Bahá'í Faith in England
Encyclopedia
The Bahá'í Faith in England started with the earliest mentions of the predecessor of the Bahá'í Faith
, the Báb
, in The Times
on 1 November 1845, only a little over a year after the Báb first stated his mission. Today there are Bahá'í communities across the country from Carlisle to Cornwall
.
to become a Bahá'í, in 1898, was Mrs. Mary Thornburgh-Cropper (d. 1938), who lived in London
though she was an American
by birth. The first native person in the country to become a Bahá'í was Miss Ethel Rosenberg (d. 1930), who did so in 1899. An early, important figure was Thomas Breakwell
, posthumously described by Shoghi Effendi
, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, as one of "three luminaries of the Irish, English and Scottish Bahá'í communities". He was born in Woking
and heard of the Baha'i Faith at the age of 29 during the summer of 1901 while on vacation in Paris
from the United States where he was then working. After a pilgrimage to Acre
, he remained in Paris at the request of `Abdu'l-Bahá
, quitting his job in the cotton mill
s of the American South
out of a sense of sin where child labour was still the norm. Breakwell died in 1902 of tuberculosis
. Heartbroken at his passing `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote a moving and inspiring tablet.
On a visit to Constantinople
prior to the Young Turk Revolution
in 1908 Wellesley Tudor Pole
heard of `Abdu'l-Bahá and met and interviewed him over nine days in late November 1910 in Cairo
and Alexandria
. For the next several decades he was active in the Bahá'í Faith.
Other mentions of the Bahá'í Faith included the Archdeacon
Wilberforce mentioning the religion in a sermon at the Church of St. John in Westminster
in March 1911. Due to this mention, great interest was generated, and a Bahá'í reading room was opened. When `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to the West, Tudor Pole spoke the English translation of his first talk on the evening of 10 September 1911.
In 1914, the Bahá'ís present in England had organised themselves into a committee, though it lapsed after February 1916. During World War I
Tudor Pole served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence
in the Middle East
and was directly involved in addressing the concerns raised by the Ottoman
threats against `Abdu'l-Bahá, which ultimately required General Allenby
altering his plans for the prosecution of the war in the Palestine
theatre. In 1921, while Tudor Pole was Secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly in London, the telegram announcing the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá by his sister, Bahíyyih Khánum
, arrived at Tudor Pole's home in London, and it was there read by Shoghi Effendi
. A Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly
for England (also called All-England Bahá'í Council) was set up in May 1922 and held its first meeting in London
on 17 June 1922, with the first Local Spiritual Assemblies being formed in London, Manchester
and Bournemouth
. Local Assemblies were founded in Bradford
and Torquay
in 1939.
Also in the 1930s a whole host of activities began - a Bahá'í theatre group was formed in London, the Bahá'í Journal was instituted, Bahá'í summer schools began, and the tradition of a winter Bahá'í conference was established. Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed in Bradford
and Torquay
in 1939, while the National Assembly achieved legal standing with its incorporation. John Ferraby
became a Bahá'í in 1941 (later named as a Hand of the Cause in 1957).
On 4 November 1957, Shoghi Effendi
, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, died in London, and thus the city has become a centre to which Bahá'ís from all over the world come. His mortal remains lie in the New Southgate Cemetery in London. Directions to his resting place are posted online.
In 1963, the first Bahá'í World Congress
was held in the Royal Albert Hall
in London, and approximately 6,000 Bahá'ís from around the world gathered. It was called to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, and announce and present the election of the first members of the Universal House of Justice
with the participation of over 50 National Spiritual Assemblies'
members.
In 1978 the Bahá’í Holy Days were recognised by local education authorities throughout the country.
in 1930, being registered as a charity under this name in 1967. In 1972, this single National Spiritual Assembly was reformed into two — one of the United Kingdom
, and one of the Republic of Ireland
. There are no plans, at present, to form separate National Spiritual Assemblies for England
, Northern Ireland
, Scotland
and Wales
.
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, the Báb
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
, in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
on 1 November 1845, only a little over a year after the Báb first stated his mission. Today there are Bahá'í communities across the country from Carlisle to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
History
The first person in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to become a Bahá'í, in 1898, was Mrs. Mary Thornburgh-Cropper (d. 1938), who lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
though she was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by birth. The first native person in the country to become a Bahá'í was Miss Ethel Rosenberg (d. 1930), who did so in 1899. An early, important figure was Thomas Breakwell
Thomas Breakwell
Thomas Breakwell was the first Englishmen to become a Bahá’í and the first to make the pilgrimage to ‘Akká. He was taught the Bahá’í Faith by May Bolles in the summer of 1901, and traveled to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká that same summer...
, posthumously described by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, as one of "three luminaries of the Irish, English and Scottish Bahá'í communities". He was born in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
and heard of the Baha'i Faith at the age of 29 during the summer of 1901 while on vacation in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from the United States where he was then working. After a pilgrimage to Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, he remained in Paris at the request of `Abdu'l-Bahá
`Abdu'l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
, quitting his job in the cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s of the American South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
out of a sense of sin where child labour was still the norm. Breakwell died in 1902 of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Heartbroken at his passing `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote a moving and inspiring tablet.
