We are sad to announce the death of Paul Caton on Friday, 22 January 2021. Paul arrived as a Teacher of Mathematics at Melville College in 1964 and was soon appointed Head of Department. Following the merger with Daniel Stewart’s College, Paul was invited to become Head of Middle School of Stewart’s Melville College.
In addition to his responsibilities for the welfare of the younger boys who only a few months before had been members of rival schools Paul played a very significant role in the wider development of the ‘new’ school. He was given the task of timetabling all the senior school classes and allocating teachers to duties, always a challenge but much more so at a time when decisiveness, clarity of thought and empathy were essential as two staffs began to work together in an environment which was unfamiliar and in which the wheel really did have to be reinvented. Cherished traditions were altered and new ones introduced. Everything had to be fair, and everything had to be seen to be fair if two proud schools were to become one even prouder school. Paul was fair and Paul was seen to be fair and that made all the difference. He was totally committed to his responsibilities and the most loyal of colleagues, respected equally by those with whom he had worked at Melville College and by those with whom he was working for the first time.
At the time of the merger Paul had epitomised all that was good about Melville College but, as soon as the schools merged, he became Mr Stewart’s Melville, admired and personally liked by colleagues, boys and parents. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Paul and no one could have worked harder than him to ensure that within a few years the new school proved itself to be worthy of the name Stewart’s Melville College, loved by its pupils and teachers and respected throughout the city of Edinburgh as a beacon of excellence.
It was no more than Paul deserved when he was appointed Deputy Principal in 1987 of the family of schools which by then included The Mary Erskine School. Unsurprisingly Paul had by then played a very significant role in bringing to fruition the plans to amalgamate Stewart’s Melville with the Mary Erskine School, a move which was the inevitable and necessary precursor to today’s ESMS.
In addition to his school leadership role, Paul was an accomplished rugby coach who enjoyed great success with the SMC 1st XV for almost 10 years and who also somehow found the time to coach the SMC Former Pupils 1st XV.
It is, however, probably his deep and lasting commitment to the CCF which will forever be Paul’s legacy and which is how many will remember him. Paul was an absolute stalwart of the CCF, leading the contingent for many years. It was under his leadership that girls were first invited to join, and the influence he had on thousands of cadets since is remarkable. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2002, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Anthony Caton was awarded the MBE for services to cadets.
Paul retired from both the CCF and from Stewart’s Melville College in 1996 although typically he continued to support the FP Rugby Club and to attend and help at school residential camps – Paul loved outdoor education, he loved weekends away with groups of pupils and he loved helping at school camps. He was equally at home with both senior pupils and much younger girls and boys in Primary 6 whose annual camp he supported for many years after he retired.
Paul leaves behind his devoted wife, Sue. An obituary for Paul is available here.
As a result of the current restrictions, only a very small number will be able to attend Paul’s funeral at 1.00pm on Tuesday, 2 February. However, those who wish to join the online service which will take place at 1pm can do so by contacting Suzi on development@esms.org.uk who will send you a link on Monday 1 February via email.
The cortege will travel along Ferry Road, passing Stewart’s Melville Sports Grounds at Inverleith at about 12.45pm en route to Warriston Crematorium. If you live locally and would like to pay your respects, please do feel free to stand along the route.
At his widow’s request any friends and colleagues who wish to make a contribution in Paul’s memory are welcome to donate to the Eric Liddell Centre here instead of flowers. Sue Caton is a Patron of the Centre and a niece of Eric Liddell.
Among the tributes to Paul which we have received since we learned of his death it this one from Willie Coupar who was a close friend of Paul from his earliest days at Melville College.
“Paul Caton and I joined the staff at Melville College in 1964, he to teach Maths, me English. We soon became good friends, our main area of joint interest being the CCF, commanded as it then was by Major (Chunky) Bain. Although I was a passionate TA officer and Paul hugely enthusiastic at whatever he turned his hand to, we always had to remember that we were under the command of a chap who had served at Arnhem! I know not what he thought of our tactical antics but he was very patient with us both.
I left Melville College in 1966 to join the Regular Army, but Paul carried on to carve out a splendid career at Melville and then Stewart’s Melville College, where my two sons subsequently boarded.
A fine man and an excellent team player, Paul was one of these all too rare people whose contributions to his pupils, his school and his colleagues are probably close to irreplaceable in the current age.
Thank you for permitting me to say these few words.”
Willie Coupar
