George Cuthbert Jackson was born on September 18th, 1870, at Wrightington, in Lancashire, where a monk of Ampleforth, Father Maurus Margison, was the resident priest. Father Margison had witnessed the migration of boys and monks from Ampleforth to Prior Park in May, 1830; but he himself had remained faithful to his school and monastery, and all his life he did his best to repair the loss that Ampleforth had suffered by the departure of so many of her sons to the South. Thanks to his influence George Jackson and our present Abbot began their school career at Ampleforth in January, 1884, and it was a pleasure for the seventy-year-old priest to travel with them and to introduce them to their new surroundings.
George Jackson was wearing strong spectacles when he arrived at Ampleforth. This eye-weakness kept him out of serious cricket, but in football he was a strong full-back. He was Captain of the School in 1886. In studies he was always near the top of his class, gaining distinction particularly in English and languages. Mathematics was his bane. His musical talents were made good use of in the choir, in the band and on the stage. To his classmates he was always the good companion, ready at times to join in an escapade which brought its consequent penalties, prompt to originate or to add to fun, and never shrinking from an act of kindness to anybody in trouble.
In 1888 he joined the novitiate at Belmont and after his simple profession in the following year he was sent to the international Benedictine College of Sant' Anselmo in Rome. Perhaps his Superiors were disappointed with the result of his course of studies there, but a scholastic degree or a professorship was not the object of Father Cuthbert's ambition, and he came back from the Roman Schools with something more suited to his character. His residence at the centre of the Church's life, with its full liturgical ceremonies in the great Basilicas, his intercourse with Benedictines from every part of the world, his contact with the past and present history of the Eternal City, gave to him that mark of wide culture and of sympathetic understanding which distinguished his work for the Church in this country and at the same time helped to develop his natural warm-hearted courtesy. While he was still at Sant' Anselmo his oculist discovered a defect in his left eye for which no remedy was possible.
In 1895 he returned to Ampleforth and joined the School staff, teaching English and modern languages. Ordained priest in the following year, he was soon called upon to begin his life of preaching in different parishes on special occasions. He had charge of the mission of Kirby Moorside for four years, where the Presbytery was built to his own design.
In September, 1902, he began his life-work in Liverpool at St Anne's. One part of his ministry which made him well-known in Lancashire parishes and convents was his lantern-lecturing on Rome, on the Oberammergau Play, and on Lourdes - the fruit of his long sojourn abroad. After ten years in Liverpool he was appointed assistant-priest at St Benedict's, Warrington, where he became head priest in 1915. In July, 1917, he lost his sight completely. Hospital treatment and the best medical advice failed to restore the eyesight and in 1918 he returned to St Anne's, 'the blind priest,' to prove himself an unwearied worker and a striking example of patient acceptance of the will of God in his affliction, not only to the faithful of St Anne's and of Liverpool, but to all his brethren of the English Benedictine Congregation. Far from impairing his work for souls, his blindness, under God's blessing, increased the range of his apostolate. Moreover it reacted on his religious spirit by schooling his natural temperament to a cheerful shouldering of the cross laid upon him.
For thirty-five years Father Cuthbert worked for the Faith in the Liverpool Archdiocese, and he brought into that work from Italy the spirit of St Francis. Like the saint of Assisi he taught the Gospel by tale, by song, by kindly act to every soul he met. Devotion to Our Lady was a feature of his prayerful life. He made repeated visits to her shrine at Lourdes, whence he returned with his faith strengthened, his love for Our Lady deepened, and his zeal for souls intensified. Kindness and sympathy were the motive power of his work, and, in response, all with whom he came into contact were attracted to him. He loved young people, and they in return loved him and were happy in his company. An Anglican clergyman has been seen to kneel down for his blessing on the railway platform when parting from him. Many an afflicted mother after an interview with him at the presbytery returned home consoled and comforted by his kindly advice. The man of the world, after conversing with him and listening to his prudent counsel, often adorned with an apt story, went away edified and encouraged to do his best in the future. The penitents that crowded his confessional and the converts instructed by him have voiced the verdict of the people and proclaimed his holiness.
His religious brethren echo this verdict. With all this external work filling his day, he never forgot his own monastery. He was keenly interested in its development and had a clear picture in his mind of the details of all the buildings, new and old. He looked forward to spending his annual fortnight in the abbey and, though he had never actually seen most of the younger monks, he knew them all intimately. They, in their turn, loved and revered him.
When Father Abbot pontificated at the Requiem at St Anne's and saw the church packed with Father Cuthbert's sorrowing friends, his thoughts might well go back to happy memories of early days, for it was Father Margison who had built the church of St Anne's, Edge Hill, and Father Cuthbert had spent his priestly life in apostolic work for the souls of this devoted congregation. As Father Cuthbert would have wished, his body was brought to Ampleforth and laid in the vault among those of his brethren in the Abbey cemetery. May he rest in peace!
GEORGE CUTHBERT JACKSON 25 February 1937
1870 18 Sep Born Wrightington near Wigan
1884-88 Educ Ampleforth
1888 3 Sep Habit at Belmont
1889 9 Sep Simple Vows
1893 1 Aug Solemn Vows Ampleforth Prior Burge
1 Nov Minor Orders at Rome
23 Dec Subdeacon at Rome
1894 22 Dec Deacon at Rome
1896 22 Mar Priest Ampleforth Bishop Lacy
1889 $$ to 1905? Studied in Rome
1896 to 1902 On the staff at Ampleforth & served Kirby Moorside
1902 Oct Assistant at St Anne's Liverpool
1912 St Benedict's Warrington
1915 Became PP
1917 Jul Lost his sight
1918-37 Assistant St Anne's Liverpool
1937 25 Feb Died in a nursing home in Liverpool
1 Mar Buried at Ampleforth