November 17. On this date in 1930, Ethel Jenner Rosenberg, the first English Bahá'í, died. Born on August 6, 1858, in the city of Bath, Somerset to a Jewish family, she became a Bahá'í when she converted in 1899, after having been introduced to the Bahá'í Faith by Mary Thornburgh-Cropper, an American resident in London who had converted in 1898.

 

Pictured above are early Western Bahá'í pilgrims. Standing left to right: Charles Mason Remey, Sigurd Russell, Edward Getsinger and Laura Clifford Barney; Seated left to right: Ethel Jenner Rosenberg, Madam Jackson, Shoghi Effendi, Helen Ellis Cole, Lua Getsinger, Emogene Hoagg

November 17. On this date in 1930, Ethel Jenner Rosenberg, the first English Bahá'í, died. Born on August 6, 1858, in the city of Bath, Somerset to a Jewish family, she became a Bahá'í when she converted in 1899, after having been introduced to the Bahá'í Faith by Mary Thornburgh-Cropper, an American resident in London who had converted in 1898.

November 1930

(on the death of Miss Ethel J. Rosenberg, 17 November 1930)

DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING ROSENBERG ENGLAND'S OUTSTANDING BAHA'I PIONEER WORKER. MEMORY HER GLORIOUS SERVICE WILL NEVER DIE ABDU'L-BAHA'S FAMILY JOIN ME IN EXPRESSING HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES HER BROTHER RELATIVES URGE FRIENDS HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICE.

SHOGHI

Ethel Jenner Rosenberg was born on August 6, 1858, in the city of Bath, Somerset to a Jewish family and was a painter trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Rosenberg became a Bahá'í when she converted in 1899, after having been introduced to the Bahá'í Faith by Mary Thornburgh-Cropper, an American resident in London who had converted in 1898.

She was 'Abdu'l-Bahá's social secretary during his visits to London. 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked her, among others, to give consideration to publishing Bahá'í books, which resulted in the publication of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London and A Brief Account of the Bahai Movement. Rosenberg also assisted Laura Clifford Barney in compiling Some Answered Questions and Lady Blomfield in compiling Paris Talks.

Rosenberg traveled to America three times, initially doing so with Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl and Laura Clifford Barney. She would spend many months in the United States and stayed with Phoebe Hearst.

Rosenberg made three pilgrimages to Haifa, in 1904, 1909 and 1921. When she arrived in Haifa for her third pilgrimage, in 1921, she found that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had recently died. Remaining in Haifa, she greeted Lady Blomfield, Shoghi Effendi, and Shoghi Effendi's sister Ruhangiz when the three arrived from England on December 29, 1921. Shoghi Effendi gave her instructions for the calling of the first National Spiritual Assembly of England, which she would serve on.