The Reverend Bonaby - From the Bahamas to Shelf and back...

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Whilst flicking through a pamphlet about the history St Michael and All Angels Church in Shelf by Ben Stables; I noticed that from 1963 – 1965 the Rev Murillo Bonaby, who hailed from the Bahamas served as Curate. I was curious to find out more about him and to see what his story might tell us about black history in Calderdale and further afield.

Halifax Evening Courier 5th December 1963 — Halifax Evening Courier 5^th December 1963

Murillo Bonaby was born in 1932 on Crooked Island which is one of the larger southern Bahamian Islands. His parents were Alfred and Jane. During the early 20^th century, the Bahamas saw widespread poverty and economic stagnation. His father Alfred, along with thousands of other young men sought employment in the emerging agricultural industry in Miami. Many, like Alfred were seasonal labourers working in fruit groves, growing citrus and other tropical fruits. Regular steam ships running between Nassau and Miami made transport accessible and in 1937 14,000 (or 20% of the population) left the Islands, although a similar number returned. They earnt higher wages in Miami but would have encountered segregation and racism.

Wolcott, Marion Post, 1910-1990. Migrant agricultural workers waiting to be paid - Homestead, Florida. 1939-02. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/26445>

Jane, Murillo and his siblings appeared to have remained in the Bahamas whilst Alfred worked abroad for long periods of time. At some point the family moved to the capital Nassau where Murillo attended St John’s college, a highly religious Anglican school. Here he reportedly felt a calling to the Priesthood and in 1957 he entered Cardinal college in Barbados. He graduated in 1960 and shortly afterwards was ordained into the Priesthood at St Matthew’s Cathedral in Barbados. He moved back to the Bahamas to Cat Island where he was Priest in Charge and in 1962 he married Sylvia.

In December 1963 Murillo, Sylvia, their young baby and Sylvia’s younger brother left for England to serve as curate in Shelf. I was curious to know why Shelf of all places!

According to the Halifax Courier the Vicar of St Michael and All Angels in Shelf – Father Reginald Geoffrey Darrah was friends with the Bishop of Nassau and the Bahamas, the Rev Bernard Markham.

The Rev Markham was from West Yorkshire. He attended Bingley Grammar School and Leeds University as well as serving as Vicar in various areas of Bradford, so it is likely this is how he met the Rev Darrah. In 1962 Rev Markham was appointed Bishop of Nassau and the Bahamas. This is a role that demonstrates the history of British colonialism in the Bahamas. The first Anglican church was established in 1670 by English colonists and in 1729 the Anglican church was established by law. It came under the diocese of London.

In the 19^th century the Bahamas was incorporated into the Diocese of Jamaica and in 1861 the Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands was created as a separate diocese. The Rev Markham served in this role for ten years until he moved back to England to become the Bishop of Southwark. Amongst his responsibilities in this role, he became the diocesan exorcist for Southwark!

The Bahamas remained under British rule until 1973. In 1972, just before becoming a sovereign nation (but still part of the commonwealth), the first Bahamian Bishop the Rev Michael Eldon was elected.

The young Rev Bonaby’s curacy at Shelf took several months of planning. The vicar of St Michael’s and all Angels Church, Rev Darrah reported in the Parish magazine in Sept 1963 that several months prior he was asked by the Bishop of Nassau if he was “interested in having one of the younger priests of his diocese to work in this parish and gain experience of the life of the church in this country”

In a letter in the Parish magazine the Rev Bonaby describes arriving at London Airport on a bitterly cold December morning and his relief when arriving at Bradford Interchange to find a number of parishioners waiting to greet him and his family.

The church had applied for a council house for Rev Bonaby, but they initially stayed with a Mr and Mrs Goodall until a more permanent house was found. Parishioners also donated furniture, warm clothes and other odds and ends to help them set up home. In January 1964 he thanked “the warm smiles and sincere words of welcome of those who met us at the train station; the delicious tea and the roaring fire at the Goodalls”

As well as his duties of curate the Rev Bonaby gave regular talks and slide shows about Christian life in the Bahamas. He was also involved in and spoke at various missionary societies around West Yorkshire.

Photograph from a missionary conversazione held at All Saints’ School, Halifax Halifax Evening Courier 19th February 1965 — Photograph from a missionary conversazione held at All Saints’ School, Halifax Halifax Evening Courier 19^th February 1965

The Bonaby family stayed in Shelf for around eighteen months, before a stint in Poplar (London) and then returning to the Bahamas. In a letter to the Parishioners Bonaby appears to have enjoyed most of his time in Shelf, but less so the weather as he says “I shall particularly remember you as I lay basking in the sun, listening to the waves breaking against the rugged Bahamian coast and sipping ice cold cocoa-cola”

In 1968 Rev Bonaby became the first Rector of Christ the King Church Ridgeland Park in the Bahamas where he served for eight years. During this time, he also completed an MA in Church Management at Princetown Theological Seminary, New Jersey and later a Doctoral Degree in Theology from the University of South Tennessee.

In 1976 he was installed as Archdeacon of the Southern Bahamas including the Turks and the Caicos Islands. He was keen to support other priests to access further education as well as sharing his learning.

He dedicated 31 years to the church and served in his role of Archdeacon until his death in 1992, aged 58. His funeral was held at St Agnes Anglican Church, Grant’s Town. The service was packed with people queuing up to try and get a place in the church. As well as friends and family attendees included religious leaders from across the Islands and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas.