Historian, ‘Making of the West Indies’ Roy Augier, dies at 100

Sir Roy Augier, the eminent Caribbean historian and educator who helped reshape the region’s understanding of its own history, has died at the age of 100, just over a month after celebrating his centenary.

The St Lucian academic’s death on Sunday prompted fellow historian and University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles to pay tribute to Augier as a “Caribbean Renaissance Man” who played a pivotal role in the region’s nation-building and integration efforts.

Among his landmark contributions to Caribbean historiography were seminal works The Making of the West Indies and Report on the Rastafarian Movement, both published in 1960. These texts, along with Sources of West Indian History, a 1962 compilation of original historical sources co-authored with Shirley Gordon, sought to reframe Caribbean history from a perspective centred on the region’s own experiences and peoples.

Augier was also praised for his work in decolonising Caribbean education, playing a key early role in bringing West Indian history to secondary schools and examinations. In 1986, he became the first Chairman of the Board of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Reflecting on Sir Roy’s impact, Vice-Chancellor Beckles said, “We shall remember the passion in his voice as he challenged the status quo on scholarly or administrative issues, his steadfastness on the importance of academic quality, and his inter-disciplinary knowledge, which constitutes the infrastructure on which The UWI and regional education delivery now rest.”

Born Fitzroy Richard Augier on December 17, 1924, in Saint Lucia, his journey took him from the elite St Mary’s College in Castries to service in a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during the Second World War. He later pursued higher education at the University of London and the University of St Andrews in Scotland, earning a PhD in 1954 before joining the history department of the fledgling University College of the West Indies, The UWI’s forerunner, in 1955. In 1989 he became a professor and later professor emeritus in 1995.

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth, he also served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and General Studies at UWI from 1967 to 1972 and Pro Vice-Chancellor from 1972 to 1990.

He is survived by his wife, Leila, Lady Augier, and their children, Richard, Simone, and Kenneth.

(UWI/BT)