Green Lane Jewish Cemetery, Liverpool

Anne has kindly given us permission to publish her research here.

Over the years there are believed to have been nine Jewish cemeteries in Liverpool. Currently only two are open to new burials (West Derby and Springwood) and of the others, some are in a poor state and others are no longer there at all.

The first Jewish cemetery of the Old Hebrew Congregation was in the garden of a house in Upper Frederick Street, with the first recorded interment taking place in 1789. Burials continued here for the rest of the 19^th century. However the more prominent Jewish cemetery during this period was at Deane Road, Kensington which was consecrated in 1837. Deane Road contains the graves of many eminent Jewish Victorians including David Lewis who founded the Lewis’s chain of department stores and Charles Mozley, Lord Mayor of Liverpool from 1863-1864 (or more correctly First Citizen as the title of Lord Mayor has only existed in Liverpool since 1893).

The Liverpool New Hebrew Congregation was founded after breaking away from the Old Hebrew Congregation in the middle of the 19^th century. For eighty years the congregation worshipped in a synagogue at Hope Place, on a site that is now occupied by the Unity Theatre. Their first cemetery was at Green Lane and was acquired in 1839. The earliest headstone dates from 1842. The site is sadly sealed off and overgrown and has been out of use since 1921, when Long Lane Cemetery was opened, although there was a later burial there in 1952.

In 1979 a survey was conducted by Liverpool Greenbank Drive Hebrew Congregation listing all the names on the upright (legible) tombstones at Green Lane. There were approximately 400, the total number was estimated at 700 interments. They concluded that the general state of preservation of the cemetery is poor, with many of the graves covered by dense overgrowth. The cemetery was restored in March 1991 by E Rex Makin in loving memory of his father Joseph H Makin.

In 2017 an update on SynagogueScribes.com the following information was posted: Green Lane is now completely overgrown and has been for many years. It is highly unlikely that anyone will be able to enter any time soon. The burial records were destroyed in a fire many years ago. In 2018 Edward McCormack, a Liverpool photographer, took a series of photographs of the headstones. Here is a selection of these photographs together with information that I have found through research about the people named on these particular headstones.

Harris Nathan Curlender

“Sacred to the Memory of Harris Nathan Curlender who died on the 1^st of Iyar 5685, 25^th April 1925 aged 56 years. He devoted his life to the care of the fatherless and the welfare of his fellow men. His loving association with Hope Place Synagogue will never be forgotten. He served with dignity the position of President and Treasurer, and for a great number of years devoted his sole energies to the important office of Treasurer of its Burial Board.”

Harris Nathan Curlender was an estate agent with an office at 26 North John Street, Liverpool. He married Malvena Lipson (widow of Wolfe Lipson who died aged 32 in 1893 and was buried in Green Lane Cemetery too). Nathan became stepfather to her children- Henry Solomon Lipson, Levi Lipson and Lydia Lipson. He was living at 6 Cavendish Road, New Brighton, Cheshire at the time of his death. According to the England and Wales National Probate Calendar 1925 his effects were £7143 18s 9d. Malvena Curlender died in Manchester.

Catherine Lazarus

“Sacred to the Memory of Catherine, beloved child of Aaron and Miriam Lazarus.”

The 1861 Census shows that Catherine was living with her parents at 27 Old Hall Street Liverpool, aged 8 years.

Miriam Hesselberg

“In Loving Memory of Miriam. Beloved wife of Morris Hesselberg who died the 10^th May 1907 aged 52. Sadly missed. May her dear soul Rest in Peace.”

According to a return in 1896 shown in “Merseyside Aliens 1879-1912” Morris Hesselberg was living at 73 Walton Breck Road Liverpool. His place of birth was given as Russia.

Jacob Leib Curlender

“Sacred to the Memory of Jacob Leib Curlender who departed this life on the 20^th of Kislev 5660, November 21^st 1899 aged 73 years. One who laboured in the home as a loving husband and father.” Jacob was born in Austria in 1827. His occupation being given as an estate agent. According to a return in 1881 shown in “Merseyside Aliens 1879-1912”  on 18^th August 1880 he was living at 52 Upper Hope Place Liverpool.  He had married Diana and had four children, two daughters Josephine and Gertrude and two sons Harris Nathan (referenced earlier) and Frederick Charles. In the 1891 Census the family were living together at 95 Grove Street Liverpool. Frederick died in 1904 aged 32 and one of his sons Melville was adopted by his sister Gertrude and her husband Philip Liverman. They had no children of their own. In 1911 they were living at 89 Seabank Road Wallasey.