On a visit to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
prior to the Young Turk Revolution
Young Turk Revolution
The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 reversed the suspension of the Ottoman parliament by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, marking the onset of the Second Constitutional Era...
in 1908 Wellesley Tudor Pole
Wellesley Tudor Pole
Major Wellesley Tudor Pole O.B.E. was a spiritualist and early British Bahá'í.He authored many pamphlets and books and was a lifelong pursuer of religious and mystical questions and visions, being particularly involved with spiritualism and the Bahá'í Faith as well as the quest for the Holy Grail...
heard of `Abdu'l-Bahá and met and interviewed him over nine days in late November 1910 in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. For the next several decades he was active in the Bahá'í Faith.
Other mentions of the Bahá'í Faith included the Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
Wilberforce mentioning the religion in a sermon at the Church of St. John in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
in March 1911. Due to this mention, great interest was generated, and a Bahá'í reading room was opened. When `Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to the West, Tudor Pole spoke the English translation of his first talk on the evening of 10 September 1911.
In 1914, the Bahá'ís present in England had organised themselves into a committee, though it lapsed after February 1916. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Tudor Pole served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence
Directorate of Military Intelligence
The Directorate of Military Intelligence was a department of the British War Office.Over its lifetime the Directorate underwent a number of organisational changes, absorbing and shedding sections over time.- History :...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and was directly involved in addressing the concerns raised by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
threats against `Abdu'l-Bahá, which ultimately required General Allenby
Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby
Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during the First World War, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918.Allenby, nicknamed...
altering his plans for the prosecution of the war in the Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
theatre. In 1921, while Tudor Pole was Secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly in London, the telegram announcing the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá by his sister, Bahíyyih Khánum
Bahiyyih Khánum
Bahíyyih Khánum the only daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Greatest Holy Leaf"...
, arrived at Tudor Pole's home in London, and it was there read by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
. A Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
for England (also called All-England Bahá'í Council) was set up in May 1922 and held its first meeting in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 17 June 1922, with the first Local Spiritual Assemblies being formed in London, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. Local Assemblies were founded in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
and Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
in 1939.
Also in the 1930s a whole host of activities began - a Bahá'í theatre group was formed in London, the Bahá'í Journal was instituted, Bahá'í summer schools began, and the tradition of a winter Bahá'í conference was established. Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
and Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
in 1939, while the National Assembly achieved legal standing with its incorporation. John Ferraby
John Ferraby
John Ferraby was a British Bahá'í born in Southsea, England into a liberal Jewish family. He was educated at Malvern and at King's College, Cambridge, to which he won a major scholarship....
became a Bahá'í in 1941 (later named as a Hand of the Cause in 1957).
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, died in London, and thus the city has become a centre to which Bahá'ís from all over the world come. His mortal remains lie in the New Southgate Cemetery in London. Directions to his resting place are posted online.
In 1963, the first Bahá'í World Congress
Bahá'í World Congress
The Bahá'í World Congress is a large gathering of Bahá'ís from across the world that is called irregularly by the Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Bahá'ís...
was held in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London, and approximately 6,000 Bahá'ís from around the world gathered. It was called to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, and announce and present the election of the first members of the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
with the participation of over 50 National Spiritual Assemblies'
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
members.
In 1978 the Bahá’í Holy Days were recognised by local education authorities throughout the country.
National organisation
A National Spiritual Assembly of England came into being on 13 October 1923. However, this body became the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British IslesBritish Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
in 1930, being registered as a charity under this name in 1967. In 1972, this single National Spiritual Assembly was reformed into two — one of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and one of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. There are no plans, at present, to form separate National Spiritual Assemblies for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
List of Bahá'í Faith people in England
- Omid DjaliliOmid DjaliliOmid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
, comedian - David Kelly, Welsh-born weapons expert whose death near his OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
home in 2003 led to the Hutton InquiryHutton InquiryThe Hutton Inquiry was a 2003 judicial inquiry in the UK chaired by Lord Hutton, who was appointed by the Labour government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.On 18 July 2003, Kelly, an employee... - Inder ManochaInder Manocha-Early life:Born in London to Indian parents, Manocha read Modern History at Jesus College, Oxford University and worked in international relations and as a therapist before deciding to work professionally in comedy and acting in 2001...
, comedian
See also
- Bahá'í Faith in Northern IrelandBahá'í Faith in Northern IrelandBahá'í Faith in Northern Ireland begins after a century of contact between Irishmen and the Bahá'í Faith beyond the island and on the island. The members of the religion elected its first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly in 1949 in Belfast...
- Bahá'í Faith in ScotlandBahá'í Faith in ScotlandThe Bahá'í Faith is a minority religion in Scotland. In the 2001 Census in Scotland, roughly four hundred people living there declared themselves to be Bahá'ís, compared to a 2004 figure of approximately 5,000 Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom....
- Bahá'í Faith in WalesBahá'í Faith in WalesThe Bahá'í Faith in Wales started shortly after the Second World War when a great pioneer movement began with sixty percent of the British Bahá'í community eventually relocating. This movement included taking the Bahá'í Faith to Wales....
- Bahá'í Faith in the United KingdomBahá'í Faith in the United KingdomThe Bahá'í Faith in the United Kingdom started in 1898 when Mrs. Mary Thornburgh-Cropper , an American by birth, become the first Bahá'í in England. Through the 1930s, the number of Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom grew, leading to a pioneer movement beginning after the Second World War with sixty...