Robert Stanley was born in Cardiff 1828. He came to Ashton-under-Lyne in 1838 to work for his uncle John Stanley in his grocer's and tea dealer's shop on Stamford Street. John Stanley was one of the chief elders of John Wroe's "Christian Israelite Society". Robert was raised in this religion and married in their 'Sanctuary' in 1847. After his marriage he moved to Stalybridge and opened his own Grocer's and Tea Dealer's on Melbourne Street. He became Mayor of Stalybridge 1874-1876 and later converted to Islam supporting the 'Turkish' cause against what he saw as Russian Agents and changing his name to Robert Reschid Stanley. Please check out the photograph below, where he is wearing a Turkish Fez and Kurdish Trousers.