They had two domestic servants, Mary and Edith Rowlands and a boarder, Cornelius William Callery. Philip had been born in Russia and was a Furniture dealer and Upholsterer. Diana died in 1916 at home in 18 Grosvenor Road New Brighton. She had lived there with her grandson Peter Albert Curlender. Melville married Margaret Gertrude Dawson in 1929.  According to shipping records on 12 November 1957 Melville Curlender arrived back in Southampton on the “Queen Elizabeth” from New York. His address was Grey Walls, Noctorum, Cheshire. His occupation is given as a Surveyor and Estate Agent. In Birkenhead today you will find Melville Avenue and Curlender Close, but I could not find proof that they are named after Melville Curlender.

There is a Photo Portrait by Edward Chambre Hardman in June 1938 of Melville Curlender Esq. at the Liverpool Record Office. Copyright of the photograph belongs to The National Trust.

David Cohen

“Sacred to the Memory of David Cohen of Newcastle-on-Tyne who departed this life on the 29^th of March 1859, aged 79 years. Deeply lamented by his family and friends.”

Leon Foinquinos

“Sacred to the Memory of Leon Foinquinos who departed this life on the 24^th Day of April 1880 ages 50 years.”

Leon (Judah) Foinquinos was born in 1830 in Gibraltar. He moved to Liverpool with his younger brother Isaac (date unknown) and was joined at some point by their sister Esther (known as Etty). The 1861 Census shows Etty living with her brother Leon in his household.

 Leon married Sophia Watts in Islington Register Office, London on 19^th May 1852.

Leon (Judah) Foinquinos owned a lithography shop in Liverpool, and is listed as a ‘Merchant Commissioner.’ He established numerous import/export transport companies during his working life. He also applied for a patent on envelopes in 1867. He died at the age of 50 in 1880 at 2 South Albert Road, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. According to the death certificate (shown below) the cause of death was ‘Apoplexy’ now commonly known as a cerebral haemorrhage or stroke. His son Georges was present.

Like his father Messod before him, Leon and Sophia had 10 children. Four children died in the first year of their life or at birth (Hana Clementine in 1854, Julia 1856-1857, Florence in 1864 and Frederick in 1866.  The remaining children who lived into adulthood were:

Charles Meshod, also known as Chas, (1857-1916). His name is in the archives of Ellis Island when he visited the United States and arrived in New York in 1890.

Charles married Edith Annie Smith and had a daughter Marjorie. Charles died in Southport in 1916. His imposing house is still there to see. Marjorie died in Southport in 1997.

Georges (1859-1941) married Lydia Kenney.

Emily (1861-1944) married Richard Marshall Roberts.

Samuel Henry (1863-1891) married Louise Pemberton. His son Herbert Watts Foinquinos took the family name of his grandmother Sophia Watts. His name is found in the Arras Memorial Archives as a Lance Corporal (Service Number 44860)  in the 42^nd Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He died in action on May 24^th 1917.

Leon and Sophia’s last 2 children were Alfred (1867-?) and  Esther (Ettie) Louise (1870-1940). 

Alfred married Ethel Mary Gibbs and had four children, Alfred in 1907, Walter in 1908, Freda in 1909 and Hazel in 1916. He later changed his surname to Franklin. Ettie remained unmarried until her death in 1940.

Marcus Morris, Salomea and Isidore Mindelsohn,

“In Loving Memory of Marcus Morris. Died 9^th July 1913 aged 61. Deeply mourned by his wife and children. May his soul Rest in Peace.”

“In Loving Memory of Isidore Mindelsohn who died July 14^th 1913 aged 69 years. Deeply mourned by his sons and daughters. To live in hearts we leave behind, is not to die.”

“In Memory of Salomea the Beloved Wife of Isidore Mindelsohn who died 19^th April 1908 in her 56^th year. Take her for all in all her like we shall never see again. Deeply mourned by her sorrowing children. May her dear soul Rest in Peace.” Salomea was born in Warsaw, Poland.

• References
• History of Green Lane Cemetery from Sarsfield Memorials, Liverpool
• Survey of Green Lane Cemetery (1979) carried out by Mark Kingston, Sam Beilin and B Levine. Liverpool City Council Ref: 296NHC/10/15
• Records of burials at Green Lane Cemetery from SynagogueScribes.com
• England and Wales National Probate Calendar 1925
• Information and certificates about Leon Foinquinos and his descendants found on Foinquinosgenealogy.blogspot.com
• Portrait of Charles Mozley by kind permission of National Portrait Gallery, London. Creative Commons Licence agreed.
• Photographs inside Green Lane Cemetery by kind permission of Edward McCormack.