The Bahá'ís of Stratford-upon-Avon

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The earliest mention of a Bahá'í in Stratford-upon-Avon is that of a Mrs Hawlett, who was living in High Street in 1939.    In July 1943 a Bahá'í Summer School was held in a manor house near Barford and the participants made a group visit to the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre.   This summer school was described by one of the participants as "a haven of peace, loving companionship and joy;  full of hope for the future in a war-torn world".

During the late 1960s a Bahá'í actor, Philip Hinton and his wife, Ann, settled in Stratford while Philip worked at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.    Their son, Sean, who was born in Stratford,  later became the first Bahá'í  ever to live in Mongolia, where he founded a thriving Bahá'í community, now numbering several thousand.   In recognition of his service he was appointed Honorary Consul-General of Mongolia, sole representative in Australia for the Mongolian Government.   He is now managing director of Ealing Studios.

There has been a growing community of Bahá'ís in the Stratford area from the late 1970s.    Stratford resident, Mrs Peggy Vaughan, became a Bahá'í in 1976.   Shortly after her passing in 1988 her husband, John, declared his faith in Bahá'u'lláh and is still a very active member of the community.

Retired west-end actress Isobel Stuart moved into the area in the 1980s with her three sons, who have all appeared as child actors at the RST, and Olivier Award winning actor, Joseph Mydell, was a member of the Company in 1986/87.

Dr Abbás Afnán and his wife, Shomais, retired to Bearley in 1995  after  lives of both medical and spiritual service in many parts of the world.   Dr. Afnán passed away in 1996.    He was very much loved and highly respected both for his medical work and for his love of mankind.   His resting place, in Evesham Road Cemetery, is frequently visited by Bahá'ís.   Shomais has now moved to Birmingham to be near her family, and simultaneously she also lives in Debrecen, Hungary, where she has opened a Bahá'í Centre in memory of her husband.

In July 1995 the local Bahá'í community had sufficient numbers to elect its first Local Spiritual Assembly for the District of Stratford-on-Avon. 

The Thomas Breakwell School (the local Bahá'í Community Sunday School, named after the first English Bahá'í)  was officially opened by the Mayor of Stratford in November 1987.   It had begun its life at the home of a Bahá'í doctor in the Warwick area and  moved out to Wellesbourne before it found a home at Broad St School.  As it became larger, it required more space and it was held for many years at the old High School.   It is now currently held at the Saltway Centre.   It is mainly attended by Bahá'í children and their friends, but it is open to all.   The children are taught Bahá'í principles such as the unity of humanity and the oneness of religions, and are encouraged to acquire spiritual qualities and virtues.  There is also a class for adults.   [Click here for information about the Thomas Breakwell School.]

In January 2001, exactly a year after her passing, the local Baha'is commemorated the life of Ruhiyyih Khanum, widow of Shoghi Effendi, (the late Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith) when  Juliet Short, Mayor of Stratford, planted a tree in her memory at the Recreation Ground - a Persian Ironwood (Parrotia Persica).

Bahá'ís have been involved in Local Agenda 21 since its inception and collaborate with organisations such as the United Nations Association, particularly in the promotion of the concept of world citizenship. 

Local Bahá'ís  initiated the very successful "Humanunity" events to support the International Conference on Racism in 2001 and  United Nations Day, 2002 .   Participants from various religious backgrounds (and none) shared  thoughts and readings from literature and scripture on the chosen topics of  peace and racial unity. 

In 2001, the electoral wards of the District of Stratford-on-Avon became Bahá'í administrative areas in their own right.   This now means that each of these areas is enabled to develop a local community which can elect its own Local Spiritual Assembly.   Consequently, at this time, there is a very small group in Stratford-upon-Avon.    There are also Bahá'ís in other parts of the Stratford district, including Wellesbourne, Sherbourne, Bishops Itchington, Stockton, Southam and Studley .

Currently, the nearest Local Spiritual Assemblies to Stratford are those of Leamington Spa, Solihull and Coventry.

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Bahá'ís of Stratford-upon-Avon

To find out more about the Bahá'í Faith, click here

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