Description
This cemetery founded in 1915 for Ashkenazi Jews, is the only Jewish burial ground in South London. Situated on Rowan Road, Merton it was established by the Polish burial society Hesed V'Emet (or Chesed V'Ameth) (meaning 'Kindness and Truth') to provide a resting place for Jewish families living in Soho primarily associated with the West End Great Synagogue. The cemetery includes a small prayer hall (mortuary chapel) built in 1932. The cemetery has tightly packed pathways and rows of tombstones, reflecting the traditional Jewish cemetery layout. There are also Commonwealth War Graves for Jewish service personnel from WWII.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | West End Chesed V'Ameth Cemetery; Streatham Jewish Cemetery |
|---|---|
| Site location | Rowan Road |
| Postcode | SW16 5JF |
| What3Words | ///flags.royal.supporter |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Merton |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Sunday to Thursday from 8am-4pm; Friday from 8am to midday. Closed on Saturdays and Jewish Festivals |
| Special Conditions | There is an on-site caretaker available during opening times. |
| Public Transport | Rail: Streatham Common then bus. Bus: 60, 118, 152 |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
This cemetery goes under various names including Streatham Jewish Cemetery, Rowan Road Jewish Cemetery and West End Chesed V'ameth Cemetery. It was founded on 14 November 1915 is situated on Rowan Road, Merton immediately next door to Streatham Park Cemetery, but has a separate entrance and the two cemeteries are separated by a large fence - their histories are different and this cemetery predates Streatham Park Cemetery.
The site covers 5.5 acres and was founded by the Polish burial society Hesed V’Emet. The cemetery follows a typical Jewish cemetery design. A small prayer hall (called an ohel) was planned as early as 1915 was built in 1932 and stands near the entrance. From this (prayer or mortuary) hall a path cuts directly down the centre surrounded by closely set white, marble headstones. Only the deceased's name appears on the headstones, it being the custom that the names of the living are not mentioned. Most of those buried here are of Eastern European origin who settled in the Soho area of London working as tailors, cabinet makers, shopkeepers etc. and were mostly associate with the West End Great Synagogue. In 1968 the South London Liberal Synagogue began using part of the cemetery for burials. The cemetery is closed save for pre-existing reservations and was superseded for new burials by a cemetery in Cheshunt in the latter part of the 20th century. Buried there are also Commonwealth War Graves for Jewish service personnel from WWII.
The site covers 5.5 acres and was founded by the Polish burial society Hesed V’Emet. The cemetery follows a typical Jewish cemetery design. A small prayer hall (called an ohel) was planned as early as 1915 was built in 1932 and stands near the entrance. From this (prayer or mortuary) hall a path cuts directly down the centre surrounded by closely set white, marble headstones. Only the deceased's name appears on the headstones, it being the custom that the names of the living are not mentioned. Most of those buried here are of Eastern European origin who settled in the Soho area of London working as tailors, cabinet makers, shopkeepers etc. and were mostly associate with the West End Great Synagogue. In 1968 the South London Liberal Synagogue began using part of the cemetery for burials. The cemetery is closed save for pre-existing reservations and was superseded for new burials by a cemetery in Cheshunt in the latter part of the 20th century. Buried there are also Commonwealth War Graves for Jewish service personnel from WWII.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ293692 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 2.2275 |
| Site Ownership | West End Chesed V'Ameth Burial Society |
| Site Management | West End Chesed V'Ameth Burial Society; The Western Charitable Foundation https://www.westerncharitablefoundation.com/cemeteries/ |
| Dates | 1915 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Merton |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Streatham Park Cemetery opened in 1909, but was originally conceived in 1890 as the Great Southern Cemetery, matching the Great Northern Cemetery that opened in 1861 in Southgate. Cemetery buildings included a lodge, an Anglican Chapel and a small Roman Catholic chapel designed by John Bannen, who also designed the Crematorium, which opened in 1936. The cemetery lodge and RC chapel have since been demolished, the Anglican chapel later re-opened as the cemetery office. The cemetery is laid out on a grid and near the entrance are austere family vaults; there are various gardens of remembrance, including rose gardens. One of the founders of the cemetery, Frederick Field (d.1923) is buried here. The cemetery has a long association with the Variety Artistes' Benevolent Fund, with 200 variety artistes buried here between 1921-44.
Long Bolstead Recreation Ground is a small park created in the early 1930s on a field that was part of land at Eastfields Farm owned by the influential Mizen family. Elizabeth Mizen donated the site to Mitcham UDC for a recreation ground to commemorate her sister Alice who died in the 1920s. The layout of the small park is substantially unchanged from its original form. It consists largely of grass on undulating ground with a central oval surrounded by a path, with trees and shrubs, fairly dense in one area. A play area was installed in the central oval in 2008.
Streatham Vale Park is a small rectangular park that was laid out on the site of former brickworks in 1925 and next to the Wandsworth Council rubbish disposal yard called 'Lonesome Depot'. Due to boundary changes it is now within LB Lambeth. The park is grassed with shrubs and rose beds, playground and a games area, but no longer has a bowling green. At the entrance from Abercairn Road is a rose garden and the boundary has beds with shrubs and roses, and some good trees including wingnut, willow, oak species. A perimeter path runs around the park. A new community garden was createdin 2009