Peel Lane, Jewish Cemetery

The name Temple Street marks the presence of a synagogue shown on Oliver's plan of 1838 lying on the junction of Peel Lane and Temple Street. Although there is now no surviving evidence for this synagogue, a Jewish graveyard still lies across Peel Lane to the rear of the present Newcastle Lighting Centre. In 1835, Newcastle's Jewish community had purchased a 250 square yards plot of land north of Thornton Street for use as a burial ground. Within 30 years however this area had been densely developed and the plot was allocated for a new theatre. Despite appeals, the Jewish community lost their battle for their cemetery. They were promised however that the 55 square yards which had already been used would be untouched by development, hence the small site which survives today. Only five grave stones are left. The Hebrew inscriptions are eroded and only one is legible - it commemorates Matilda Gaskell who died in 1851. Building plans in Tyne and Wear Archives show a proposed walkway across the Jewish cemetery. The proposals were approved and passed by the Town Improvement Committee on 31st August 1892. LOCAL LIST