Heritage award for group maintaining 200 year old British Jewish cemetery

A group dedicated to preserving a 200 year old Jewish cemetery is one of the winners of a new national heritage award, with its chair describing the honour as “a recognition of the contribution that British Jews have made to the history and life of Britain”.

Friends of the Bath Jewish Burial Ground has been selected as one of the winners of  Findmypast’s Everyday History Heroes 2026, which was was launched in August by historian and TV broadcaster David Olusoga. Created by a partnership between UK family history website Findmypast and annual free local history festival Heritage Open Days, it allows members of the public to vote for the best overlooked historic sites in the UK.

Twenty four diverse heritage sites across the UK were shortlisted, including a farm, a windmill, cemeteries, museums, archives and estates.

Alongside the Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum and Worle History Society, Friends of the Bath Jewish Burial Ground was one of three finalists for the regional (South West) award celebrating people and organisations who keep local history alive, and was ultimately declared the winner for the region.

Established in 1812, the burial ground forms an important part of Bath’s Georgian history and provides a unique window into the lives of Jewish families and communities who contributed to the city’s development over generations.

The site, hidden away behind stone walls and owned by the Board of Deputies, tells the stories of the ordinary families, migrants, craftsmen, business owners and children who helped shape the city in southwest England over more than 200 years.

The cemetery is now the only remaining physical site of the city’s 19th century Jewish community.

Ann Cullis from the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground said: “We’re delighted that our work to preserve Bath’s historic Jewish Burial Ground and showcase its hidden histories has been recognised in this way. Through the dedication of our volunteers, we’re uncovering the experiences of families, workers and migrants whose lives form an important part of Bath’s everyday history.”

Christina Hilsenrath, the group’s chair of trustees, told Jewish News the award is also “a recognition of the contribution that British Jews have made to the history and life of Britain, and of the importance of preserving the stories of Jewish communities across the country. The history of small provincial communities such as Bath is often under-researched and overshadowed by the history of the much larger Jewish communities in Britain’s cities. We are proud to be helping to change that.”

Historian and broadcaster David Olusoga said: “The response to the inaugural Everyday History Heroes awards has demonstrated just how much people value the stories of those who rarely make the history books. Across England, heritage organisations and volunteers are preserving powerful histories that help us better understand our families and communities. Congratulations to Bath Jewish Burial Ground for ensuring these stories continue to be shared with future generations.”

Helen Kaye, director of brand and communications at Findmypast, added: “Every one of the winning sites showed how local history can reveal extraordinary stories about those that came before us. The public’s enthusiasm for the awards highlights a growing appetite to discover the people behind the places we know and love today. We’re delighted to congratulate Bath Jewish Burial Ground for their dedication to preserving and sharing these important histories.”

• Click here for a full list of all the UK winners