Ramadan Güney (18 February 1932 – 2 November 2006) 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.[1][2] 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.[3][4]
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.[5]
Güney was born in Paphos, Cyprus in 1932 to Turkish Cypriot parents.[5] 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.[5] In 1958 he emigrated to Britain where he set up a music publishing business and became a millionaire at the age of 35.[6] 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.[3]
He acquired Brookwood Cemetery in 1985, the purchase evolving from Güney's role as Chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust, which wanted suitable burial facilities for its members.[3]
In 1990 he stood guarantor for £1m for the bail of Asil Nadir,[7] who was accused and eventually convicted of theft in his role as the chief executive of Polly Peck, a British textile company.[8] Nadir eventually fled, but the courts ruled that Güney was not liable to pay the £1m because bail had not technically been renewed; it also turned out that Güney had warned the Serious Fraud Office in advance of his concerns that Nadir might flee.[7]
He died at the age of 74 in Northern Cyprus. Following a service at his mosque in London, he was buried in his family vault at Brookwood Cemetery on Friday 10 November 2006.[3]
Personal lifeedit
Güney was married to Süheyla Güney who died in 1992.[9] They had two sons and four daughters from this marriage.[3]
Diane Holliday was Güney's partner of 6 years before his death.[10] In 2011, the inheritance of the cemetery was successfully challenged by Diane Holliday and her adult son from a previous marriage, Kevin.[11]
Referencesedit
^London Evening Standard. "Son's anger as court awards his father's fortune to ex lover". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
^Ansari, Humayun (2007), "'Burying the dead': making Muslim space in Britain", Historical Research, 80 (210), Blackwell Publishing: 563, doi:10.1111/j.1468-2281.2007.00432.x
^ abcdeBrookwood Cemetery. . Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
^Çoştu, Yakup (2004), (PDF), Hitit Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 8 (16), Hitit University: 87, archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012
^ abcMilliyet. "'Mezar kralı Türk' öldü". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
^Acik Gazete. "Ramadan Güney'in davası Eylül'de". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
^ abPratley, Nils; Smith, Helena (3 September 2003). "Lonely and marooned, tycoon risks a long stretch in prison". Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2023. The court of appeal ruled that the Turkish-Cypriot businessman Ramadan Guney, who had provided £1m of the £3.5m bail money, should not by forced to forfeit the cash.
^"Asil Nadir found guilty". Serious Fraud Office press releases. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
ramadan, güney, february, 1932, november, 2006, british, turkish, cypriot, businessman, politician, owner, brookwood, cemetery, largest, cemetery, united, kingdom, with, establishing, turkish, cemetery, güney, also, founder, chairman, turkish, islamic, trust, . Ramadan Guney 18 February 1932 2 November 2006 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 1 2 Guney 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 3 4 Ramadan GuneyRamadan Guney in later lifeBorn18 February 1932Paphos British CyprusDied2 November 2006 2006 11 02 aged 74 North CyprusNationalityBritish Turkish CypriotSpouseSuheyla GuneyHe 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 5 Life edit nbsp Guney s mausoleum in Brookwood CemeteryGuney was born in Paphos Cyprus in 1932 to Turkish Cypriot parents 5 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 Guney fought against this by becoming a founding member of the Volkan organisation 5 In 1958 he emigrated to Britain where he set up a music publishing business and became a millionaire at the age of 35 6 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 3 He acquired Brookwood Cemetery in 1985 the purchase evolving from Guney s role as Chairman of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust which wanted suitable burial facilities for its members 3 In 1990 he stood guarantor for 1m for the bail of Asil Nadir 7 who was accused and eventually convicted of theft in his role as the chief executive of Polly Peck a British textile company 8 Nadir eventually fled but the courts ruled that Guney was not liable to pay the 1m because bail had not technically been renewed it also turned out that Guney had warned the Serious Fraud Office in advance of his concerns that Nadir might flee 7 He died at the age of 74 in Northern Cyprus Following a service at his mosque in London he was buried in his family vault at Brookwood Cemetery on Friday 10 November 2006 3 Personal life editGuney was married to Suheyla Guney who died in 1992 9 They had two sons and four daughters from this marriage 3 Diane Holliday was Guney s partner of 6 years before his death 10 In 2011 the inheritance of the cemetery was successfully challenged by Diane Holliday and her adult son from a previous marriage Kevin 11 References edit London Evening Standard Son s anger as court awards his father s fortune to ex lover Retrieved 16 September 2011 Ansari Humayun 2007 Burying the dead making Muslim space in Britain Historical Research 80 210 Blackwell Publishing 563 doi 10 1111 j 1468 2281 2007 00432 x a b c d e Brookwood Cemetery Ramadan H Guney 1932 2006 Archived from the original on 27 September 2011 Retrieved 16 September 2011 Costu Yakup 2004 Londra da Turklere Ait Dini Organizasyonlar PDF Hitit Universitesi Ilahiyat Fakultesi Dergisi 8 16 Hitit University 87 archived from the original PDF on 17 March 2012 a b c Milliyet Mezar krali Turk oldu Retrieved 16 September 2011 Acik Gazete Ramadan Guney in davasi Eylul de Retrieved 16 September 2011 a b Pratley Nils Smith Helena 3 September 2003 Lonely and marooned tycoon risks a long stretch in prison Guardian Retrieved 25 February 2023 The court of appeal ruled that the Turkish Cypriot businessman Ramadan Guney who had provided 1m of the 3 5m bail money should not by forced to forfeit the cash Asil Nadir found guilty Serious Fraud Office press releases 22 August 2012 Retrieved 25 February 2023 Musa amp Ors v Holliday amp Ors 2012 EWCA Civ 1268 Musa amp Ors v Holliday amp Ors 2012 EWCA Civ 1268 Joe Finnerty 14 October 2012 Brookwood Cemetery dispute finally resolved getsurrey nbsp This United Kingdom business related biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Cypriot biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ramadan Guney amp oldid 1205234789, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
