Tree planted to honour WW2 Jewish refugees who came to Buxton

Ahead of the Second World War, Buxton welcomed many Jewish children from the Kindertransport who were fleeing persecution.

To honour Buxton’s role, the town was selected to plant a special commemorative oak tree as part of the 80th anniversary celebrations by the Association of Jewish Refugees.

The tree planting was attended by the families of holocaust evacuees who were brought to Buxton, children from Burbage Primary School, Derbyshire’s High Sheriff Louise Potter, High Peak Mayor Cllr Paul Hardy and local historian Netta Christie.

Netta said: “This is a great thing for the town. We were one of only 80 cities and towns from the whole country selected to be part of the anniversary tree planting which shows just how much the town did for those Jewish evacuees who arrived here having left their homes and families behind.”

During the years leading up to and during the Second World War the town saw an influx of Jewish evacuees leading to the Buxton Hebrew Congregation being set up.

Services were held on Friday evenings at Lower Hardwick Street and on Saturdays at the Oddfellows Hall, Market Street. Prior to the establishment of the congregation in about 1940, services were held frequently at Somerford House, Terrace Road.

The oak tree, which was planted on Serpentine Walk, has been sponsored by the family of late Herbert Rindl who arrived in Buxton on the very last Kindertransport from Austria.

Herbert was then relocated to Blackpool and became a maths teacher but returned to the High Peak with his family many times with Buxton always having a special place in his heart.

Netta said: “The service was very poignant.

"It made people think about how the residents of Buxton opened their arms and their hearts to people in need and how we need to be showing similar compassion to those fleeing war torn countries now.”

The planting ties in with the Green Canopy project, part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which is encouraging people across the country to plant a tree.

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