Family History | Historical Documents | Holocaust | Interfaith relations | Local History | ReligionPartially online Lambeth Palace Library Lambeth Palace Library is the historic library of the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/
Cultural | Holocaust | ReligionPartially online JMI Archive Jewish Music Institute (JMI) is the home of Jewish music in the UK, dedicated to the celebration, preservation and development of the living heritage of Jewish music for the benefit of people of all ages and backgrounds. The organisation supports musicians playing Jewish music across the UK enabling them to preserve this traditional heritage, create new work and reach the widest audiences both domestically and internationally. Archive Description The JMI Archive is a unique and valuable research tool which documents Jewish music from the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries in the UK and overseas as well as the activities of The Jewish Music Institute itself over the last 40 years. It includes records, CDS, LPs, tapes, books, programmes, memorabilia and much more. We hope that the archive collection will be of value to communities, organisations and academic researchers at local, national and international levels. The JMI collection is currently managed by JMI staff members. Access Information JMI is in the process of fully cataloguing and digitising the archive with the aim of making the entire archive accessible by the end of 2025. Access to much of the material is currently restricted because the majority of the archive is currently held in storage Some archive material can be accessed at the JMI office at SOAS. This is by appointment only and must be arranged with a JMI staff member in advance by emailing jewishmusic@jmi.org.uk Street Address Jewish Music InstituteSOAS University of LondonThornhaugh StreetRussell SquareLondon, WC1H 0XG jmiarchive.org
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
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/
Commercial | Holocaust | Immigration | Jewish LifePartially online German-Jewish Archives at University of Sussex 'Interior of accommodation at Mikhailowka showing bunks with Nanino on top left (G2.063r)', Arnold Daghani collection SxMs113/5/2/125, University of Sussex. Copyright: The Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies The German-Jewish Archives are part of the University of Sussex Heritage Collections. Archive Description The establishment of the Centre for German-Jewish Studies at the University of Sussex in 1994 has attracted the deposit of various collections that show the study of political, social, literary and intellectual German-Jewish history. The Centre is part of the Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies. There is a focus on the history of Jewish refugees and their families to the United Kingdom during and after the Second World War. Many of the collections were donated by families who came to the UK as refugees from Nazi persecution. They brought with them documents which show Jewish life before Hitler came to power. These archival materials show a broad range of Jewish identities. While most families considered themselves assimilated by the 1930s, the material also reveals traces of antisemitism and Jewish segregation. Access Information The archive is open to the public and can be accessed in the reading room at The Keep. Opening hours are available on The Keep website, and two forms of identification must be brought to the archive. The Keep also requires users to fill out an online registration process which can be found here. It is advisable to book a seat in the reading room and order documents to view in advance of your visit Enquiries can be made to: library.specialcoll@sussex.ac.uk. Digital Accessibility Collection level descriptions of the German-Jewish archive are available on the Keep’s website. Some items from the German-Jewish collections are available via JSTOR Street Address University of Sussex Heritage CollectionsThe KeepWoollards WayBrighton BN1 9BP https://www.thekeep.info/
