Ukrainian Community Memorial, North Bierley Municipal Cemetery, Bradford

North Bierley Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 2NG

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Overview

Ukrainian Community Memorial marking the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine 988-1988 and commemorating those who gave their lives for God and their country. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1485689
Date first listed:: 04-May-2023
List Entry Name:: Ukrainian Community Memorial, North Bierley Municipal Cemetery, Bradford
Statutory Address:: North Bierley Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 2NG

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1485689
Date first listed:: 04-May-2023
List Entry Name:: Ukrainian Community Memorial, North Bierley Municipal Cemetery, Bradford
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: North Bierley Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 2NG

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: North Bierley Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 2NG

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Bradford (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SE1465529238

Summary

Ukrainian Community Memorial marking the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine 988-1988 and commemorating those who gave their lives for God and their country.

Reasons for Designation

The Ukrainian Community Memorial, dating to around 1988, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it has an elegant obelisk design with carved decoration.

Historic interest:

* it has strong cultural and historic significance in a local and national context, marking the millenium of Christianity in Ukraine 988-1988 and as an eloquent witness to the impact of tragic world events on the Ukrainian community and the sacrifices made in conflict.

History

The first notable migration from Ukraine to England was in the late C19 and early C20 when several hundred people from western Ukraine settled in Manchester. Although most of them had either returned to Ukraine or relocated to the USA or Canada by the outbreak of the First World War, a small community remained in the city. After the Second World War around 35,000 Ukrainians came to the United Kingdom, including many former soldiers and other displaced persons. Many were recruited into the European Volunteer Workers Scheme, which addressed labour shortages by offering paid employment in industry and agriculture. Most of these post-war migrants remained here, and they and later generations of their families formed Ukrainian communities in towns and cities across England, with concentrations in London, Manchester, West Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

More immigration occurred after the loosening of restrictions in (and later, the collapse of) the Soviet Union. By around 2005 there were estimated to be 100,000 Ukrainians in the United Kingdom. The ongoing conflict with Russia, which escalated in 2022, has brought (to date) around a further 160,000 refugees here. As Ukrainian communities have developed, they have often shared or adapted existing buildings to create spaces for worship, education, cultural celebrations and community activities.

The northern part of North Bierley Municipal Cemetery is for non-consecrated and all other denominations burials, many of which are Ukrainian. The Ukrainian community memorial was installed to celebrate the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine in, or after, 1988. It was built by Bradford-based monumental masons Bailey & Pedder.

Details

Ukrainian Community Memorial marking the millennium of Christianity in Ukraine 988-1988 and commemorating those who gave their lives for God and their country.

MATERIALS: sandstone, gilded lettering and details.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent position in the north corner of North Bierley Municipal Cemetery.

The memorial takes the form of a sandstone obelisk that tapers in rectangular section to a triangular top and stands on a two-stepped base. The south (front) face has a relief carving of a cross to the upper section, which takes its form from the Tryzub cross, and chamfered corners. Beneath are two inscriptions with a central, oval-shaped relief carving of arms and flags with a gilded Tryzub in a shield (the coat of arms of Ukraine) surrounded by an olive wreath.

The gilded inscriptions are written in Ukrainian followed by an English translation. The inscription above the relief carving reads: 988 – 1988 / MILLENIUM OF CHRISTIANITY / IN UKRAINE. The inscription below reads: IN MEMORY / OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / FOR GOD AND THEIR COUNTRY. / ERECTED BY THE UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY IN BRADFORD.

The north (rear) face is unadorned. Inscribed in the upper step of the base is the name of the masons: BAILEY & PEDDER.

Sources

Books and journals
Kubal, A, Bakewell, O, De Haas, H, The Evolution of Ukrainian Migration to the UK, (2011)
Websites
Memorial: Ukrainian Community, accessed 23/02/2023 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/28817
North Bierley Municipal Cemetery (5 June 2020), accessed 23/02/2023 from http://www.sblha.com/nb_cem.html
Ukraine Refugee Situation, accessed 14/02/2023 from https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine
Ukrainians in the United Kingdom. Where do they all come from? (17 September 2022), accessed 03/02/2023 from https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/ukrainians-in-the-united-kingdom-where-do-they-all-come-from
Ukrainians in the United Kingdom: Online encyclopaedia (8 December 2017), accessed 02/02/2023 from https://www.ukrainiansintheuk.info/eng/01/ukrinuk-e.htm#:~:text=The%20first%20sizeable%20group%20of%20Ukrainians%20to%20arrive,Ukrainians%20in%20Manchester%20before%20the%20Second%20World%20War%29
War Memorials Online, accessed 22/05/2023 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/289380/

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.