The opening of Corpus Christi school...150 years ago

But anti-Catholic prejudice in 1874 meant acquiring the land to build the school was far from straightforward and its founding priest needed to resort to underhand means.

Speaking in 1974 when the school was celebrating its centenary, headmaster James Clooney explained what occurred: "Catholics weren't welcome in the area 100 years ago and the parish priest knew he would have no chance of buying land for the school.

"So he and a Congregational minister decided to rig the auction. The priest dropped out of the bidding early, while the minister continued until he was sold the land. Then the priest went forward to pay for it, and gave everyone a shock!"

The clergyman concerned was Father Austin Powell of Birchley who, using exquisite copperplate handwriting, recorded details of his trick in the school's record book.

There were two unusual aspects to the creation of Corpus Christi School.

From the St Helens Newspaper of August 15, 1874 (Image: St Helens Newspaper of August 15, 1874)

Firstly, faiths did not normally build their church schools until a few years after their place of worship had been constructed and their parishes established. But Father Powell saw education as the priority for Rainford's Catholic youngsters and built the school a year before his church.

Also, the Catholic religion has tended not to enjoy the same level of philanthropy as the Church of England and parishes were usually plagued by debt for years after building their schools and churches. But the whole £1,050 cost of the new building in Rainford had already been raised at the time of its opening, as the St Helens Newspaper commented: "This is all the more creditable, as the parish is a poor one, containing a small congregation, with a very slight sprinkling of persons possessing means."

The official opening was celebrated by a tea party and concert and on the following morning the new school opened for business with 80 children attending, although the building could accommodate 135.

It was constructed in brick with stone dressings and described as strong and enduring, as opposed to being handsome.

And the structure did prove to be robust as 100 years later two of its classrooms were still being used. Although by 1974 with 235 pupils on its books, the original building was slowly being replaced by a much larger one.

There have been a number of interesting events during Corpus Christi School's long history. In February 1907 the school needed to close for a month through a measles outbreak, which was then an extremely deadly disease.

During the following ten years more than 1,000 deaths from measles – mainly children – were recorded within the St Helens district.

Notice in the St Helens Newspaper from February 12, 1876 (Image: Notice in the St Helens Newspaper from February 12, 1876)

The schoolchildren always enthusiastically embraced the annual Corpus Christi church celebrations and in describing that year's event the Ormskirk Advertiser in June 1928 painted this picture of those that were participating: "The Queen, in her royal robes, with her ladies in waiting, and pages in attendance; the prettily garbed children; the handsome baskets of flowers from which dainty little fingers extracted the beautiful blooms and cast them after a parting kiss along the pathway over which the Holy Communion was borne by Father Swarbrick; the Children of Mary in pale blue silk and long flowing silken veils and the low, solemn chant by the surpliced choristers helped to make an inspiring, yet solemn scene."

On November 24 1939 the St Helens Reporter described the calmness of the pupils during an air raid scare: "When air-raid sirens wailed in several Merseyside towns last Friday morning, children from Corpus Christi Schools, carrying their gas masks, were ushered in orderly fashion by their school teachers to the A.R.P. shelter in the school grounds. Inside the shelter they sang the popular ditty, 'Run, Adolf, Run.'

They followed this up with 'We'll Hang up the Washing on the Siegfried Line,' and rounded off the recital with Count McCormack's favourite hymn, 'Bless this house, O Lord, we pray, make it safe night and day.'"

The school is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary with a number of events taking place throughout the year, including an art exhibition, history day, an anniversary mass and a celebration day.

Stephen Wainwright's latest book The Hidden History Of St Helens Vol 4 is available from the St Helens Book Stop in Bridge Street and online from eBay and Amazon with free delivery. Price £12. Vols 1 to 3 are also still available.