Prison returns, 1888
From the Guernsey Magazine (Monthly Illustrated Journal), February, 1889.
19th century
Flouncing: July 1834
Vive la Flounce! A comic piece in the form of a letter to the Editor of the Star newspaper of July 24, 1834, on the islands' peculiar custom of 'flouncing,' or affiancing, by a visiting wit who called himself 'Time-killer;' and a description of flouncing in Alderney, from Captain Wood's Subaltern Officer, published in 1825. The pictures are from Cruickshank's Sketchbook of 1834-6, part of the Priaulx Library's extensive collection of work by this illustrator.
Wasting the Court's time in Guernsey French: folles adjonctions, June 1826
Frivolous actions for defamation, from the Gazette de Guernesey of June 24, 1826. The newspapers liked to print letters and other examples of Guernsey French, but even the French language newspapers such as the Gazette often seemed to be scoffing at the 'rustics' of the country parishes: these antagonists were from the Forest.
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, 22 June 1897
From the Gazette de Guernesey, 26 July 1897. The islands celebrated this jubilee with gusto, the main carnival being at St Peter Port, which was decorated throughout with triumphal arches and lights. Each parish also had its own celebration, held on different days so that the country people could visit Town for the main event. Only Sark and Alderney held their parties on the same day, much to the silent chagrin of the children of Sark, who missed the magnificent fireworks!
April 1896: the Cemeteries
From St Peter Port Parish Chronicle, in History of the Guernsey Churches, Scrapbook MS in the Library. The Strangers and the Brothers' Cemeteries and their parlous state of preservation.
Sarnia
A poem from the Mercure newspaper, 20 October 1810.
Diving Experiment III; the Orchard brothers make progress
From the Star of July 21, 1834. A year after they made their first trial of their proprietary suit, one of the Orchards walks under water, and the brothers receive some encouragement.
A letter to his aunt: April 1834
From the Star of April 28th, 1834. A light-hearted letter to the Editor, purportedly to his aunt, from a frequent correspondent to the newspaper, a military officer resident on the island who went by the name of 'Time-Killer,' with his observations on houses, high society, and the behaviour and looks of Guernsey ladies and gentlemen. The illustration is from Cruikshank's 1834 My Sketchbook, part of the extensive collection held by the Library.
Trade: 1827
Imports and Exports from Guernsey in 1827. From The Star, January 1, 1828. The Harbour records were destroyed in a German raid in 1940.
Mr Sharshaw's shark, October 1847
The Star, Monday, October 18, 1847. The image is of a large blue shark being landed aboard the Guernsey fishing vessel, Josephine Marie, c. 1990, courtesy of Daniel Robins.