War Memorial Obelisk and Tablet in Urmston Jewish Cemetery

Summary

First World War memorial, 1919, and Second World War memorial tablet, to Jewish servicemen.

Reasons for Designation

The War Memorial Obelisk and Tablet in Urmston Jewish Cemetery, which stand close to the Mortuary Chapel, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant obelisk in the Classical style;
* Historic association: standing in Urmston Jewish Cemetery, this is one of a very few freestanding First World War memorials in the UK commemorating Jewish service personnel.

History

Manchester’s Jewish community has its origins in the later C18 when families settled in the town to sell goods and provide a variety of services. Augmented by merchants attracted to Manchester’s developing cotton trade, the community continued to grow throughout the C19 and early C20 as immigrants settled, escaping violence and persecution in Europe. As well as establishing places for worship, a number of cemeteries were laid out in the C19, including Urmston Jewish Cemetery off Chapel Grove.

The war memorial commemorating 22 local servicemen from the Jewish community who died in the First World War, including sons of the memorial’s designer and donor, was unveiled in the cemetery in September 1919 at Rosh Hashana. It was designed by AL Carliph and presented by J Levi. Abraham Lesser Carliph (d1941), from Poland, was a Financial Agent who lived with his family in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. John Levi (d1925), born in Russian Poland (Lithuania), was a Financier living with his family in Higher Broughton, Manchester.

According to the Imperial War Museum’s War Memorials Register, there are some 68 surviving First World War memorials in England commemorating Jewish servicemen. The great majority of these are tablets and plaques in buildings, most commonly synagogues; and headstones on which a man who died in service during the conflict is commemorated alongside family members who are buried in a cemetery plot. The obelisk in Urmston Jewish Cemetery, in the Classical style and with inscriptions in Hebrew and English, is therefore a highly unusual.

Following the Second World War a tablet commemorating a further six men who died in that conflict was placed alongside the First World War memorial. The memorial was re-dedicated in June 2004 and marble plaques replicating the First World War inscriptions were fixed over the original text on the obelisk.

Details

The tall stone First World War memorial is located within the grounds of Urmston Jewish Cemetery, close to the Mortuary Chapel (not listed). It takes the form of an obelisk, square on plan, rising from a tapering pedestal that stands on a two-stage base and low step.

A crowned Star of David, encircled by laurels and swags, is carved in low relief at the foot of the obelisk to the front. The original inscriptions are incised into the faces of the memorial’s pedestal and base.These have been covered by white marble plaques that are stuck to each surface with mastic: the marble plaques replicate the original text.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front (south-west) face of the pedestal, in Hebrew, reads [in translation] THIS IS TO REMEMBER THE HEROES WHO SHED BLOOD AND WHO FELL FOR THEIR KINGS AND SAVED THE FLAGS IN HONOUR OF GOD AND WITH THEIR SWORDS AND IN HAPPINESS CLAIMED VICTORY OVER THE ENEMIES IN THE NAME OF THEIR FATHERS.

Below this on the upper stage of the base, in English, is THE KINGS MESSAGE, with below on the lower stage HE WHOSE LOSS YOU MOURN/ DIED IN THE NOBLEST OF CAUSES/ HIS COUNTRY WILL BE EVER GRATEFUL TO HIM/ FOR THE SACRIFICE HE HAS MADE/ FOR FREEDOM AND JUSTICE.

The three remaining faces of the pedestal record the commemorated First World War names. Each inscription begins FELL IN ACTION IN FRANCE with below the names given first in Hebrew and then English including rank, name, age and date of death.

The south-east facing panels of the base read THE CHIEF RABBI, and THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT/ THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ AND THE CONCREATION TELLETH THEIR PRAISE/ M.T.S.R.P. The north-east facing panels read PRESENTED BY JOHN LEVI ESQ/ OF SOUTHPORT and HIS SON 2ND LIEUT HARRY LEVI, SOLICITOR,/ ALSO IN PROFOUND SYMPATHY/ WITH OTHER FALLEN JEWISH IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. The north-west facing panels read UNVEILED SEPT 1919 5680/ DESIGNED AND ARRANGED BY A.L. CARLIPH. These inscriptions are all in English.

The new (2004) white marble plaques, which are attached on top of the original inscribed lettering with mastic, record the historic information but are not of special interest in their own right. It is the original sandstone structure that has special interest.

The obelisk stands in a small square enclosure defined by a low stone kerb and ornamental railing. To the south-east side of the enclosure the Second World War plaque, in granite and inscribed with a small Star of David, reads WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ (NAMES)/ “PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS.”/ M.T.S.R.I.P. The Second World War names are recorded first in Hebrew and then English, including rank, name, age, and how and when they died.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 30 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 15/07/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/45312
Trafford War Dead, accessed 15/07/2016 from http://www.traffordwardead.co.uk/index.php?memorials=TRUE&memorial_id=78
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/245509

Other
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA), 1911.

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