Robert Reschid Stanley was a British grocer, tea trader and mayor of Stalybridge, Manchester. Apprenticed from the age of ten years old, he became a local grocer, tea-trader and eventually the mayor of Stalybridge - twice elected for the terms of 1874-5 and 1875-6. He was also the owner of a pub in Ashton-under-Lyne which he sold prior to his conversion to Islam in 1898. He is best known for his conversion to Islam in Victorian era. As a Muslim, he also served as vice chair at first British mosque, Liverpool Muslim Institute, in Liverpool.
Early life
He was born in 1828 in Cardiff. He was sent from Cardiff at the age of 10 years old to be an apprentice at his Uncle's Christian Israelite shop in Ashton under Lyne. When he was nineteen years old he established a grocer's shop and a tea trading business in Stalybridge.
Career
He was first elected in 1863 as a councillor for the Dukinfield Ward of Stalybridge in Greater Manchester. In 1867, he became a Justice of the Peace. Two years later, he became councillor for the Stayley Ward of Stalybridge. He was also elected on the School Board of Stalybridge in 1871. He served as the chairman of the building committee which helped in construction of the new Victorian Market Hall now still in existence and known as the l. In 1874, he became the mayor of Stalybridge, Manchester where he served till 1876. Later, under his mayorship, he served on the Joint Waterworks Committee in the construction of the Yeoman Hey Reservoir which was intended to bring fresh water to the towns of Oldham, Ashton-under-Lyne and Stalybridge. Robert was one of the original Trustees of Stamford Park which was built in 1873, when money was raised by the people of Dukinfield, Stalybridge and Ashton during the municipal socialist reforms of the era. In 1876 Robert attracted controversy in Parliament when he refused to call a public meeting to discuss the 'Bulgarian Atrocities' which the Ottoman Empire had been accused of. In 1898, at the age of 69, he converted to Islam and as was the case with many of the British Muslim convert community, adopted the name 'Reschid'. He was the owner of the New Inn, a pub in Ashton-upon-Lyne which he sold prior to his conversion. His path towards conversion has been extensively researched by his great great great granddaughter, Christina Longden in books 'His Own Man' and 'Imagining Robert'. He became a supporter of the Ottoman Empire and corresponded with the Caliph, Abdul Hamid II, advising him on agricultural, industrial and military matters. After his conversion, he was appointed by his friend, William Abdullah Quilliam, Sheikh of the British Isles, to serve as the vice president of the Liverpool Muslim Institute, first mosque in the United Kingdom. He died in 1911 in his home town of Stalybridge, United Kingdom. In 1999, Robert's great great grandson, Brian Longden, was researching his family history and discovered that Robert had converted to Islam - a seemingly strange twist of fate, given that his own great great great grandson, had converted himself in 1991; knowing nothing about his illustrious ancestor. Two books; one historical biography and one creative fiction have been written about him, by his great great great granddaughter, Christina Longden who also gives presentations and talks about Robert's life and British Islam.
Personal life
Stanley was the member of Christian Israelite Church. He married Emma Meredith on 17 October 1847 in the Christian Israelite Sanctuary. Both had eleven children.
