Ramadan Güney
Encyclopedia
Ramadan Hüseyin Güney was a British
-Turkish Cypriot businessman and politician. He was the owner of Brookwood Cemetery
, the largest cemetery
in the United Kingdom
, with the aim of establishing a Turkish cemetery. Güney was also the founder and chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust and had established the first Turkish mosque in London
, Shacklewell Lane Mosque
, in 1977. He was also a founding member of the Volkan
organisation in Cyprus
, established in the 1950s as part of the struggle against the Greek Cypriot nationalists, EOKA
. He was in later years a Member of Parliament and presidential candidate in Northern Cyprus.
, Cyprus
in 1932 to Turkish Cypriot parents. After leaving school, he served in the British army
and police on the island. However, in 1955, with the rise of EOKA
Greek Cypriots
fought a violent campaign for the end of British rule as well as for union with Greece
(enosis
); Güney fought against this by becoming a founding member of the Volkan
organisation. In 1958 he emigrated to Britain
were he set up a music publishing business and became a millionaire
at the age of 35. In 1977 he helped found and run the first Turkish Cypriot Mosque
in London
, called the Shacklewell Lane Mosque
, and worked on a variety of social and community projects, arising from his work with the UK Turkish Islamic Centre. He acquired Brookwood Cemetery
in 1985, the purchase evolved from Güney's role as Chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust, which wanted suitable burial facilities for its members. He died at the age of 74 in Northern Cyprus, his family has expressed doubts that he had died of a heart attack; following a service at his Mosquein London, he was buried in his family vault at Brookwood Cemetery on Friday 10th November. His youngest son and current owner of Brookwood Cemetery, Erkin Güney, has stated that "I'm not happy with the outcome and I'm very disappointed because we know my father was murdered".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-Turkish Cypriot businessman and politician. He was the owner of Brookwood Cemetery
Brookwood Cemetery
Brookwood Cemetery is a burial ground in Brookwood, Surrey, England. It is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in western Europe.-History:...
, the largest cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, with the aim of establishing a Turkish cemetery. Güney was also the founder and chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust and had established the first Turkish mosque in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Shacklewell Lane Mosque
Shacklewell Lane Mosque
Shacklewell Lane Mosque is a Turkish mosque located in Shacklewell, London. Established by the Turkish Cypriot community in 1977, it is the first ever Turkish mosque in the United Kingdom...
, in 1977. He was also a founding member of the Volkan
Volkan
-Given name:*Volkan Altın , a Turkish professional footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder*Volkan Arslan, , a Turkish football player in midfield position*Volkan Babacan , a Turkish football player...
organisation in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, established in the 1950s as part of the struggle against the Greek Cypriot nationalists, EOKA
EOKA
EOKA was an anticolonial, antiimperialist nationalist organisation with the ultimate goal of "The liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke". Although not stated in its initial declaration of existence which was printed and distributed on the 1st of April 1955, EOKA also had a target of achieving...
. He was in later years a Member of Parliament and presidential candidate in Northern Cyprus.
Life
Güney was born in PaphosPaphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1932 to Turkish Cypriot parents. After leaving school, he served in the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and police on the island. However, in 1955, with the rise of EOKA
EOKA
EOKA was an anticolonial, antiimperialist nationalist organisation with the ultimate goal of "The liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke". Although not stated in its initial declaration of existence which was printed and distributed on the 1st of April 1955, EOKA also had a target of achieving...
Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community at 77% of the population. Greek Cypriots are mostly members of the Church of Cyprus, an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity...
fought a violent campaign for the end of British rule as well as for union with Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(enosis
Enosis
Enosis refers to the movement of the Greek-Cypriot population to incorporate the island of Cyprus into Greece.Similar movements had previously developed in other regions with ethnic Greek majorities such as the Ionian Islands, Crete and the Dodecanese. These regions were eventually incorporated...
); Güney fought against this by becoming a founding member of the Volkan
Volkan
-Given name:*Volkan Altın , a Turkish professional footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder*Volkan Arslan, , a Turkish football player in midfield position*Volkan Babacan , a Turkish football player...
organisation. In 1958 he emigrated to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were he set up a music publishing business and became a millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
at the age of 35. In 1977 he helped found and run the first Turkish Cypriot Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, called the Shacklewell Lane Mosque
Shacklewell Lane Mosque
Shacklewell Lane Mosque is a Turkish mosque located in Shacklewell, London. Established by the Turkish Cypriot community in 1977, it is the first ever Turkish mosque in the United Kingdom...
, and worked on a variety of social and community projects, arising from his work with the UK Turkish Islamic Centre. He acquired Brookwood Cemetery
Brookwood Cemetery
Brookwood Cemetery is a burial ground in Brookwood, Surrey, England. It is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in western Europe.-History:...
in 1985, the purchase evolved from Güney's role as Chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust, which wanted suitable burial facilities for its members. He died at the age of 74 in Northern Cyprus, his family has expressed doubts that he had died of a heart attack; following a service at his Mosquein London, he was buried in his family vault at Brookwood Cemetery on Friday 10th November. His youngest son and current owner of Brookwood Cemetery, Erkin Güney, has stated that "I'm not happy with the outcome and I'm very disappointed because we know my father was murdered".