Islam - local history

Local history
Muslims have lived in and around London for hundreds of years. Chaucer even mentions them in his book, Canterbury Tales.
Around three hundred years ago, seafarers from the Middle East and Africa made the first Muslim communities in Tower Hamlets. These were mainly around the docks of Shoreditch and Whitechapel. The communities grew quickly and today there are almost 73,000 Muslims in the borough.

The history of the Jamme Mosque in Brick Lane
The Jamme Mosque was built around 1743. It was built as a synagogue, which is a place for Jews to worship. The Jews who built it were called the Huguenots, they came from France to live here, because they were persecuted in France. Only 2 of their buildings remain today, The Jamme Mosque is 1 of them.
When the Huguenots left, the building was used as a Wesleyen chapel. The Jewish community then raised £6,000 to use the building as a synagogue. Then in 1976, the Muslim community turned the building into a mosque.