[Steve Ellwood]

Didn't get into Buxton House today, but was in the central library on another matter and looked up Oliver's 1841 map. This might help.

Good research that man and at least it fills in some of the earlier history.

Found this from the London Illustrated News @ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/19968/pages/947/page.pdf

NOTICE is hereby given, that, a separate building,' named Gibson-street Chapel, situated in Gibson-street, in the parish of All Saints, in the
county of the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne union, being a building-certified according to law as a place of
religious worship, was, on the 19th day of October 1840, dulv registered for solemnizing marriages therein, pursuant to the Act of 6th and 7th William 4, chap. 85.
Witness my hand this 2d day of April 1841,
Thomas Brown, Superintendent Registrar.

 

[Dene]

Great find NP! Thanks for sharing.

And that map looks like a superb resource!

:banana:

And good call, WBF!

 

[wj_gibson]

Gibson Town is an excellent name for an area. Just a shame there isn't one in every city, really.

 

[newcastlepubs]

Great find NP! Thanks for sharing.

And that map looks like a superb resource!

:banana:

And good call, WBF!

I actually got the lead from Alan Morgan [wrote Beyond the Grave, the 'book' on Newcastle's cemeteries]. I'd organised seeing the old Jewish cemetery on Thornton st/Peel Lane [it's not normally open]. Alan hadn't seen it so he joined us. We were trying to place the Synagogue in the current landscape and he suggested Oliver's map and accompanying explanations... killed two birds. So credit is really to Alan.

 

[Dene]

I actually got the lead from Alan Morgan [wrote Beyond the Grave, the 'book' on Newcastle's cemeteries]. I'd organised seeing the old Jewish cemetery on Thornton st/Peel Lane [it's not normally open]. Alan hadn't seen it so he joined us. We were trying to place the Synagogue in the current landscape and he suggested Oliver's map and accompanying explanations... killed two birds. So credit is really to Alan.

It's such a shame it's not in print.

 

[Steve Ellwood]

I actually got the lead from Alan Morgan [wrote Beyond the Grave, the 'book' on Newcastle's cemeteries]. I'd organised seeing the old Jewish cemetery on Thornton st/Peel Lane [it's not normally open]. Alan hadn't seen it so he joined us. We were trying to place the Synagogue in the current landscape and he suggested Oliver's map and accompanying explanations... killed two birds. So credit is really to Alan.

Any photographs NP and what condition is the cemetery in?

 

[newcastlepubs]

According to Lewis Bolsover The Jewish Communities of North-East England (1980) 250 sq yds of land was bought in 1835 for a burial ground in Thornton Street and enclosed with a wall.

The site for the synagogue in Temple Street was acquired in 1838. "It has been suggested that there was a subterranean passage connecting the synagogue with the cemetery, but this was probably no more than an enclosed pathway and a later memoir refers to a narrow lane with an iron railing and gate running by the side of the synagogue and leading to the cemetery."

The cemetery was ordered to be closed in 1851 and burials then took place at the Sunderland cemetery until 1857 when a site was purchased in the City Cemetery in Elswick Road. The cemetery [in 1980] had only five headstones. Three were weatherbeaten, but two were in reasonably good condition and the Hebrew engravings were legible.

Per other posting popped into there today [thanks Newcastle Council, very helpful]. If anyone wants the contact PM me. There's definitely no Tunnel.

The ground is in good order and the Council certainly won't allow any building on it. Mentioned that they are also moving a number of their other Cemetery lodges out of Council ownership.

The site of the Synagogue is the black block marked 108, now under a car park.

 

[Newcastle Historian]

^^ Have added the above to the Index Thread under "J" for Jewish Issues, and "C" for Cemeteries.

We have got quite A LOT of links to posts on this forum about this subject now!

 

[Steve Ellwood]

Per other posting popped into there today [thanks Newcastle Council, very helpful]. If anyone wants the contact PM me. There's definitely no Tunnel.

The ground is in good order and the Council certainly won't allow any building on it. Mentioned that they are also moving a number of their other Cemetery lodges out of Council ownership.

The site of the Synagogue is the black block marked 108, now under a car park.

You've had a good day NP - two mysteries solved in a day, not bad going ;-)

Must say I hadn't realised that NCC had a duty of care for the Jewish Cemetery and I understand that there is a protective covenant covering its sanctity - all part of the 'deal' to give up the land.

Bet Alan was pleased to get in there and surprised that given his contacts he hadn't achieved it until today

 

[newcastlepubs]

You've had a good day NP - two mysteries solved in a day, not bad going ;-)

Must say I hadn't realised that NCC had a duty of care for the Jewish Cemetery and I understand that there is a protective covenant covering its sanctity - all part of the 'deal' to give up the land.

