leicester through records from the only Jewish cemetery in Leicester and the surrounding areas. Archive Description Jewish Gilroes is based on research from a Heritage Lottery funded project called Lives Behind the Stones. The aim of that project was to catalogue all the burials at Leicester’s Jewish Cemetery and place the information onto a website. The database of genealogical searchable information is now available, with photographs and basic details of all the stones online, plus a selection of stories written about the people buried there. Online Accessibility The database is accessible to members of the public on the project website. For more information you can contact them on their website. https://jewish-gilroes.org.uk/
Communal Records | Cultural | Family History | Jewish Life | Local HistoryPartially online Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre Redbridge Museum & Heritage Centre is the community history museum and archive for the London Borough of Redbridge. It holds a collection of material about Jewish life in the Borough, including organisational records, a newspaper archive, and books to aid in research. Archive Description Redbridge Museum and Heritage Centre hold materials relating to the London Borough of Redbridge area including books, local authority archives, archives of organisations and individuals, reports, directories, newspapers, periodicals, ephemera, posters, maps, plans, photographs, illustrations, film and oral histories, as well as providing digital access to census and other records. Jewish collections include objects, ephemera and oral histories about Ilford Jewish Primary School; three reports into Redbridge Jewry by the Jewish Board of Deputies, 1979-83; local newspaper cuttings book about the Redbridge Jewish community 1972-1979 and 1980-1984; ‘Redbridge Extra’ newspaper, supplement to the Jewish Chronicle newspaper, 1973; archive of Newbury Park Synagogue 1968-2015; photographs of ancestors of current Redbridge residents who fought in First World War; Redbridge Jewish Community Video Magazine, 1983; film of wedding of Lyn and Richard Brookes at Ilford District Synagogue,1973; interview with members of Barkingside Jewish Youth Centre, 1999; interview with Dr Israel Segal, GP in Seven Kings, 1947 – 1973; three other oral histories with local Jewish people; Access Information The Heritage Centre is open to the general public, but require an appointment to be made five days in advance. These enquiries can be made to: info.heritage@visionrcl.org.uk Digital Accessibility The Heritage Centre does not have a catalogue available, but it has made two films from its collection available online: Wedding footage from 1973, and the Redbridge Video Review from October 1983. Street Address Redbridge Museum & Heritage CentreRedbridge Central LibraryClements RoadIlford, EssexIG1 1EA Redbridge Heritage Centre
Communal Records | Databases | Family History | Historical Documents | Jewish Life | Local History | ReligionOnly online Jewish Communities and Records – United Kingdom (JCR-UK) Chart of the Past & Present Officers of Dalston (Poets’s Road) Synagogue, London, circa 1910 • JCR-UK Jewish Communities and Records – United Kingdom (JCR-UK) is an online project whose aim is to record details of all Jewish communities and congregations that have ever existed in the British Isles. Archive Description Jewish Communities and Records – United Kingdom (JCR-UK) was established in 2002 as a joint project between the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) and JewishGen. Its aim is to record details of all Jewish communities and congregations that have ever existed in the United Kingdom, as well as the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar, in order to preserve the information for posterity and to make this information freely available online. JCR-UK comprises a wide range of scanned communal documents, photographs, articles, conference papers; databases, lists and other information and data covering London and some 250 provincial or regional Jewish communities, encompassing nearly 1,200 existing and defunct Jewish congregations of every persuasion, each with its own page, together with a new efficient search engine. Some specific examples of the wide range of material available on JCR-UK are: an extensive Bibliography of books on Anglo-Jewry; the Susser Archive of the late Rabbi Dr. B. Susser; archives of Exeter Synagogue; historic communal documents of the Bristol Hebrew Congregation; the papers of the 1975 conference on Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain (including the 1845 Chief Rabbi’s Census); Jewish Listed Heritage Sites and much more. In addition, apart from its own database – the All-UK Database, operated by JewishGen, JCR-UK is host to a growing number of community Hosted Databases, generally providing ready access to burial records, gravestone images and cemetery maps. So far the communities covered include Belfast, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Grimsby, Harrogate, Leeds, Liverpool, Merthyr Tydfil, Newcastle, South Shields, Swansea, Sunderland and Whitley Bay, as well as the burial records of London’s Federation of Synagogues’ cemeteries, with several further community cemeteries in the process of being added. The latest ongoing project within JCR-UK involves the enhancing, reformatting and expanding of each of the congregation pages (there is one for each congregation) to include a more detailed history, lists of ministers and officers and other data, coupled with links to a new Rabbinic Profiles section, containing profiles of the ministers listed. By mid-2025, pages for over 660 congregations (more than 55% of the total number) have been enhanced, listing over 2,000 different ministers. Online Accessibility JCR-UK is available to the public online with no access limitations. Visit the What’s New page to read about the latest developments on JCR-UK. https://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk
