Twelve years ago, newly retired Les came across a letter in the Jewish Chronicle from Hester Abrams about Willesden Jewish Cemetery. They had recently applied for the Heritage Lottery Fund grant and were now looking for volunteers to support their work. Having grown up in Willesden and with a passion for history, he wrote back and offered his help, together with his wife Daniella.
During his first year as a volunteer, Les and Daniella spent time transcribing historical records onto the computer. But as he spent time wandering around the cemetery, he developed more of an interest in the people who had been buried there.
He jumped at the chance to be one of the volunteers taking guided tours of the cemetery, focussing on both famous and non-famous people. The themed tours explain more about the lives of people from many different walks of life: First and Second World War soldiers, scientists, business owners, lawyers, as well as the history of the United Synagogue and the cemetery.
He spent time researching each person – looking up their names both online and in newspaper archives, helping to create a variety of different themed tours of the cemetery.
Through doing this, he also discovered more about his own family. “My mother had always told me that we had had a small family, but my research revealed that I have more than a dozen relatives buried at Willesden,” Les said.
Today, guided tours are a central part of his volunteer work. At 82 years old, he hopes to continue leading visitors through the cemetery and sharing stories that bring history to life for as long as he can.
“The best part is that each group offers a different experience. Some visitors arrive knowing very little about the cemetery or its history, while others bring their own knowledge and family connections. Sometimes people are able to provide us with information we didn’t have before,” Les explains.
One of the aspects of his volunteer work that he values the most is the opportunity to highlight the contributions that Jewish people have made to Britain over the centuries. “To me, it’s important to bring forward the contribution that Jews made in Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries, and continue to make today. Many visitors are surprised by what they learn. Non-Jewish attendees, in particular, are often unaware of the breadth of Jewish contributions to British life. They’re amazed by what they discover.”