Bet Alan was pleased to get in there and surprised that given his contacts he hadn't achieved it until today

He was very happy. BTW for amusement, discovered that when my ancestor had the meeting to kick off the whole thing it was in the ...... Blackie Boy - which cheered me up no end :cheers:

 

[delicolor]

I can remember being told about this on a visit to the Tyne Theatre when it first re-opened in the 70s, but they said it was "behind the theatre" and I had erroneously assumed it was in the light well of Waterloo House.

 

[newcastlepubs]

Great pic from GBDT here showing the location. It is sort of behind the theatre:

This is the former synagogue at the turn of the last century [a methodist hall at that point], just before demolition.

The plaque [entablature] is now in the orthodox synagogue in Gosforth [you can see it in situ in the top of photo above].

Grace. Re loaded at a better size. There is some damage to the lettering - I think it's meant to be 1838, though I am having trouble making sense of them.

 

[growly grace]

I am liking the lettering on the plaque whats the date?

 

[middle aged codger]

Here's a few pages taken from a book I 'inherited' when I bought my house.
It seems that the mysterious tunnel tale has been around for some time now?

ECHOES OF OTHER DAYS – SOME LEAVES OF NORTHERN LORE
Transcribed by D. Lumley 1930

Northumberland Press Limited
Waterloo House
Thornton Street

1/- Net Cheaper Edition

 

[Percy Trimmer]

I am liking the lettering on the plaque whats the date?

It looks like 559? with II or III is missing after the final V.

1838 was 5598 in the Jewish calendar.

 

[newcastlepubs]

Here's a few pages taken from a book I 'inherited' when I bought my house.
It seems that the mysterious tunnel tale has been around for some time now?

ECHOES OF OTHER DAYS – SOME LEAVES OF NORTHERN LORE
Transcribed by D. Lumley 1930

Northumberland Press Limited
Waterloo House
Thornton Street

1/- Net Cheaper Edition

Could you possibly enlarge the pics - I can't seem to open 'em or view them. I'd not found any evidence for the tunnel so far, but interested to hear more.

It looks like 559? with II or III is missing after the final V. 1838 was 5598 in the Jewish calendar.

That was my thought but there'd also need to be an underscore missing before the V too [multiplying the first V by 1000]. 5598 certainly fits.

 

[Percy Trimmer]

It looks like 559? with II or III is missing after the final V.

1838 was 5598 in the Jewish calendar.

Olsover makes no mention of the plaque, but says that the "stone gateway to the synagogue was inscribed with the words 'Beth Haknesseth Newcastle (House of Assembly Newcastle) in Hebrew lettering with the date 5599 in Roman numerals. This . . . was transferred to the Hazelrigg Cemetery when the building was demolished in 1926 and still remains in its new home".

 

[Percy Trimmer]

That was my thought but there'd also need to be an underscore missing before the V too [multiplying the first V by 1000]. 5598 certainly fits.

I think the first V would have been clearly understood as 5000; a simple 5 in that position would have made no sense.

The inscription is in any case rather crude - note the full-stop serving as an apostrophe after "Jews".

 

[DXNewcastle]

Just up the road from there (the Cemetry and former synagogue) is the pub currently known as the Bodega. That building with its stained glass and dome has been likened to a synagogue, though I think its a bit more 'glitzy' than even the gaudiest synagogue I can recall - is that likeness just be coincidence, or is there any link?

 

[newcastlepubs]

Olsover makes no mention of the plaque, but says that the "stone gateway to the synagogue was inscribed with the words 'Beth Haknesseth Newcastle (House of Assembly Newcastle) in Hebrew lettering with the date 5599 in Roman numerals. This . . . was transferred to the Hazelrigg Cemetery when the building was demolished in 1926 and still remains in its new home".

You re right he does, and Alan M picked up on that, but as far as I can tell from my research Olsover might have his wires [slightly] crossed; the year 5599 would fit as it's 1838-9. However I can t find anything on a gate [and the pics don't show one]. However there was apparently a gated arch to the cemetery.

Everyone I ve asked from Gosforth refers only to the lintel which is in the Synagogue grounds. That is accompanied by a modern plaque dated 1st Dec 89. It may be the case that the lintel was moved from Hazelrigg. However this doesn't explain the English, as opposed to Hebrew inscription.

The entablature is definitely from the building [as it can be seen in the 1908 pic] but not sure about the other one.

I'll speak to a couple of people...

Just up the road from there (the Cemetry and former synagogue) is the pub currently known as the Bodega. That building with its stained glass and dome has been likened to a synagogue, though I think its a bit more 'glitzy' than even the gaudiest synagogue I can recall - could that likeness just be coincidence?

It's also been likened to a mosque and was widely rumoured to have been one . I remember looking into this a while ago and there was nothing to support either. I seem to remember it having a theatrical connection, but others probably know better than me. The usual list of early shul in Newcastle runs:

• Temple St
• Charlotte Square
• Leazes