The UK Baha’i Histories Project is collecting the stories of individual Baha’is who currently live in the UK, or have lived here in the past. The project is sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of the UK.
These stories are personal recollections by the individuals concerned. They will inevitably contain omissions and they reflect the views of the individual author in each case. We cannot vouch for the authenticity or completeness of any of the ‘histories’, although all stories are subjected to an editorial review. We urge readers who may have additional information that is pertinent to any story to post a comment, which may be viewed by all visitors to the site.
We would like to encourage EVERYONE to write their Baha’i history. Your story is important and interesting, whether you became a Baha’i last week or 50 years ago. We would also like to see stories from people who have moved to the UK, especially if you moved here from Iran, and your experiences when you first arrived.
To give you some inspiration, take a look at the stories below. We hope you will then decide to write your own story. Please contact bhp1uk@gmail.com and the team will help you to get started.
Webpage header photo courtesy of Baha’i Media Bank
UK Baha'i Histories 
Great initiative, well done
Many thanks for your kind words Shawn. God Bless and take care always.
So interesting to read people’s stories and see all the connections. Look forward to more.
what an interesting site, and such a good concept. The web is able to offer everyone immediate access to these wonderfully inspiring stories. This is the perfect culmination for the Histories Project that for years has relied on pen, paper and a few tape recordings. I now need to get on and write my own…….
Thank you for this appreciative comment, Rob. We will be delighted to see your story when you have written it!
Jenny Lockwood, on behalf of the UK Baha’i Histories Project
Hi, my name is Peter Hirst and I am a Baha’i from Rotorua, New Zealand. I have been reading the entries that mention Bradford as I was born there in 1943. I never heard about the Faith whilst living in Bradford and I came to live in New Zealand in 1965. I became a Baha’i in 1974, taught by pioneer American couple, Alvin (Dick) and Pauline Hale from Boulder, Colorado.
In Bradford I attended Green Lane Primary School, Belle Vue Boys High School and then served an apprenticeship as a metal turner at English Electric. I played rugby league badly for Thornton ARLFC.
I would be delighted to hear from anyone who remembers me, a long shot I know!
The New Zealand Baha’i community is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2013 and my wife and I have been invited to write
a little about our Baha’i lives. This is how I was put in touch with your fine project. Baha’i love Peter
Well done on this excellent initiative – I’m just reading the latest instalment.
I do so love reading each one as it comes out, and find them incredibly inspiring how people from such diverse backgrounds are led to the Baha’i faith, some of them overcoming huge obstacles in the process.
Will you be bringing out a compilation book of these stories at any time – perhaps to mark the first 200?
Good idea Ruhi, and thanks for your kind comment. We are not thinking about a book at the present time, but it is definitely possible in the future. Difficult to select which stories to include and which not to!
I would agree w/ Ruhi that a book should be considered, however it needs to be seen as an allied but distinct project. IMO, in order to sell it would need to be dominated by pictures of the time w/ people correctly identified.
I would like to see an alternative project completed first. Format the material you are gathering here and compile into a good looking, freely distributed pdf file. The purpose would be to ensure that the information you have is made readily available to Baha’i scholars and others interested in Baha’i history.
I would further suggest you make contact w/ Jonah Winter about mirroring your material.
It is obvious that every Baha’i ,whether born into a Baha’i family or found the Faith,has been on a spiritual journey. I too have travelled a long and winding road, many times losing my way or crashing off the path. Perhaps one day God and Baha’u’llah will assist me in telling my story of how they have guided me. Allah’u’abha
It is so touching to see all the stories. My childhood was spent in Chatham, Kent. My parents, like many around us, were nominally Church of England, but lost whatever faith they had during the Second Word War. They allowed myself, my 2 brothers and my sister, to attend whatever church we wanted. I identified as a Christian but floated between churches. It was only after migrating, as a family, to Australia that things changed for me. My parents decided that the housing estate was having a detrimental effect on our upbringing and a fresh start was needed.
In Australia my teenage years were spent associating with many Christian churches. I was thrilled and involved in church activities to bring about the first attempt at a United Church. However, it was a disillusioning experience which made me question my faith. I floated within the 60’s youth environment for a few years but saw it becoming too self centered and destructive. A change in work life coincided with my inner life challenges and it was through this I encountered 2 Baha’i youth as coworkers in the start of my IT career. It took a year of study, experience and achieving a state of heart where I could not deny Baha’u’llah and my life as a Baha’i commenced. 45 year later, I am still full of gratitude to those Baha’i youth and the Baha’i communities of the greater Adelaide area who nurtured me and set me in my path of service.
I have no recollection of ever encountering the name of Baha’u’llah while living in England but am grateful for environment which set me on my path of learning and growth.