St Cuthbert's Society

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St Cuthbert's Society, almost universally known as Cuth's, is a college-level body of the University of Durham in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1888 to cater for non-resident students and is named after Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, whose body rests behind the high altar in nearby Durham Cathedral. St Cuthbert's was the third of Durham's collegiate bodies to be founded, following University and Hatfield College. It is located on Durham's peninsula, so is considered one of the 'Bailey' colleges.

Contents 1 Relationship with the University 2 Location 3 Traditions 4 Coat of Arms 5 Boat Club 6 St. Cuthbert's Society RFC 7 Distinguished Alumni 8 Further reading 9 External links

[edit] Relationship with the University

St Cuthbert's foundation as a Society differed from that of the earlier colleges in that it was founded as much by its students as established by the University. Several other Societies followed, including St Aidan's Society (now St Aidan's College) and the Graduate Society (now Ustinov College), but St Cuthbert's is the only remaining Society. As such, it retains some structural differences from the colleges - for example, the position of President of the Society is a student position rather than a staff one and, accordingly, the leading member of the university staff is known as the Principal, rather than 'president' or 'master' or 'mistress'. The retention of such modest, if largely historic, elements of its autonomy from the University is intrinsic to the identity of St. Cuthbert's Society.

[edit] Location

The Society owns accommodation across Durham, but most central facilities are provided at its main site at the end of the South Bailey, in and around a large, late 17th century building. Notable among these facilities is the bar, which is the only Durham college bar to have regular day-time, as well as evening, opening. Since 2005 the Society has also housed students at its Parson's Field site off Old Elvet. The Parson's Field site includes Refounders House, Brooks House, Fonteyn Court and Parsons Field Court. Brooks House, a new 192-bedroom accommodation block, named after former Principal, Professor Leslie Brooks, was completed by the start of the 2006-2007 academic year.

In 2002 the University proposed that the Society should relocate and become ‘St Cuthbert’s College’ along with new purpose-built facilities, the second or third such attempt since the War to alter Cuths' identity and/or location. The Junior Common Room (JCR) absolutely rejected any such move which they say would "destroy the traditions and ethos laid down by our founders in 1888 and re-emphasised by the Refounders in 1946". The Society Staff firmly agreed with the comments of the JCR on this matter.

[edit] Traditions

The Society's patron, St Cuthbert, continues to be remembered annually, if somewhat incongruously for an ascetic, in "The Feast", a traditionally uproarious, members-only banquet held on or near St Cuthbert's feast day on 20 March.

Another, summer-based, event is "Cuth's Day". This includes entertainment conducted on, off and in the River Wear, which curls around the foot of the Society's gardens, live music, and a day-long garden party. In both its baccanalian spirit, and aquatic activity.

In contrast, more solemn events, held on both the Society's own Cuth's Day and the traditional ecclesiastical festival, comprise a silent gathering of Cuth's students at the shrine of St. Cuthbert at the east end of Durham Cathedral at dawn, followed by a hearty breakfast in one of the city's better hotels.

The surving Refounders of the College hold a reunion weekend every September. The Founders of the College are remembered at the annual Founders' Formal. Past Presidents attend the President's Formal.

[edit] Coat of Arms

The Society's arms depict the original, seventh century pectoral cross of St Cuthbert, discovered when his grave was opened in 1827, and now preserved in the cathedral treasury. The motto, gratia gratiam parit, appears in the Adagia of Erasmus, a collection of Greek and Latin adages, and can be translated as ‘friendship begets friendship’ or ‘kindness begets kindness’. The college crest includes an eider duck. This is because, while resident in the Farne Islands, St Cuthbert instituted special laws to protect these and other seabirds nesting there, instituting what may have been the first bird protection laws anywhere in the world. Consequently, eider ducks have long been known as 'cuddy ducks' (Cuthbert's ducks) in the Pitmatic dialect as spoken in Northumberland.

[edit] Boat Club

The Boat Club is arguably the Society's most cherished institution. Launched in the summer of 1893, a mere five years after the foundation of the Society itself, it then entered two boats in the inter-colligiate races. The next year the Club won its first trophy - the Challenge Pairs - and acquired its impressive boathouse. This building, the envy of all other colleges, remains the hub of the Club's activities. It also has the distinction of having been owned by the Society more than twice as long as any other property.

The Boat Club has, of course, had lean as well as good years, but its high profile has always made members conscious that their efforts contributed greatly to the morale of the Society as a whole.

[edit] St. Cuthbert's Society RFC

As one of the most successful clubs within the Society, Cuths rugby players have long been revered by their non-playing peers, who remain inspired and in awe of the sacrifices made by these brave warriors. The list of past achievements is long, leaving national and collegiate teams alike in their wake, but the 2006/07 season unfortunately ended in disappointment, with a robbery of Herculanean proportions on a windy Monday evening. The Easter Tour to the Basque Country was more successful, with two matches played and two matches won.

The B's (Cuths RFC B) have been more fortunate this year, remaining unbeaten save for a controversial (some would say rigged) match against a Collingwood team replete with A's players. Whatever the case, it has been many years since such a successful season has been had by the B(est) Cuths team. The championship remains to be won, but with the likes of Richard 'the cute teddy bear' Skinner, Jamie 'P-Unit' Plumer, Sam 'What an idiot' Village, Johnny 'Hard' Hargreaves, Josh 'Dog' Green and Harry 'Coal-face' Howe, the future can only be optimistic.

[edit] Distinguished Alumni

• John Pugh MP, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Southport

• Leo Blair, Society Tutor, father of Tony Blair

• Norman Askew, Chairman of Taylor Woodrow, Chief Executive, British Nuclear Fuels

• Alex Kovach, Managing Director of Lycos UK

• Sir Nick Scheele, President and Chief Operating Officer, Ford Motor Company

• Michael Knighton, Chairman, Carlisle United

• Kevin O'Connell, Commander, Metropolitan Police

• Nina Hossain, Broadcast Journalist

• Kate Silverton, Broadcast Journalist

• Guy McCrea, Broadcast Journalist

• Alistair Fothergill, Head, BBC Natural History

• Rod Clements, Musician, Lindisfarne

• Malcolm Miller, holder of l'Ordre National du Mérite and guide of Chartres Cathedral

• Frank Jude, author of The Complete Poems of Tyutchev In An English Translation

• Dr. Anthony Peabody, President, International Banjo Circle

• James Clarke, GB Rower

• Paul Kelly, GB Rower

[edit] Further reading

• Tudor, Henry, St. Cuthbert's Society, 1888-1988 : the history of 'a modest but exciting institution in the University of Durham'.

[edit] External links

• St Cuthbert's Society official website
• St Cuthbert's Society JCR undergraduate student organisation

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