Event: Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival – His Own Man: The Story of Robert Reschid Stanley

Sunday 20 October 2019
2pm - 3pm

Rochdale Sixth Form College Theatre
College Road
Rochdale
OL12 6HY

DETAILS:

Robert Stanley was a working class man who was twice the Mayor of Stalybridge. He was also one of the first Victorian white men to convert to Islam, and was instrumental in the establishment of the first mosques in England. After his death, his family concealed his Muslim faith and identity. It wasn’t until his great-great-great granddaughter, Christina Longden, started exploring her family tree that the real life story of Robert Reschid Stanley came back into the light. Following this important historical discovery, Christina authored 2 books piecing together a full document of his life, his faith, and his family.

Christina grew up in Tameside and was the first in her family to go to university. She manages the Lorna Young Foundation that supports poor farmers in developing countries, and her family is one of the 3 founding families that set up the ethical coffee company, Dark Woods Coffee.

Suitable for: Ages 14+

The festival box office is located at Touchstones Rochdale. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm.

Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival is aimed at celebrating and promoting the Maskew Collection of classic literature and philosophy at Rochdale Central Library, encouraging people to engage with books and ideas. Rochdale couple, Annie and Frank Maskew, met in Rochdale Library in the 1950s and shared a passion for reading and thinking. They left a sum of money to be used on resources and events related to literature and philosophy to ensure classic works are available for future generations.

Entry fee: Book in advance - £4

01706 924934