With the visit to the College of Fr Charles Graham’s grandson, Paul Mallory, earlier this month we take a look back at the incredible story behind the disappearance of our school’s first rector.

At the end of 1923 Fr Graham, who had served as the first Rector of St Bede’s since it opened in 1911, suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Not only ending his 11-years at St Bede’s but also severing his religious vows. For years what happened to Fr Graham and why he left St Bede’s remained a mystery. It wasn’t until the centenary that this remarkable story finally came to light.

At the end of the 1922 school year Fr Graham received approval from the Provincial to spend his Christmas holiday in Sydney. His health was of concern and he assured his superiors that it was not serious. Fr Graham was expected to return in January ready for the school year.

However once in Sydney, Graham wrote to the Provincial, seeking permission to take up an offer from an unnamed benefactor to pay his passage on to Europe. After four years without a good break, a long sea voyage would renew his strength and this might be his only chance to make such a trip. His request was denied and Graham was urged to return to his duties as soon as possible. Graham responded with his decision to go ahead with the trip anyway.

"I will have to suffer because of my actions... I suppose I am mad but I hope my action will not have any effect upon St Bede's College or the Society of New Zealand... I am taking the whole responsibility on my shoulders."

In February 1923 he left Sydney on the SS Verona bound for the United States and Europe. Graham gave his ultimate destination as a return to New Zealand. But at San Francisco he paid his taxes to enter the United States and, as far as the society and the college were concerned, he was never heard of again. Inquiries back in New Zealand were only able to produce an address in Edmonton, Canada, from where letters were returned with addressee unknown.

Years latter as St Bede’s was preparing for the centenary the story about what happened to Fr Graham finally came to light. It tuns out that Charles Graham had left to marry the St Bede’s College housekeeper and matron, Winnie Barcock. Winnie had joined the St Bede’s domestic staff around 1920 just three years before Fr Graham disappeared.

The plan for a new life in Canada had been thought out precisely. While Graham was heading to San Francisco from Sydney, Winnie was on board the Niagara bound for England on a holiday. But she disembarked at Vancouver, producing the £50 necessary to become a settler in Canada. She stated she was there to meet her fiancé and be married. Charles must have left San Francisco immediately on landing for he reached Vancouver in time to be married 10 days later on 24 March 1923. Using the name Claude Gainsley on the wedding licence. He reverted almost immediately to his real name.

There life in Canada appears to have been a simple one. After gaining temporary teaching work in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada he had clearly impressed his superiors at the Board of Education for in 1927 he accepted the position of principal of the high school in the small town of Assiniboia, about two hours from Regina. Located deep in the Saskatchewan prairie country, where international visitors were unlikely to venture.

Just two years after their arrival in Canada, Pauline the eldest of three daughters was born, followed by Dorothy in 1927 and Margaret in 1932. Charles and Winnie stayed in Assiniboia until his retirement in 1950 after 23 years as principal there. They then moved to Weston, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, where Winnie died in 1966, aged 75, after being cared for by her husband through illness in her last years. Charles died of a heart attack the following January at the ripe old age of 87. They had been married for 43 years.

Pauline Newhouse, aged 84, was the only daughter still living at the time of the 21st-century search for what became of Charles Graham. At first she doubted it was possible her parents had once been principal and matron of a St Bede’s College in New Zealand. In all the years since, even though the daughters had their suspicions, her parents had never confided the true story of their move to Canada or of Charles’s past life. Religion played no significant role in their upbringing and the only connection with the church Pauline recalled was that Winnie Graham, an active social worker, worked for the Grey Nuns on a volunteer basis at the local hospital.

‘They were both liked and respected people in Assiniboia and surrounding districts. They were great parents and supporters and we all did well for ourselves. They took on a lot of community roles there and only left when they retired to ease the burden of those activities. All three of us were nursing graduates and several of our children have taken university degrees…We never thought to question the story they told us about moving to Canada. I admit that when I visited New Zealand in later years – my sister Dorothy was with us – I wondered why they would leave such a beautiful country for the reason we were given [Charles’ asthma]. We met some people related to mother there, but nobody could tell us much about our father except that he had an MA from Victoria University. There was never a hint from him of the real events or much about his family background – which is rather a shame now, looking back.’ – Pauline

When Pauline had needed family background in connection with an assignment in her university years, Charles and Winnie produced an artfully evasive family history which gave no clues and misleading dates in reference to their New Zealand life, Charles pretending impatience about not giving further details.

The story of Fr Graham was finally uncovered with the assistance of Pauline and her family. On 22 March 2011 Pauline visited St Bede’s (pictured below) with her sons Chuck and Ross and the family was able to see the school that their father and grandfather had helped to establish.

Testimonies from men who attended Ferry Road remembered Fr Graham with appreciation for his excellence as a teacher especially in Latin, with accepting respect for his disciplinary powers and with abiding fondness for his unstinting support for their sporting efforts.

"But it is his efforts in the sporting side of College that have won so warm a place for him in the hearts of his boys... We all remember his unquestionable enthusiasm for football (rugby), cricket, running and all branches of athletics. To him is due in no small measure the phenomenal rise of St Bede's in the football (rugby) world. To him we looked almost as of right, for congratulations in victory and consolation in defeat. No team ever felt complete unless they saw his familiar figure on the line and heard his voice urging them and advising them with all the fervour at his command" - An unnamed old boy, The Bedean 1923.

Fr Graham was one of six icons of St Bede's College that were selected during the school centennial celebrations in 2011. You can see his icon board (pictured below) on display in the St Bede's Performing Arts Centre.