Born on 10 April 1856 to a wealth Liverpool Wesleyan family he was educated at the Liverpool Institute and King William College on the Isle of Man, where he spent much of his youth. He became a solicitor, defending in a number of murder cases. He converted to Islam following a visit to Morocco in 1887, changing his name to Abdullah. On returning to Liverpool he established a mosque, Muslim Institute and orphanage in the town, becoming a most significant personality in nineteenth century British Islam. A charismatic preacher, if somewhat eccentric figure, he was also a temperance advocate. It is estimated that as a result of his work about six hundred converted to Islam. The Ottoman caliph Abdull Hamid II gave Quilliam the title of Sheikh al-Islam for the British Isles. The Emir of Afghanistan also recognised him as the Sheikh of Muslims in Britain and the Shah of Persia appointed him as his Vice-Consul in Liverpool. His work in Liverpool ended when he left England in 1908, in advance of being struck off as a solicitor who had presented to the court in a divorce case evidence he knew to be false. His son swiftly disposed of the property that had been used as a mosque and Islamic centre. Without Quilliam's influence and funding the Liverpool Muslim community dispersed. He now spent much of his time at Onchan on the Isle of Man. He died in Bloomsbury, London on 23 April 1932 and was interred in Brookwood Cemetery near Woking.

Entry written by: DCD
Category: Person
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