In my View column with Jordan Baker: Award-winning volunteers keeping Halifax’s history alive at Lister Lane Cemetery

Opened in 1841 as Halifax General Cemetery, the historic site has watched over Halifax for nearly 200 years. It is the final resting place of almost 20,000 people whose lives helped shape the town.

The Grade II-listed cemetery is a Significant Cemetery in Europe, one of just over 200, and one of Halifax’s most important heritage assets.

It is cared for by the Friends of Lister Lane Cemetery, believed to be Calderdale’s oldest friends group. Although the cemetery closed to interments in 1963, the Friends continue to preserve its history and welcome visitors.

In 2023, the group received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the UK's highest honour for volunteer groups, recognising their work to preserve the historic site and keep it accessible to families, historians and researchers.

Founded in 1999 by the late Harriet Dell, the Friends have spent decades researching, conserving and promoting the cemetery.

“It’s a privilege to help preserve this important part of Halifax’s history,” said Secretary Ann Wilkinson. “Every memorial has a story behind it, and we’re passionate about making sure those stories continue to be told.”

Among those buried at Lister Lane are people who shaped Halifax and institutions that continue to have an impact today. Jonas Dearnley Taylor, a founder of the Halifax Building Society, now part of Lloyds Banking Group, is buried here, as is Esau Hanson, believed to have been the first person to receive a mortgage from the society in 1854.

Members of the renowned Crossley family, including John, Joseph and Francis Crossley, whose carpet manufacturing empire helped establish Dean Clough as one of the world’s largest carpet mills, also lie here.

Other notable residents include Waterloo veterans Daniel Milton and Robert Nutter, Chartists who campaigned for democratic reform and voting rights, First World War casualties, chapel ministers and thousands of ordinary Halifax residents.

Alongside its monuments, Lister Lane is a green space for wildlife, with wildflowers, rosemary and thyme planted by volunteers, plus trees marking Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and King Charles III’s Coronation.

A hawthorn Tree for Peace stands within the cemetery. Introduced by the Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe, it promotes the message: “Live in peace to rest in peace.”

Through guided walks, research projects, publications and open days, volunteers help visitors discover the people behind the names engraved in stone.

“People are often surprised by what they find here,” said Trustee Stuart Wilkinson. “Whether you’re interested in local history, family history or Halifax’s industrial past, there’s always something new to discover.”

The cemetery is open to visitors every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm.

Chair of the Friends, David Glover, notes that many people with Halifax ancestry are likely to have relatives buried at Lister Lane. A full database is available to search for family names; contact the Friends through their website for more details.

The group welcomes new volunteers interested in local history, genealogy, conservation, gardening or community heritage.

For more information about visiting, volunteering, events and open days, visit: www.listerlanecemetery.co.uk.