After being released from four decades of captivity, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá “arose with sublime courage, confidence and resolution to consecrate what little strength remained to Him, in the evening of His life, to a service of such heroic proportions that no parallel to it is to be found in the annals of the first Bahá’í century.” 

 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent three years away from the Holy Land, first stopping in Egypt. He then travelled on to Europe and later to America. It was during this period, between 1911 and 1913, that ‘Abdu’l Bahá visited Bristol on two separate occasions. The first visit lasted for three days - 23-25 September 1911. The second visit was 15-16 January, 1913, before His return to Egypt and then Haifa.

 

Bristol was the only provincial city that ‘Abdu’l Bahá visited during his first journey to Britain in 1911 and the only city outside of London to receive a second visit, when He returned from America in 1913.

 

‘Abdu’l Bahá was invited to Bristol on both occasions by His friend and admirer Wellesley Tudor-Pole (1884-1968). A lifelong seeker of spiritual truth, Tudor Pole’s mystical interests led him to meeting ‘Abdu’l Bahá in Alexandria, Egypt.

 

Tudor Pole was deeply impressed by the Master’s personality and the Bahá’í Teachings. Returning to England, he became an active promoter of the Bahá’í message in public meetings and through articles in publications. 

 

Towards the end of the First World War, it was through Tudor Pole’s raising awareness of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s presence in Haifa with the British government and military authorities that the Master was extended special protection.  Tudor Pole’s office became the receiver of international correspondence for the Bahá’ís in England and it was there that, in November 1921, Shoghi Effendi learned of the passing of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá from a cablegram left on Tudor Pole’s desk. The following year, Tudor Pole was one of several distinguished supporters of the Cause who took part in consultations in Haifa with Shoghi Effendi about the steps necessary for raising up the administrative order in the world as a prelude to the eventual establishment of the Universal House of Justice.



 

Although Tudor Pole did not formally register as a member of the Bahá’í community, His admiration for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá remained undiminished. In old age, he wrote a number of books in which he included his experiences with the Master.  The Writing on the Ground, in particular, has led many souls to investigating aand embracing the Faith. 

 

The apartment that you will visit was part of the Clifton Guest House, owned by Tudor Pole, where he received the Master and His accompanying friends in both 1911 and 1913, travelling from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads station. We are blessed to have many photographs documenting these visits as Tudor Pole hired a photographer.

 

During His stay in the apartment, the Master visited the local area in Bristol and received many guests, both from the city and further afield. The talks and His presence here were also documented in the local press as He held many an audience in the Drawing Room, giving talks on the Faith.  Much of this is documented in the book ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Two Visits to Bristol and other sources.

 

In an account written by Mr. Tudor-Pole we read that the “Master went all over Guest House blessing and dedicating each room to the service of Bahá’u’lláh and promising that the house would become a centre of peace and rest for pilgrims from East and West.”