Communal Records | Family History | HolocaustPartially online Holocaust Centre North (Huddersfield) Holocaust survivor Arek Hersh (second on left back row) playing football in Manchester, 1953 • Holocaust Centre North Holocaust Centre North is based at the University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The Centre promotes Holocaust education through the lived experiences of Holocaust survivors and refugees. It is part of the Holocaust Survivors’ Friendship Association (HSFA), a charity originating in 1996 to support Holocaust survivors and refugees in Leeds. Archive Description The Holocaust Centre North Archive has a growing collection of material relating to the history and activities of the charity as well as personal papers of Holocaust refugees and survivors who have made the North of England their home. From cocktail shakers to correspondence, telegrams to travel documents, photographs to filmed testimonies, the Centre preserves and safeguards these individual stories and rare materials for future generations and makes them available for education and research. The Centre actively collects physical and digital records, including: Material up to the end of the Second World War Records which tell the story of survivors and refugees post-war, e.g., naturalisation or compensation papers Recorded testimonies (video and audio) Original documents, e.g., passports, certificates, ID papers Correspondence, e.g., letters and postcards Photographs Objects – the toys, household items and mementos on display really help bring the history to life Research Strengths The collections are a rich resource for educators, creative practitioners, and researchers of Holocaust history. Collection themes include: Jewish life in pre-war Europe Impact of the Nuremberg Laws Emigration attempts, migration routes Kindertransport and child refugees Internment as enemy aliens in Britain Ghetto and camp experiences, slave labour Liberation and displacement Making a new life in the North of England Culture shock and assimilation Faith and identity Intergenerational relationships and trauma Memorialisation, post-memory Access Information The permanent exhibition is open to the public for free. The Archive is accessible to the public by appointment, please contact: collections@hud.ac.uk Opening times are Monday to Thursday 10.00-16.00. Online Accessibility The collections are being developed through preservation, cataloguing, and digitisation so that they will be more accessible for different audiences. Descriptions for 70 of the 130+ personal paper collections are available via an online catalogue as part of the National Archives and the Holocaust Centre North website features a selection of survivor stories and photographs. Street Address Holocaust Centre NorthSchwann Building Level 2The University of HuddersfieldHuddersfieldHD1 3DH https://hcn.org.uk 7 Mar 2025 Collection Encounter: Holocaust Centre North “We started with friendship, people meeting for teas and coffees and then they wanted to start sharing their stories” Berta Klipstein & Her Grandmother Berta Klipstein & grandmother, Bielska, 1935. • Holocaust Survivors Friendship Association 9 Jul 2021 Jews and Football Jews and football from the archives
Commercial | Communal Records | Holocaust | Jewish Life | Religion | SocialNot online Leeds Jewish Archive This archive is currently closed. The Leeds Jewish Archive has been assembled by Makor Jewish Culture, Leeds. Its holdings cover over one hundred and fifty years of Jewish presence in Leeds. Archive Description In 2010, the Leeds Jewish community celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first custom built synagogue in Leeds. To commemorate this and leave a legacy for Leeds’ rich Jewish history, Makor Jewish Culture launched the search for Leeds archive material. The Centre conducted a large number of interviews with people whose families had lived for generations in Leeds, producing a wealth of interviews containing many anecdotes that would not normally have been preserved. The archive holds material that includes all aspects of Jewish religious, social, economic and political life, including local history, refugee experiences, wars and conflict, the Holocaust and relationships with Israel. This includes audio-visual material from TV stations such as ITV, Chanel 4 and the BBC have searched their archive for information to enrich Leeds based documentaries. Access Information This archive is currently closed.
