Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I was talking to a lady in the Record Office yesterday who spoke about a cemetery that I had never heard of, possibly a Jewish one. Unfortunately as the computers were all having a dickie fit (no relation to our DS haha) we were unable to check it out on googlemaps, but I have looked now and am amazed.

The story she gave was that the area behind Dunlops on Rice Lane was once a zoo - no idea when, and the gates into the factory were embellished with animals because of this. I have checked the entrance and to my surprise the Pizza shop (I think it was once a flower shop), situated between The Plough pub and the China Garden Restaurant, appears to have been created in this entrance, put in this address into the search 172 Rice Ln, Liverpool, Merseyside L9 1DG, UK as I can't now find out how to copy a link to post here. The design above certainly seems to depict monkeys and perhaps an eagle.

There is mention of it on this site http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/liverpo ... lane-1975/ and it seems to have been in existence from about 1884 for probably about ten years - take no notice of the map, that is of a different place.

Just where were my eyes in the early '70s when I worked in that same Dunlop building.

But to move on to what is to me, more of a mystery, the cemetery. If you are looking at googlemaps you will see a green area towards the end of Hazeldale Road close to the Salvation Army (go down Stalmine Road from Rice lane and take a right). Now look at this point in streetview and you see what appears to be a padlocked gate, with a small green sign saying "Commonwealth War Graves". Indeed through the gates you can see headstones.

I'm going to phone Allerton Lodge to see what they tell me, I feel like I'm on a mission.

It could be Rice Lane Jewish Cemetery. I believe that the general upkeep is now done by Rice Lane City Farm.

Robert Tressell - author of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is buried there.

You got it Bert,

steveflan wrote:It could be Rice Lane Jewish Cemetery. I believe that the general upkeep is now done by Rice Lane City Farm.

Robert Tressell - author of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is buried there.

Steve the cemetery you are referring to is Walton Parochial Cemetery (off Hornby Road with the entrance in Rawcliffe Road) and yes indeed Robert Tressell is buried there.

This place is somewhere totally different, on the other side of Rice Lane and further along.

I wrote to a contact at Deane Road Cemetery and have received a reply from Saul

" I can tell you a lot about the cemetery, which is referred to within the Jewish community as "Rice Lane Cemetery" (despite, as you're aware, not actually being on Rice Lane).

The cemetery was the property of a burial society within the Jewish community in Liverpool, so it contains burials of members of a variety of different congregations. It opened in 1896 & closed in 1983. Mrs Sherlock, who used to live on Hazeldale Road was a keyholder for years, & when she died, her husband took her place. The cemetery has suffered a lot of vandalism in the past & also has trouble these days with subsidance. Two of my great-grandparents are buried there, along with a handful of more distant relatives. The burial records are kept by the administrative office of the Jewish community, which is based at Shifrin House, 433 Smithdown Road, tel 0151-733 2292 (ask for Julia Gould). The person who is most involved with the cemetery & has been for some years is Arnold Lewis (Carolearni [at] aol.com, tel: 0151-722 5021), who is the Community Archivist for the community & also the president of the Liverpool branch of the Jewish Historical Society. There is a small appeal within the community for funds for the cemetery every August, but I don't know how much they make. Anyway, I suggest you contact Arnold, as he will be able to tell you far more than me."

I will include this information on our post on the websites board as it may be useful for somebody in the future.

Thank goodness I got the fact that it was a Jewish cemetery correct at least!!

Liverpool Zoological Gardens c1893




Rice Lane Jewish Cemetery c1908





Blue

The site was not only an animal zoo but had all sorts of amusements and performers appearing there if you look in the newspapers. The company running the site went bust it only lasted a couple of years.

Liverpool Mercury, Thursday 11 March 1886





Blue

Thanks Blue. And for the maps, at least it looks as though the cemetery was beside and not on top of the zoo, imagine!

This is a fascinating thread.

I only hope the likes of the hyena went to another established collection and didn't become someone's 'exotic pet' around town.

Fledge wrote:This is a fascinating thread.

I only hope the likes of the hyena went to another established collection and didn't become someone's 'exotic pet' around town.

Or.... some lady's fancy new coat!
I remember my mother used to have a dead fox draped around her neck if she was going anywhere posh like a wedding.

So did mine. I don't remember it ever having an outing, though. I think it was given to her and she couldn't bring herself to ever wear it.