St Cuthbert's Society - History

History

At its formation, the Society consisted largely of mature students, was non-residential and run by the students themselves. It elected a President and an Executive Committee to organise social events, sports teams and other clubs, manage the common room and other facilities largely (but not exclusively) provided by the University, and represent members' concerns to the academic authorities. The University appointed a Junior Proctor and later a Censor who was employed by the University to oversee the Society's members. Among the early Censors, Frank Byron Jevons and Percy John Heawood were both scholars of considerable note.

The Society grew in size until the Second World War when numbers of students in the University dropped sharply and the Society was effectively in abeyance until 'refounded' in 1945 by veterans returning from combat who wished to complete their degrees. When the Society moved to the South Bailey in 1951, it began to offer accommodation to a small number of students and created the position of Principal to replace that of Censor. The first Principal, Clifford Leech, a distinguished academic and widely-acknowledged expert on Jacobean literature, served for several years in this role before going on to become Professor of English at the University of Toronto. His portrait, by Thomas William Pattison (1894–1983), hangs in the college hall. The Principal is now responsible for managing all aspects of the Society. The Society includes a dedicated team of University staff, a junior common room, a senior room, an alumni association and a group of fellows.

Over the years the Society has expanded a great deal and now has a large body of accommodation on the Bailey as well as elsewhere in Durham. In 2006, when 'Brooks House' was built this allowed, for the first time, all first year students to live-in, as well as a number of returners and postgraduate students.