Cultural | Family History | Holocaust | ImmigrationPartially online Sir Nicholas Winton Archive The Sir Nicholas Winton Archive is a private family archive available to researchers, educators, and descendants. It is operated by the Sir Nicholas Winton Memorial Trust and holds personal papers, photographs, newspaper cuttings, and other documents. Archive Description The Sir Nicholas Winton Archive was donated to the Sir Nicholas Winton Memorial Trust in 2019 by his daughter, Barbara Winton. It contains a wealth of documentary material about Sir Nicholas’ personal life (1909-1938 and 1950-2015), war service (1939-1946), as well as his work organising the Kindertransport and its later effects (1938-2015). The archive also contains photographs taken by Sir Nicholas, newspaper cuttings from 1988-2015, and an audio visual archive consisting of tapes and DVDs of programmes and interviews. Access Information The archive can be accessed by request. Researchers should make an appointment with the archive via the Sir Nicholas Winton website, and other requests can be emailed to info@nicholaswinton.com . Access times for the archive can be arranged once a request for use is made. Online Accessibility The archive hopes to make an online catalogue of the material available in the near future, but some material in available on the website. http://www.nicholaswinton.com
Historical Documents | HolocaustPartially online Manx National Heritage Library & Archives First World War Internees Jewish Camp Dining Room Douglas Camp Isle of Man - The Manx National Heritage Library and Archives The Manx National Heritage Library and Archives at the Manx Museum, Douglas is a non-lending reference facility holding a wide variety of resources relating to the Isle of Man, its history and culture. Archive Description The Isle of Man housed civilian internment camps during both World Wars, as well as many of the records related to those camps. Many of those interned will have spent at least part of their time on the Isle of Man. During the First World War German and Austrian Jews were interned in the Douglas and Knockaloe Camps but also in a separate Jewish Camp within the Douglas Camp. In the Second World War a significant proportion of the refugees who had fled to Britain from Nazi persecution were subsequently interned as ‘enemy aliens’ and held in camps on the Island. Not all official internment records survive. Assorted printed and archival internment material has been amassed by MNH including private papers and academic research. Personal correspondence, memoirs, photographs, ephemera and dissertations are held as are extensive printed books, articles and camp newspapers. The collections have been considerably expanded since 1994 when the Manx Museum, Douglas staged a major exhibition ‘Living with the Wire: Civilian Internment in the Isle of Man during the two World Wars’; a book of the same title is still in print available from MNH. Internment object and art resources are displayed in the art and military galleries at the Manx Museum. Access Information The Library and Archive is open to the public, and enquiries can be dealt with on a walk-in basis (once a Visitor Registration Form has been completed). New users will need to register for a membership card. The Library requests that users contacts the MNH Library & Archives prior to their visit to discuss their enquiry, to find out what suitable material may be available to answer their enquiry and the type of material they might want to see during their visit – this will help to ensure the most efficient and productive use of time during their visit. These enquiries can be made to: library@mnh.im. The Library is open all year round, Wednesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, with certain exceptions. More information can be found on their website. Digital Accessibility Manx National Heritage has a variety of material available online through its online platform iMuseum. Here there is free access to digitised Manx newspapers spanning both World Wars; also to digitised First World War internment camp newspapers (available in their original form but also with English translations from the original German). A full list of their digital collections can be found online. Street Address Manx National Heritage,Douglas,Isle of Man,IM1 3LY Library and Archives
Family History | HolocaustPartially online The Wiener Holocaust Library Juden Raus! board game • The Wiener Holocaust Library The Wiener Holocaust Library is a London based private library and archive holding Holocaust records and donated family papers. Archive Description The Wiener Holocaust Library is one of the world’s leading archives documenting the Holocaust and Nazi era. The document collections hold the UK’s largest archive of personal papers relating to Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe and continues to grow, with new collections being added every year. It holds collections relating to Anglo-Jewish reactions to Nazi atrocities and efforts to rescue and rehabilitate Jews in Europe – including the working papers of Rose Henriques who served as the head of the Germany Section of the Jewish Committee for Relief Abroad (see World Jewish Relief). It also holds collections relating to the fate of refugees from the Nazis who were placed in the ‘Kitchener Camp’ in Kent. The Wiener Holocaust Library also holds the UK’s digital copy of the International Tracing Service Archive (ITS) – now known as the Arolsen Archives. It holds over 30 million pages of Holocaust era documents relating to the fates of millions of people who suffered under Nazi rule and occupation. The archive is available in the Library for those who wish to examine documents related to their own fate or the fate of family members. More information can be found here. Access Information The Wiener Holocaust Library is open to the public, 10 am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, with extended hours on Tuesdays until 7.30pm. To access the archive, first-time users are required to supply photographic identification (i.e drivers license, passport, etc.) and proof of address. The Library also provides a document delivery service for a fee. Enquiries about these services can be made via email to library@wienerlibrary.co.uk Online Accessibility The Library catalogue can be found online here, and portions of the collection are available digitally along with information about the Library’s holdings and subject guides. Street Address 29 Russell SquareLondonWC1B 5DP https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/
