Isobel Slade

Isobel Slade (1874 - September, 1972) was an early British Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles.

Biography

Slade was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in England by an American Bahá’í visiting the country although it is not clear in what year. She was a member of the community as of the early 1920's and intended to go on pilgrimage to meet with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá but was unable to do so before His Ascension in November, 1921. She did go on pilgrimage at some point in the early 1920's.

In 1926 Slade was requested to assist the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles serving as a representative of the London community as a substitute member of the body. Late in the year she accompanied Ethel Rosenberg to the Holy Land, as Shoghi Effendi had requested Rosenberg assist him but due to ill health Rosenberg did not want to travel alone. She returned to England after a short time as her mother passed away.

In 1927 Slade was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles and served for fourteen years, often being elected an office bearer and serving as chairman, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and assistant secretary of the body. In 1948 Slade pioneered to Edinburgh, Scotland, to allow the community to establish its Local Spiritual Assembly.

In later life Slade shared stories with the British Bahá’í community about the early days of the community. She passed away in 1972 at the age of ninety-eight and the Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after her passing:

PASSING ISOBEL SLADE SEVERS ONE FEW REMAINING LINKS EARLY CAUSE BRITISH ISLES DEPRIVES COMMUNITY OUTSTANDING BELIEVER STOP HER UNFLAGGING SUPPORT CAUSE GOD MORE THAN HALF CENTURY COMPRISING MEMBERSHIP NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY PIONEER VISITING TEACHER SIX YEAR PLAN CONSTANT DEVOTION DUTY HIGH MORAL STATURE RENDER HER SHINING EXAMPLE FUTURE GENERATIONS STOP EXPRESS RELATIVES FRIENDS LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURE PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD AMPLE REWARD PROGRESS SOUL ABHÁ KINGDOM.