November 11. On this date in 1970, Elizabeth Stamp, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for St. Helena, died.

 

November 11. On this date in 1970, Elizabeth Stamp, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for St. Helena, died.

Elizabeth Stamp was born in Bagenalstown in Ireland on March 25, 1887 and was educated in Dublin. She emigrated to the United States becoming a US citizen and residing in New York City where she became a Bahá'í in 1939. She made travel teaching trips across the South and Midwest US while living in New York. Her husband passed while she was in New York.

In July 1953 at the opening of the Ten Year Crusade Elizabeth offered to pioneer to South Africa where her sister lived, however she ultimately decided to instead ask permission to pioneer to St. Helena, a virgin territory in the South Atlantic. She arrived there on May 4, 1954, and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. The island was isolated at this time, with monthly ship arrivals being the only contact with the outside world, and Elizabeth asked for the thoughts and prayers of the Bahá'í community to support her. The Bishop of the Church of England on the island was initially unhappy with her presence but she eventually earned his respect and presented him with some Bahá'í literature. The strong position of the Church of England on the island meant she made little progress with teaching the Faith, however by 1964 four locals had converted to the Faith. She visited Elizabeth Hopper in Madeira while living on St. Helena.

In April 1963 Elizabeth was injured in a fall and went to South Africa to recover residing there until returning to St. Helena in December 1963, however she had to move to South Africa at the close of 1964 due to circumstances in St. Helena. She served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Durban while in South Africa.

Elizabeth Stamp returned to the United States in June 1966 settling in Waterbury, Connecticut, where she died on November 11, 1970, and was buried next to her husband.