View of the Undercliffe Cemetery Promenade

Genealogy

If you are researching your family history and there is a family plot at Undercliffe Cemetery we may be able to help you access valuable information.

Although the Cemetery had a difficult and turbulent period in the years immediately following the demise of the original Bradford Cemetery Company, most of the records were salvaged and remain intact. Only a small proportion of the records were lost or badly damaged.

Do it yourself

The original records relating to Undercliffe Cemetery are deposited at West Yorkshire Archives, Bradford Central Library, Prince’s Way, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 1NN
Tel: 01274 435099. Email: bradford@wyjs.org.uk. Website: www.archives.wyjs.org.uk

If you live locally you may find it easier to contact the Archives service directly in the first instance.

Search Service

If you are not able to conduct the research yourself we do provide a Search Service including the following:

  • Check for a specific person – we can confirm whether or not a specific person is buried at Undercliffe. For this we will need the full name and date of death/burial
  • Check grave location – once it is established that a person is buried at Undercliffe we can usually identify the grave number and the exact location within the Cemetery
  • Full Archive Search – if you require all the available information on all the burials in a particular grave we can provide a full written search report. We will also provide information on marker stones, inscriptions, condition of the grave and accessibility issues. A digital photograph for those not able to visit can be provided via email

    • For a list of fees payable for these services please see Fees and Charges.

    The Results

    There have been approximately 24,000 burials at Undercliffe Cemetery from 1854 to the present day.
    A detailed Grave Book, which records each burial in a numbered plot, has been kept on a continuous basis since the Cemetery opened. In the vast majority of cases it is possible to access a Register entry for each person buried at Undercliffe.

    The following extract indicates the information usually held on the Register:

    “REGISTER OF BURIALS – UNCONSECRATED SECTION

    Date of burial:

    23 February 1860

    Name:

    John Thornton

    Age:

    71 years

    Rank or Profession:

    Upholsterer

    Abode at time of death:

    21 Westgate

    Parish or District:

    Bradford West

    Date of death:

    sometimes given

    Mode of Burial:

    Freehold Brick Grave

    Plot Number:

    Section C, Number 98

    By Whom Ceremony was Performed:

    Thomas Ellery

    Registrar: 

    William Gay.”

    Unfortunately, the Register entries do not include the cause of death.

    Locating a Grave

    Once you have identified the Plot Number it is then possible to find the actual grave in the cemetery using the Section Plans. It is important to note that only a proportion of Undercliffe Cemetery is currently maintained and so the grave may be difficult to access or even inaccessible. Some areas may be better accessed during winter when vegetation has died down or we may be able to arrange clearance work to coincide with a visit. Please see Maintenance and Fees and Charges for details of our clearance service.