Patrick Robarts

Hand of the Cause John Robarts (right) with his wife, Audrey, and children, Patrick (left) and Nina (second from left).

Patrick Robarts (1934 - 2013) was a Canadian Bahá'í who was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for pioneering to Bechuanaland (now Botswana).

Patrick is the son of John and Audrey Robarts, and he accompanied them to Bechuanaland in 1953, and was driving when they crossed the border. He studied architecture at the University of Witwaterstrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, with Shoghi Effendi's blessing, in the late 1950's where he met Geraldine Bannister who he introduced to the Faith.

He married Geraldine in 1962 and they moved to London as they did not want to raise children under the apartheid regime. In 1964 they moved to Uganda. In 1966 Patrick produced designs for Teacher Training Institutes in Guly and Kikaaya in Uganda which were approved by the Universal House of Justice and the completed buildings were dedicated by ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan in 1967. In 1971 he reported the establishment of a Bahá'í cemetery in Kikaaya to Bahá'í News.

In 1972 Patrick and his family moved to Kenya, fleeing the Idi Amin regime. They hosted a dinner party in Kenya marking the close of Rúhíyyih Khánums three and a half year tour of Africa in February 1972.

References

• Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. pp 109-111