Randolph Fitz-Henley
Randolph Fitz-Henley | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 2, 1898 St. Catherine, Jamaica |
| Died | September 11, 1978 Jamaica |
| NSA member | Central America 1952 - 1957 Greater Antilles 1957 - ???? Jamaica 1961 - ???? |
Randolph Fitz-Henley (May 2, 1898 - September 11, 1978) was a Jamaican Bahá’í who served on the Regional Spiritual Assembly of Central America, the Regional Assembly of the Greater Antilles, and the National Spiritual Assembly of Jamaica. He also developed the language Panfrish with the intention that it serve as a potential international language.
Biography[edit]
Fitz-Henley was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, in 1898.[1] In his youth he attended St. Gabriels Public School and then St. George's College in Kingston. In his professional career he worked for the Jamaican government serving in the Department of Agriculture and the Administrator Generals Office, the National City Bank of New York's Port-au-Prince branch as a stenographer, and as a monotype operator for the Daily Chronicle newspaper.[2]
In his personal life Fitz-Henley married Doris May Campbell in Kingston in 1925 and they had seven children including their youngest son Hopeton.[1] He had an interest in languages and was able to speak English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish, and he was able to write all of them in shorthand and became a certified teacher of the Pitman shorthand system. From the 1920's to the 1950's he develped Panfrish which was intended to be a universal language which could be learnt in six hours.[2]
Fitz-Henley became a Bahá’í by the early 1950's and in 1952 he was elected to the Regional Spiritual Assembly of Central America.[3] In 1953 he attended the Intercontinental Conference held to launch the Ten Year Crusade in Chicago which resulted in him being interviewed on several radio and television programs upon returning to Jamaica.[2] A Regional Spiritual Assembly for the Greater Antilles was established in 1957 which assumed responsibilty for administrating the Bahá’í community of Jamaica with Fitz-Henley being elected as an inaugural member,[4] and in 1958 he taught at a Bahá’í Summer School organized by the Assembly held in Port-au-Prince.[5]
In 1961 Jamaica established an independent National Spiritual Assembly and Fitz-Henley was elected as an inaugural member,[6] serving until at least 1967.[7] He passed away in 1978 and was buried in Kingston, Jamaica.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Randolph Fitz-Henley Jr at FamilySearch.org
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The New York Age, New York, New York 28 Aug 1954, Sat, Page 8
- ↑ Baha'i News (1952). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 257, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (July 1957). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 317, Pg(s) 14. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (1959). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 337, Pg(s) 14. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (July 1961). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 364, Pg(s) 7. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (1966). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 425, Pg(s) 12. View as PDF.
