Three generations celebrate school’s diamond jubilee

On September 29 1957, St Cuthbert’s Secondary Modern School was opened by the Most Rev John Carmel Heenan, D.D., Ph.D., Archbishop of Liverpool. Since then three generations of students have now passed through the school since the mid-1950s under the leadership of seven headteachers.

Mrs Pauline Wilson was a student in the 1960s under the headship of Mr Grundy. Her husband Vincent actually carried the cross in the procession at the opening ceremony in 1957. Pauline’s daughter Mrs Janice Wilson followed in her parents’ footsteps and was a student of St Cuthbert’s in the 1990s under the headship of Mr Irving and her two daughters Kiara and Kelise are currently students at the school in Year 11 and Year 7.

Kiara and Kelise carried the school flag, which was blessed at a special Mass of Thanksgiving held in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on 20 September. They were joined by over 1,200 fellow students, staff, parents and friends of the school at a service celebrated by the Archbishop of Liverpool, Malcolm McMahon.

The High Sheriff of Merseyside, Mr Stephen Burrows DL, Trustee of the Pilkington Family Trust, Lady Kirsty Pilkington, the Mayor and Mayoress of St Helens, Councillor and Mrs Pearson and Conor McGinn MP were also in attendance as were 150 Year 6 pupils from the school’s partner primaries: Holy Cross, Holy Spirit, St Anne’s and St Theresa’s.

The current headteacher, Mrs Catherine Twist paid tribute to the students, she said: “I don’t think anyone really imagined how beautiful Mass would be and how truly awesome our students would be. They were a credit to themselves, their families and St Cuthbert’s. Of course, these events do not just happen…the planning for the day has been over 12 months in the making and has involved many staff and I thank them all.”