Community Roots since the 1960s

Our History

From the first Bangladeshi settlers arriving in the 1960s to a thriving multi-generational community hub, the story of Salisbury's Muslim community spans more than six decades.

Explore the Timeline

1960s

Community Roots

60+

Years of Faith

Properties

Burial Sites

Before the Beginning

Roots of a Community

Long before the Muslim Association of Salisbury was formally established, a determined group of Muslim settlers were already laying its foundations, building businesses, raising families, and worshipping together in borrowed rooms. The story begins not in 1996, but in the 1960s, when the first Bangladeshi pioneers arrived in Salisbury.

A Place to Pray

From the very first days, the Association ensured that families in Salisbury had a dedicated, dignified space for daily and congregational prayers, close to home.

Education & Heritage

Children needed to learn about their faith and cultural roots. The Association established education programmes that continue to serve young people across Wiltshire to this day.

Community & Belonging

Beyond worship, the Association became a place of mutual support, welcoming Muslims from all backgrounds and building bridges with the wider Salisbury community.

The Early Years

Before the Association: 1962–1995

A community built on faith, determination, and borrowed rooms, with roots stretching back to the 1960s.

1962 & Beyond

The First Pioneers

The Bangladeshi community's presence in Salisbury begins in 1962, when Nasir Ali, alongside others, established The Asia Restaurant, Salisbury's very first Bangladeshi eatery. Shortly afterwards, Mansur Uddin Choudhury also arrived to live and work in Salisbury, later opening The Golden Curry in 1973, the city's third Indian restaurant.

Families gradually followed. Nasir Ali's and Mansur Uddin Choudhury's families joined them in 1972, and in 1978 Nasir Ali became the first Bangladeshi to purchase a house in Salisbury. These pioneers and those who came after them were the foundation on which a community, and eventually a mosque, would be built.

Before 1983

The Journey to Southampton

As the community grew through the 1970s and into the early 1980s, there was still no local place for congregational Friday prayers. Each week, Muslim families made the journey to Southampton to attend Jumu'ah, a commitment that required real sacrifice but strengthened the bonds within the community and deepened the shared resolve to one day establish a place of worship in Salisbury itself.

1983

The First Jumu'ah Prayers, The Golden Curry

In 1983, the Golden Curry restaurant hosted Salisbury's first regular Jumu'ah (Friday) prayers, a historic milestone for the Bangladeshi and wider Muslim community. For the first time, Muslims in Salisbury had a local place to pray on a Friday.

The journeys to Southampton were over. Salisbury's Muslims now had their own local Jumu'ah.

1984 – c.1996

Above The Asia Restaurant, A Community Takes Root

Friday prayers also moved to the space above The Asia Restaurant, where they continued for a number of years until the purchase of 19 Wilton Road. The Asia had been a cornerstone of Bangladeshi life in Salisbury since 1962, it had housed newly arrived settlers, nourished the community, and now provided a spiritual home too.

What made this period truly significant was that the space became far more than a prayer room, children's Islamic education classes were established there too. For the first time, both worship and learning were happening under the same roof.

Friday Prayers

A regular growing Jumu'ah congregation, established locally in Salisbury.

Children's Classes

Islamic education for children established, the direct forerunner of today's madrasa.

The Original Trustees

The Muslim Association of Salisbury was formally established by five original trustees. Many other people, apart from the trustees, were also heavily involved in supporting this effort, and we are unable to name all of them here. We honour those who have since passed away, the late Siraj Ahmed, Fazlur Rahman, Nasir Ali, and Mansur Uddin Chaudhary, and recognise the contribution of Fozol Rahman, who remains with us.

May Allah have mercy on those who have passed, and reward them all for what they gave to this community.

Siraj Ahmed

Chairman

Fazlur Rahman

Vice Chairman

Nasir Ali

Secretary

Mansur Uddin Chaudhary

Treasurer

Fozol Rahman

Cashier

The original trustees were drawn primarily from the Bangladeshi community. However, members of the Turkish community and other Muslims played a significant role in the founding of the mosque itself, and continued to contribute to its development.

The community continued here for over a decade, until the purchase of 19 Wilton Road in 1996 finally gave them a building of their very own.

Six Decades of Faith

A Journey Through Time

Community Roots

The First Pioneers Arrive

In 1962, Nasir Ali established The Asia Restaurant with others, Salisbury's first Bangladeshi eatery. Mansur Uddin Choudhury later opened The Golden Curry in 1973. Families gradually followed through the 1970s, with Nasir Ali's and Mansur Uddin Choudhury's families joining them in 1972, and in 1978 Nasir Ali became the first Bangladeshi to purchase a house in Salisbury.

The Asia Restaurant, 1962 The Golden Curry, 1973

The 1970s

Travelling to Southampton

With no local mosque, Salisbury's Muslim families made the weekly journey to Southampton for Jumu'ah prayers throughout the 1970s, until the first regular local Jumu'ah prayers were established in 1983.

Historic First

First Regular Jumu'ah Prayers

First Local Jumu'ah The Golden Curry

1984 to 1996

Above The Asia Restaurant

From 1984 to 1996, Friday prayers and children's Islamic education classes were held above The Asia Restaurant. The space became more than a prayer room, it was where worship, learning, and community life grew together before the move to 19 Wilton Road.

Friday Prayers

Regular prayers continued locally in Salisbury.

