Abdul Malik Choudhury Bakht

Abdul Malik Choudhury Bakht more frequently known as Malik Bakht was born in Shillong, Assam in 1924. He was the eldest son in a family of six children. During the Second World War he worked as a translator for the Americans. In 1947 he came to the UK to work at the Pakistani High Commission. In 1947 he became a founder and trustee of Victoria Park Mosque, Manchester. Later he became the Seaman's Welfare Office for Cunard. After helping many to establish their own businesses in the UK he decided to set up his own business and began by flock printing ladies stockings. The second venture was a clothes shop, The Blouse Bar. The next business move was into the restaurant trade with the first being Shahi Restaurant in Blackpool and later Everest Restaurant in Manchester. Throughout his life he contributed his experience and time to the community and was always available to help mitigate / translate / solve problems linked with police, airport, courts, prisons or hospitals. As a result he was highly valued by the community which was shown at his funeral in 1977. For more information see the brief biography held at GB3228.76/1/5. For photographs of his wedding see GB3228.76/2/2.