Elisabeth Burgess was born in Worcestershire to Rev Norman Burgess and Blanche (nee Oliver). She embraced the ideas of the Oxford Group (later Moral Re-Armament) in her early 20s and volunteered her whole time initially in the London headquarters, where she contributed her artistic skills as well as helping with hospitality. During World War 2 she was one of seven ‘land girls’ based at Tirley Garth, Cheshire, growing vegetables and helping with national morale-building work. In 1946, Elisabeth married Frank Bygott, a pioneer of MRA’s outreach into the industrial areas of Britain and Germany. Always with him in spirit, she remained homebased once their children were born (David in 1948, Jane in 1952). In 1954 Frank died after a short illness and Elisabeth continued to care for her family in the south of England, offering hospitality to many MRA workers particularly in later years, and supporting the work in other quiet ways. She died in 1978.
