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Preface

I had personal reasons for writing a biography of H.J. Cody. He came out of an Ontario background quite similar to my own. He was a hero in my family. He had taught my father, C.K. Masters, at Wycliffe College and had been a lifelong friend. A picture of Cody always hung in my father’s study.

I met Cody only twice but I heard him speak on many occasions: as guest speaker at the Ridley College Prize Day; as rector of St. Paul’s Church, Toronto, which I attended frequently in my student years at the University of Toronto; and finally, when as president of the university he spoke at a memorial service for George V. I still have a vivid recollection of Cody as a dynamic speaker.

I wish to express my gratitude to those who helped me in writing this volume. Leon S. Warmski, senior research archivist at the Ontario Archives, was of continuous assistance. I am grateful for his help and for many acts of kindness. Harold Averill, assistant university archivist at the University of Toronto Archives, was extremely helpful and encouraging, particularly in regard to material relating to the latter part of Cody’s career. Alex Ross was most helpful during his stay at the Ontario Archives and later, when he was head of Twentieth Century Records with the Hudson’s Bay Company, in Winnipeg, in the search for material on Archbishop Matheson in the Manitoba Archives in Winnipeg.

I had cordial assistance from the staff of the Anglican General Synod. Dr. Tom Millman, the archivist, took a kindly interest in the book and recalled his own impressions of Cody’s personality. Terry Thompson, a later archivist, and Dorothy Kealey, a member of the staff, were most cooperative.

My old friend, the late Alfred Rickard, used to attend St. Paul’s Church with me when we were students. Later, when he was a volunteer assistant at the church archives, Alf gave me some shrewd recollections of Cody.

The Reverend William J. Hockin, the rector of St. Paul’s Church, and Bishop Peter Mason, when principal of Wycliffe College, both took a keen interest in the book and helped to secure its publication. Mr. D. Miller Alloway, president of Cairn Capital Inc., gave strong encouragement.

Among my University of Toronto friends, Professor Robin Harris suggested sources of material in the university archives, and the late Professor Gerald Craig gave me his recollections of the Cody-Underhill relationship. Senator D.J. Walker, a friend of Cody’s son, Maurice, made a memorandum on his memories of Cody. Mrs. Barbara Storey wrote an account of her time as Cody’s secretary in 1940–41. I am grateful to the late Sydney H. Hermant for permission to quote from his paper “Henry John Cody,” delivered to the University College Alumni Association on November 9, 1982.

Chapter 10 of my book is a revised copy of my paper “H.J. Cody and the Toronto Episcopal Election of 1909,” which was published in the Journal of the Canadian Church Historical Society, vol. 30, no. 2.

I owe a tremendous debt to my family. My wife, Marjorie, shared in the research, typed the first draft, made many valuable suggestions, and edited the first draft before submission to the publishers. My daughter Margaret (Dr. Margaret Helder) was most helpful. She typed the entire manuscript and made many valuable criticisms. My other children – Jane, Mary Ann, Lois, and Charles – were helpful in typing and encouragement. Charles and our good friend Hugh Anderson helped to promote the publication of the book.

My late sister Peggy and her husband Bill (Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Wallace) provided material about Havergal College and the Cody family in Embro. Catherine Steele, a former principal, also helped with material about Havergal.

I am very much indebted to my agent, John Irwin, to my publisher, Kirk Howard of Dundurn Press, and to my able and considerate editor, Judith Turnbull.

I wish to thank the Ontario Archives, the University of Toronto Archives, and the City of Toronto Archives for permission to reproduce their photographs; acknowledgment appears on each illustration.

D.C.M.