Why is this cemetery called Lauriston Road Cemetery? The cemetery opened in 1788. It is an historic Grade II listed Jewish cemetery. You will find it on Lauriston Road in South Hackney.
The Germans’ Hambro Synagogue purchased the land in 1786. Burials ceased here from 1886. The cemetery is only open to visitors by appointment.
The London Garden Trust mentions notable plane trees. You can also see semi-mature trees. Numerous headstones and chest tombs are set in grass.
There are records of a small Sephardic Jewish community in Hackney from the 18th century. The first cemetery of the Hambro Synagogue closed in Hoxton Street in 1878. It no longer exists. Leon Gompertz and other Ashkenazim bought land east of Grove Road. They acted for the synagogue.
The land included a building. Sarah Tyssen occupied part of it. She was the widow of Samuel Tyssen. Hackney was largely undeveloped when the cemetery opened. The grounds served as a rural retreat. Railways arrived in the 1850s. They allowed faster connections to the City of London. The cemetery was extended in 1852. Soon after, the grounds became dilapidated.
Renovations occurred in 1870. Mrs. Flatou funded them. She spent £1,200 in memory of her late husband Louis Victor Flatou.
The lodge, walls, and gates built in 1870 still stand at the entrance. The lodge was let out as a residence. It was also a doctor’s surgery. Now, it is used as offices. The prayer hall stood next to the lodge. It was demolished in 1885. This was despite being renovated 15 years earlier.
Hackney Council lists the burial ground as a haven. It is a haven for insects, birds, and small mammals. There are a number of mature trees and shrubs. The council describes the land as a positive feature. It is an important private open space. It is also an important refuge for small wildlife and birds.
The surviving lodge, gates, and railings are locally listed by Hackney Council. The cemetery is at the center of the Victoria Park Conservation Area. Historic England listed the cemetery at Grade II in March 2021. This included the lodge, gates, and piers facing Lauriston Road. It also included a portion of the walling.
The listing recognizes the cemetery’s architecture. The lodge building, walls, railings and gates are from 1870. HH Collins designed them. They are well preserved and a rare survival. The listing recognizes the importance of the cemetery. It is important for its architectural interest. There is a collection of 18th and 19th-century headstones and monuments. It also shows the development of Jewish burial customs. It shows assimilation into British society. The burial ground was the first Jewish cemetery site in London. It was laid out in a rural setting. It was beyond the initial cluster around Whitechapel.
Waugh Thistleton Architects were granted permission in 2018. They designed a new contemporary synagogue. It would be on the site of the demolished prayer hall. United Synagogues commissioned the architects. The new multi-purpose building caters to the needs of the expanding local Jewish community. It serves as a communal space. It is a forum to inspire dialogue about the Jewish religion and culture.
The Hackney Council granted planning permission for the new building. However, local residents objected. They objected to the potential disruption of the local ecosystem. They also objected to the reduction in views across the cemetery. The dissidents’ petition was signed by 352 people. Local residents view the Lauriston Road Cemetery as a central part of their local neighborhood. The new building would be accompanied by renovation of the existing lodge. It would change its use to a community center.