CATHERINE ‘Kitty’ Burke was a Saints stalwart who followed the club home and away – and even when she could no longer attend matches she still loyally supported from her armchair.
Although she passed away in January 2021, aged 96, Kitty has left behind something of a legacy from her Saints supporting days in the form of a mountain of newspaper cuttings.
Her son Alan uncovered the collection of programmes, old newspapers, scrapbooks and Wembley supplements at what had been the family home since just after the war at Mardale Avenue, Clinkham Wood.
The cuttings go back to the 1950s and carry on to the Super League era – and some are autographed, with former international three-quarter Stan McCormick’s signature adorning one of the scrapbooks.
Alan explained that one of his mum’s favourite players was Peter Metcalfe, whose playing career at Saints was cut short by injury, and he features among the clippings.
Although Alan joked: “Often mum’s favourite players were the worst in the world the following week.
“But she followed them home and away for years and bought all the papers for the big games and kept them.”
There are plenty of Wembley pull-outs, especially from 1956 – the first time Saints won it – and ahead of the 1961 triumph over Wigan.
And there are some really memorable match reports – including the famous 1959 Championship Final when Tom van Vollenhoven inspired the Saints win over Hunslet.
With Alan’s permission – and in tribute to Kitty – we will look to pass on the cuttings to the Saints Heritage Society who will be able to make good use of the collection to assist their magnificent work.
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