Carl Vaughan:
A Remarkable Journey
Born in Jamaica in 1925, Carl Vaughan left Kingston aboard the Elders and Fyffe banana boat in October 1942 intent on joining the Royal Air Force, and in doing so, began a journey that, via Florida, London and the University of Aberdeen, would culminate in him settling in Glasgow and becoming Scotland’s first black headteacher.
The story of Carl’s remarkable journey begins in 1942 in Jamaica, at that point still under British rule. Alongside 21 other volunteers, he signed up to join the Royal Air Force to serve King and country, which would mean travelling across the Atlantic to join the war effort in Europe.
Setting off as part of a convoy of banana boats transporting exotic fruit across the sea, it quickly became clear that their ailing ship had problems. As the rest of the convoy disappeared into the distance, the boat’s engines packed up, and were only repaired adequately enough for them to change course and limp at a snail’s pace to the harbour in Tampa, Florida.
This journey was fraught with danger, as the ocean was full of U-boats, but a fortnight later they finally docked. Horrified by numerous instances of the racial discrimination and segregation prevalent in the Southern States at that time, the group travelled by train to Canada, where they were enlisted and finally given a seaworthy vessel for their passage to the UK.
Across the Atlantic
After a week at sea, they entered the mouth of the Clyde and docked in Glasgow, the city that would eventually become home to Carl for the rest of his life, but quickly headed south to London, the UK’s blitz-ravaged capital. When they arrived, the signs of the constant bombing raids were etched across the city. Carl found himself in a RAF Personnel Transit Centre, a converted hotel near the British Museum. The windows were blacked out and the air was thick with cigarette smoke; RAF officers scurried around processing the new recruits.
There followed a series of military training placements around the country. Carl learned how to operate morse-code in Jamaica and ended up stationed at RAF Bomber Command at High Wycombe in the very heart of air-raid planning. His role was to monitor distress signals from damaged planes returning overnight from overseas missions, a crucial job; if a signal was missed then the pilot was done for.
Carl was often singled out as being very good at his job, and in the last stages of the war, he took part in reconnaissance missions over Germany on board a Lancaster Bomber, scoping out the success of the air-raids. As a passenger, the bombers were not designed for comfort!
A Life in Education
Following the war, he decided to remain in the UK, wishing to study medicine and become a doctor. He worked hard and was offered a place at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Edinburgh and Glasgow. However, the RAF ultimately decided that wouldn’t release him for further study and he lost his place.
Eventually coming out of the RAF, a disappointed Carl headed for Glasgow to study. There, he met Dina, a friend of a friend’s girlfriend. The pair went dancing and grew close, and despite strong opposition from the local minister and Dina’s parents, ultimately married. The ceremony took place in a registry office as the Minster wouldn’t condone their inter-racial relationship. Dina’s parents accepted them and were proud to have Carl as one of the family and soon she was pregnant with twins.
Carl worked as a telephonist then a milkman as he tried to raise money for his medical exams, but when a Reverend at a local church told him there was a shortage of RE teachers and that grants were on offer, Carl changed path and decided to undertake Biblical Studies at University instead.
Only two Scottish universities offered the subject at the time, St Andrews and Aberdeen. Carl visited St Andrews but said it was too cold, so chose Aberdeen – presumably this is the only documented occurrence of someone choosing to live in the Granite City because of the superior climate!
For the next four years Carl lived in digs in the city, travelling back and forth from Glasgow each week in order to spend as much time as possible with his family. As part of his MA degree he studied English, Philosophy, Psychology, Biblical Studies, Biology and Spanish.
After graduating in 1963, a subsequent spell of teacher training in Glasgow led to a position as a teacher at Edinbarnet Primary in Clydebank. After a spell away working as Deputy Head at Castlehill Primary School, he returned to Edinbarnet as Head Teacher in 1972, and in doing so became the first ever black Head Teacher in Scotland, a fact that was covered widely in newspapers at the time.
In his eighteen years in charge of the school, Carl became a hugely respected figure, both in the local community and in the wider profession. Following his retirement, he was always delighted on the numerous occasions when former pupils would recognise him and stop to chat.
The family connection to his alma mater was further enhanced when his granddaughter Caitlin fulfilled Carl’s own earlier ambition of studying medicine, which she did here at the University of Aberdeen.
“Grandpa always told me when I was applying for Medicine that Aberdeen was the place for me,” she said. “I did not quite see the wisdom of this at the time, but ma affa exceptional experience thus far means that I certainly do now.”
Carl was a passionate and active supporter of the University, and it was fitting that he returned to Aberdeen for Caitlin’s graduation. He passed away in February 2019 at the age of 93.