Robert Rachied Stanley: Muslim History of Manchester

Lead Proposer: Shamim Miah

Report

The history of Muslim communities in Woking, Liverpool, Cardiff and South Shields is well documented by a number of academics (Matter 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, Ansari 2004, Seddon 2007, Geaves 2009, Halliday 2010). This project intends to explore the life and work of an important Muslim personality through an educational DVD (15 mins), that is available for Universities, Colleges and other educational institutions (see below).

This project documents the life and works of Robert Rachied Stanley (1828-1911) through a short documentary DVD. Mr Stanley’s story is particularly important given that he served twice as Mayor of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester in the early 1900’s and his links to William Abdullah Quilliam’s, Liverpool Muslim Association.

This project explores the history of Islam prior to Muslim mass-migration from the Indo- subcontinent, through interviewing family members of Rachied Stanley and a leading academic. Moreover, this project explores a number of wider issues of culture, identity and religion. This educational resource will be highly beneficial for the HE sector and the wider educational community. This documentary will also include historical footages (newspaper cuttings / family photos etc.) to explore nature of Muslim communities prior to 1945. It is envisaged that this resource will be used as a stimulus to explore a range of topics, including Muslim history, culture, religion and identity.

Resources:

Ansari, H (2004) The Infidel Within: The Muslim History of Britain 1800 to the Present. London: Hurst . Geaves, R. (2009) Islam in Victorian Britain: The Life and Times of Abdullah Quilliam. Markfield: Kube Press. Haliday, F. (2010) Britain’s First Muslims: Portrait of an Arab Community. London: I.B. Tauris

Matter, N. (2000) Turks, Moors and Englishmen in the Age of Discovery. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Matter, N. (2008) Islam in Britain: 1558-1685. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Salamat, M.P (2008) A Miracle in Woking: A History of the Shah Jahan Mosque. Chichester: Phillimore. Seddon, M (2009) Global Citizenry Ancient and Modern: British Yemenis and Translocal Tribalism, in, Krause W. (ed.), Citizenship, Security and Democracy: Muslim Engagement in the West. London: AMSS & SETA.

In addition to this educational DVD, the following resources will also be of great use:

Websites:

Information on the Woking Mosque can be found on the following link. This link also contains pdf versions of the Islamic Review published in Woking, London from 1913- 1960. The link also contains interesting newsreel films, books, photographic footages of Muslim Communities prior to the Muslim mass migration. http://www.wokingmuslim.org/

The following link provides links to songs and poems from the British Muslim tradition, including those written and sung by William Quilliam’s congregation. These songs are brought to life by the Harmonia Alcorani. http://britishmuslimsong.co.uk/?page_id=143

Copies of the DVD - Robert Rachied Stanley: Muslim History of Manchester is available on request: [email protected] . Copies of the DVD will also be available through Higher Education Academy – Evidence Net.

Shamim Miah February 2012