Communal Records | Family History | Holocaust | Immigration | Jewish Life | Local HistoryPartially online Jewish History Association of Wales / Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru A portrait of Rabbi Asher Grunis, born in Poland in 1877 who became the first communal Rav of Cardiff in 1921 until his death in 1937 • Jewish History Association of Wales The Jewish History Association of Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru (previously the Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru) has created a digital collection, hosted on the People’s Collection Wales platform. Its collection covers a wide range of topics documenting the cultural heritage of Jewish communities in South Wales. As of 2025, the charity has embarked upon collecting and documenting the stories of Jewish communities across the whole of Wales, building up a full picture of those who once made Wales their home. Archive Description The Jewish History Association of Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru collection currently contains images, sound clips from oral histories, and presentations about the rich heritage of historic Jewish communities, majoritively in south Wales, but the collection is ever expanding. We celebrate the large, active Jewish communities found across Wales in the early part of the twentieth century and chart the slow but seemingly inevitable decline to where they find themselves today. The digital content comes from material JHAW/CHIC has discovered (and in some cases rescued from imminent destruction or disposal), material contributed by local synagogues and Jewish organisations, and material from individual members of the community. The scanned documents range from official minute books of congregations, minutes of Jewish social, youth and sports organisations, to newspaper clippings from the local press. They include correspondence about the creation and management of Jewish cemeteries and the lack of provision of kosher food for prisoners during the First World War. Sound clips from some of the 127 interviews with people from the last generation to live and work in these communities, share memories that would otherwise have been lost. Photographs of people and places long gone are now preserved for posterity. So far, JHAW/CHIC has uploaded over 3,973 files, which make up over 1,295 single and multipage items. They intend to continue to add to this collection in the belief that it will help illuminate the major contribution Jews have made to the south Wales area, and in time to the whole of Wales. The majority of original documents have been deposited with local Archives and Record Offices including Glamorgan Archives. Digital Accessibility The collection is available to the public with no access limitations, under a Creative Commons license. Additional information about the project and links to the archive on People’s Collection Wales can be found on the JHAW/CHIC website. https://www.jhasw.com
Commercial | Family History | Historical Documents | Holocaust | ImmigrationPartially online The National Archives The National Archives are the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, located in Kew, South West London. They hold documents covering every aspect of Jewish life in Britain. Archive Description The National Archives looks after and makes available to the public a collection of historical records dating back more than 1,000 years, including records as diverse as the Domesday Book and MI5 files. They are also a cultural, heritage and academic organisation which promotes public accessibility to iconic documents while ensuring preservation for generations to come. Subject guides are available to help users locate the information they are looking for. The two most relevant ones are on Jews and Jewish Communities, and this collection of guides for family history research. The Archives’ historic records also cover the history of Medieval Jewish communities, as well as the return of the Jewish community to England in the mid-1650s. Access Information The National Archives is open to all members of the public. In order to view files at The National Archives, you will need to book your visit and order documents at least a week in advance. You will also need a reader’s ticket, which you can register for when you book online. In order to obtain or renew your reader’s ticket you must bring two forms of identification with you: a proof of name with a valid signature and a separate proof of address. A photograph will be taken for your reader’s ticket. The National Archives are open 9am – 5pm, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and until 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Currently, visits must be booked at least a week in advance, and slots will be made available two weeks before the date of the visit, on a rolling weekly basis every Monday morning. Additional information can be found here. Online Accessibility The National Archives’ online catalogue, Discovery, lists records held by the Archive as well as more than 2,500 other archives in the UK. Over five percent of the Archives’ records have been digitised and are available online. These can be found by searching on the online catalogue and filtering for ‘available for download only’. Depending on the document these may not be free to view, and require a payment to either the National Archive or one of it’s commercial partners. Street Address Bessant Dr,Kew,RichmondTW9 4DU https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk