Graham was born in Harrow in 1898, one of five children of a housemaster at Harrow School. After working in child care and a hospital during World War One, for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and the College of the Ascension in Birmingham, she visited India with her father in 1926 and came into contact with Samuel Azariah, Bishop of Dornakal.
In 1933 she was ordained a deaconess. From this effort was developed the Order of Women, which supported Church of India women workers called to a celibate life, based at Vishranthi Nilayam, the "House of Refreshment", in a former orphanage in Bangalore. During this time Sister Carol wrote a variety of devotional books, especially encouraging the spiritual life of families in the home.
From 1960 to 1963 she worked in North India on the organisation of women"s work there.
In 1963 Sister Carol retired and returned to the United Kingdom. She had already been discussing the idea of creating a community of women dedicated to working and praying for the unity of the Churches, and Eric Abbott, Dean of Westminster Abbey, offered to act as a sponsor of such a community. Eventually the former house of the Anglican spiritual director Fr Reginald Somerset Ward, 5 Wolseley Road in Farncombe, Surrey, was secured for the venture, which became known as the Farncombe Community.
Sister Carol became Head Sister, promoting the work of the Community as well as leading it day-to-day. She travelled widely around the United Kingdom leading ecumenical retreats and quiet days.
From there she moved to Smiles Home for the Elderly in Woking in 1985 and finally Bernard Sunley House, where she died in 1989.
