From the mid 1830’s, the population of Leeds rose exponentially due to people flocking in seeking work in the new industries. The churchyards were full and ‘something’ had to be done about burying the dead. After an 1842 Act of Parliament, Leeds Council was allowed to create burial grounds, bury its dead and levy a charge on the rates for the service. Two cemeteries were laid out and opened in 1845, Hunslet in May and Beckett Street (opened as Leeds Burial Ground) in August, making that the country’s 2nd oldest municipal cemetery.
It holds over 180,000 people in 28,000 graves, 80 or so of which are designated Commonwealth War Graves, and between the 1880’s and 1930’s, families of people buried in a common grave, could pay £1:1s to have their name and date of death shown on a shared headstone with unrelated people. Beckett Street Cemetery is unusually rich in these ‘Guinea Graves’, the proper name being ‘Inscription Graves’. It was a useful halfway between the shame of having an unmarked grave and the expense of having a headstone.
The Cemetery is Grade 2-listed on Historic England’s Parks & Gardens register, being a haven for wildlife and wild flowers, as well as a place of peace for the living.
The Friends group was formed in 1985 after the threat of road-widening and some demolition (which didn’t happen!), and members are still active with monthly working parties, regular tours, and research which continues to reveal some fascinating stories.