December 1. On this date in 2011, Ian Semple, a former UHJ member from its establishment in 1963 until 2005, died in Switzerland. He had also served as a member of the NSA of the British Isles, of the Auxiliary Board for Propagation in Europe and of the International Baha’i Council.

 

December 1. On this date in 2011, Ian Semple, a former UHJ member from its establishment in 1963 until 2005, died in Switzerland. He had also served as a member of the NSA of the British Isles, of the Auxiliary Board for Propagation in Europe and of the International Baha’i Council.

Ian Semple was born on December 2, 1928 in the North London suburb of New Barnet.

Semple studied at Pembroke College, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in 1952 and Master of Arts in 1955 in the German and French languages and literature from Oxford University. He subsequently studied accounting in the City of London, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1955 and becoming a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. From 1947 to 1949 Semple did his national service in the British Army, during which period he earned a commission in the Royal Corps of Signals. He became a member of the Bahá'í Faith in 1950 and served first on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles in 1956 as its secretary. He was an Auxiliary Board member in Europe from 1957 to 1961 with particular responsibility for the north of England, Scotland, Norway and Sweden. In 1961 he was elected to the International Bahá'í Council, and moved his residence to Haifa, Israel. In 1963 he was elected to the Universal House of Justice and served in that capacity until 2005 when he retired due to considerations of age.