Restore Dignity to Leeds General Cemetery: Recognition for 100,000 Lost Graves

We are the Friends of Woodhouse Cemetery, representing hundreds of families affected by the destruction of graves at the former Leeds General Cemetery. We are calling for recognition, accountability, and dignity for the thousands of people buried there.

Recently, I inherited my Great Grandfathers' war medals and, in researching them, discovered he had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the First World War while serving with the West Yorkshire Regiment. When I traced his burial place to the former Leeds General Cemetery, I was shocked to find that his headstone—like thousands of others—had been destroyed in the 1960s after the University of Leeds purchased the site.

 There was nothing left to mark his resting place, no suitable memorial, and or acknowledgement of the men, women, and children who once lay there.

This is not an isolated case. Leeds General Cemetery was the resting place for up to 100,000 people: war heroes, babies, Blitz victims, poets, scientists, and ordinary Leeds people who helped shape the city’s history.

The University of Leeds obtained legislation at the time to remove the graves. As part of this process, they should have documented the graves with photographs and records. Yet when families ask to see evidence, the University repeatedly claims the records or images were destroyed in a fire. This raises serious concerns about accountability and the proper handling of human remains, potentially in breach of the Burial Act 1857.

Yet to this day, the University of Leeds has issued no apology, no explanation, and no recognition of the pain caused to families. 

Families with generations buried there have been left with nothing. Some families had as many as twelve relatives in the cemetery. Campaigners—many now in their 70s and 80s—have fought for decades for recognition, desperate to see justice before it is too late.

We believe this is unacceptable. A city that values its heritage cannot allow such a significant part of its history to be erased. The destruction of headstones at Leeds General Cemetery wiped away not only markers of the dead but also connections for the living—families who deserve to know where their loved ones rest.

That is why we are calling on the University of Leeds to take urgent action, we are asking them to:

• Confirm that all remains are intact and still where records state they should be.
• Provide recognition for the thousands buried there by marking graves where families come forward to request. 
• Reinstate the original name, Leeds General / Woodhouse Cemetery, to honour the site’s history.
• Acknowledge publicly what happened and the impact on families across Leeds.

This is about more than graves. It is about heritage, dignity, and accountability. Every person buried at Leeds General Cemetery deserves to be remembered. Every family deserves to know their loved ones’ lives mattered.

By signing this petition, you are standing with hundreds of families who have been denied recognition for far too long. Together, we can ensure Leeds General Cemetery is not forgotten, and that those who rest there are finally given the dignity they deserve.

Please sign and share widely. Let’s make sure our city remembers its people.