Cultural | Family History | Jewish LifeNot online Manchester Grammar School Archive The Manchester Grammar School Archive holds the records of Manchester Grammar School, where many of Manchester’s Jewish population received their education. Archive Description The MGS Archive contains documents, photographs, artefacts and audio-visual material relating to the 500 year history of the School. In fact, our oldest item actually predates the foundation of the School – a deed from 1357 for a building once owned by the School at its previous site at Long Millgate, now in Manchester City Centre. The photographs, admissions registers, text and scrap books, uniform, a complete collection of Ulula which began publication in 1873, drama and music programmes, all contribute to demonstrating first-hand the history of MGS. It is continuing to add to the archive with material from the life of the School as it happens, and so the archive has material in the archive from as recently as 2020. The archive also contains documents relating to the Old Mancunians’ Association and the three preparatory schools which were once associated with MGS (Sale High School, South Manchester School and North Manchester School). Access Information The archives are open to the public by appointment. They are open Wednesday to Friday, 9am-2pm, and appointments must be made in advance by contacting archives@mgs.org Digital Accessibility An archive catalogue is available online here. Street Address Manchester Grammar SchoolOld Hall LaneManchesterM13 0XT https://www.mgs.org/2011/the-mgs-archives
Family History | Holocaust | Immigration | Jewish Life | Local HistoryOnly online Gathering the Voices Screenshot from the interactive game : Suzanne • Gathering the Voices Gatheringthevoices.com is a Scottish volunteer created archive that documents the lives of men and women who fled to Scotland to escape Nazi persecution. Archive Description The Gathering the Voices project is a registered charity. The members of the Association have collected and made available online oral and video testimony from men and women who sought and found sanctuary in Scotland to escape the racism of Nazi–dominated Europe. A major strand of the project was to allow the interviewees to describe key events throughout their whole lives, so they are seen as individuals not just victims. As well as testimony the archive shows letters, photographs and other memorabilia. The archive has a strong educational focus and is known for its innovative approach in teaching about the Holocaust. The digital archive contains podcasts, YouTube videos and teaching resources. These include digital comics, the most recent of which relates the testimony of Dany & Isi Metzstein and was developed by school pupils. The online archive features two interactive computer games; one of which, Marion’s Journey won the Scottish Games Award for Creativity. The website has a global following and the games were showcased at a recent international conference. There are also ten lesson plans on the topic of Kindertransport designed in partnership with Poppy Scotland. You can see regular updates via X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky Access Information The archive is free to use and enquiries can be made to info@gatheringthevoices.com Digital content All the testimonies and resources are available electronically and free to use as long as acknowledgement is given. https://gatheringthevoices.com/
Family History | Jewish Life | Local History | ReligionPartially online Lily’s Legacy Project The Lily’s Legacy Project is a heritage project organised by Liberal Judaism. It is deposited at the London Metropolitan Archive and online, and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Archive Description Lily’s Legacy: The Radical History of Liberal Judaism is a faith community heritage project that documents and showcases Liberal Judaism’s rich heritage as well as its contribution to British society, while preserving legacy for future generations. It examines how Liberal Judaism embodies the vision of its founders – and in particular Lily Montagu – today and throughout its history. The collection includes oral histories, transcripts, films, photographs and educational resources. As part of the project a groundbreaking multi-media exhibition ‘Voices and Visions of Liberal Judaism’ was created and it features memories and mementos of Liberal and Progressive Jews in the UK. Digital Accessibility More information about the project can be found on the website, and there is an online exhibition available. Home