Children's Classes

Islamic education for children took root there.

Foundation

Association Founded

The Muslim Association of Salisbury was officially established on 9 December 1996. Founded primarily by members of the Bangladeshi community, the Association was set up to create a dedicated space for prayer, learning, and mutual support. Members of the Turkish community and other Muslims made a significant contribution to the founding of the mosque and its early development alongside the Bangladeshi community.

December 1996

First Property

19 Wilton Road

In April 1996, the Association purchased No. 19 Wilton Road, a former residential property that became the community's first dedicated prayer and educational meeting room. This modest house was transformed into a spiritual home for Salisbury's Muslim families.

19 Wilton Road, Salisbury, the Association's first permanent home for prayer and community gatherings.

Community Milestone

The Meeting Room Resolution

A defining moment for the young Association came in the late 1990s. Having finally secured their own building after years in borrowed rooms, the establishment of a permanent prayer room at 19 Wilton Road now faced scrutiny from local residents and the council, with concerns raised about parking and urban planning. There followed a period of back-and-forth with the council before the matter was resolved amicably in March 1999.

"An amicable end to discussions, marked by a symbolic handshake between community representatives and local residents."
The Salisbury Times, 1999

This resolution solidified the Mosque's place as a respected and integral part of Salisbury's religious landscape.

Expansion

27 Wilton Road, A New Home

By 2013, the community had outgrown its original premises. The purchase of 27 Wilton Road marked a major step forward, a larger building that allowed for significantly greater capacity for Friday Jumu'ah prayers, community events, and expanded educational programmes.

No. 27

Wilton Road

Main Site

Current Mosque

Community Care

The Avenue Cemetery

A new dedicated Muslim burial section was opened in 2019 at The Avenue Cemetery, Wilton. This beautifully landscaped site provides a peaceful final resting place and ensures that traditional Islamic burial rites can be fully observed locally, complementing the earlier section established at Bishopsdown Cemetery.

Full Islamic burial rites

Both Bishopsdown Cemetery and The Avenue Cemetery now offer dedicated Muslim sections, serving the community across all stages of life.

Acquisition

25 Wilton Road Purchased

To meet the demands of a growing congregation, the Association purchased the adjacent property at 25 Wilton Road in 2022. This acquisition laid the groundwork for the most ambitious expansion project in the Association's history, the creation of a unified, purpose-built community centre.

Nos. 25 & 27 Wilton Road, soon to be joined into a single, unified community site.

2024 – Present

Unification & Expansion

We are currently undertaking a major refurbishment project to physically join Nos. 25 and 27 Wilton Road into a single, modern community centre, the most significant investment in the Mosque's history.

Women's Section In Progress

Janaza Ghusl Area Fundraising

Repairs and Expansion In Progress

Support the Expansion

At a Glance

Key Historical Milestones

A complete chronological reference of the Association's most important events.

Year	Milestone
1962	Nasir Ali, with others, opens The Asia Restaurant, Salisbury's first Bangladeshi eatery and the start of the community's roots in the city.
1970s	Bangladeshi families begin settling in Salisbury; The Taj Mahal restaurant opens (1970), The Golden Curry opens (1973). Families arrive from 1972. First Bangladeshi house purchase in 1978.
1970s	Salisbury's Muslim community makes the weekly journey to Southampton to attend Jumu'ah prayers, before regular local Jumu'ah begins in 1983.
1983	First regular Jumu'ah (Friday) prayers held locally in Salisbury at The Golden Curry. The journeys to Southampton come to an end.
1984–c.1996	Friday prayers and children's Islamic education classes established above The Asia Restaurant.
1996	Association officially founded. The Turkish community and other Muslims contribute significantly to the founding of the mosque alongside the Bangladeshi community.
1996	Purchase of the first property at 19 Wilton Road, the first dedicated prayer and meeting room.
1999	Final approval granted for the use of the prayer and meeting rooms following community consultation.
2013	Purchase of 27 Wilton Road, the Mosque's current main site, enabling significantly greater capacity.
2019	Opening of the new Muslim section at The Avenue Cemetery, Wilton.
2022	Purchase of 25 Wilton Road to allow for major building expansion.
2024–Present	Ongoing refurbishment to create a unified site at 25 & 27 Wilton Road, including a new dedicated women's section, Janaza Ghusl Area, and repairs and expansion work.

Serving the Community

Islamic Burial Services

The Association has worked diligently to ensure the spiritual needs of the community are met from birth through to the end of life, establishing dedicated burial provisions in Salisbury.

Bishopsdown Cemetery

The first dedicated Muslim burial section in Salisbury was established at Bishopsdown Cemetery. This pioneering provision gave the community a local, dignified resting place in accordance with Islamic tradition, a milestone that would define the Association's commitment to its members throughout their lives.

The Avenue Cemetery

Opened 2019

A new Muslim burial section was established at The Avenue Cemetery in Wilton in 2019. This modern, beautifully landscaped site provides a peaceful final resting place, ensuring that traditional Islamic burial rites can be observed locally. It stands as a testament to the Association's long-term commitment to the community.

Need Bereavement Support?

Our Imam and support team are available to guide families through all religious and administrative procedures at this difficult time.

01722 341989

For full details of our burial and bereavement services, see our Services page.

Be Part of Our Next Chapter

Our history is built on the generosity and dedication of this community. Help us create a Mosque that will serve Salisbury for generations to come.

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