FoleshillAndHillfieldsCommunities > GujeratiMuslimCommunity

Our local Gujerati Muslim community

One person's story

My parents came over to England in the early 1960's. They have lived in the Foleshill area since, and they say there were only 4 families they knew in this area that were gujerati, out of them were 2 muslim families. They say times were hard and weather severely cold.

I remember paraffin heaters that were used at night to keep us warm when I was little, and having a ball of a time playing in the "bomb patches" (now sheltered housing built on Eagle St) with my two brothers. We used to find such weird and wonderful things. My own children can't even imagine life like that - how times have changed - see how a whole community has grown and changed - isn't it great OR is it??

Would love to hear from others

Another persons story

Although I am not actually from Coventry I have a lot of links. My dad worked in Coventry for over 25 years at the old G.E.C plant in Stoke. We also had family here and remember coming to visit them on the train when I was little, always stopping in town first so my Mum could go around Owen Owens and playing in a park that is now Cathedral Lanes.

My husband grew up in Foleshill and was among the first batch of pupils to start at Sidney Stringer in 1971.

The mosque on Eagle Street was the first purpose built mosque in the country and had world gatherings and conferences, it was used by the Pakistani and Gujerati muslims. As always, because of politics, the Gujerati muslims broke away and started their own commitee and used a members house to pray. Some years later the Cambridge Street mosque was finally built. At the time it was more than large enough for the community, in fact it only used to half fill. Now the community has grown so much that it requires an extension, even though there are several other mosques.