19th century

April 1891: The Candie Library

A series of letters to the Star, beginning April 16, 1891. Percy Groves, the first Librarian and relative of Osmond Priaulx, was notorious for running the Priaulx Library—then known as the Candie Library—as a private fiefdom. He was taken to task for this by Osmond Priaulx's old friend and collaborator in the creation of the Library, Amias C Andros. Those days are long gone, we are proud to say; we use the front door now (although admittedly, it was originally the back door!) and have excellent drains, and our visitors can enjoy all the wonderful views from the House!

Peter Bougourd and Henry Cumber, 1837

From The Star of April 10, 1837. Proceedings in the Royal Court, Thurday, April 6th, 1837.

February 1885: Prison returns

From the Guernsey Magazine of February 1885, p. 552.

September 6 1826: The loss of the Sir Francis Freeling packet

Gazette de Guernesey, 30 September 1826. From the French.

February 18th, 1836: Louis Marin

Frontispiece of Dumaresq's Proposal, Priaulx Library Collection

From the Star of February 18th, 1836. Another way in which Jersey differed from Guernsey—the justice system; the Petite and Grande Enquêtes. The Star's readers must have been assumed to be unfamiliar with legal procedure in the sister isle, as the newpaper explains it at length. Marin was sentenced to transportation for life.

The end of the Submarine Diving Society, 24 October 1836

From the Star of Monday, 24th October, 1836. A report of the death of Peter Gallienne, a 'sober, steady, enterprising and well-informed young man,' which is thought to be the first ever death while diving of a helmeted diver.

14 February 1814: A Guernseyman's golden Valentine

Dug from Lima's golden mine, We hail it as our Valentine. HMS Menelaus recaptured a very valuable French prize, the Spanish treasure-ship the St Juan Baptista. The master was a Guernseyman, and Guernsey people are often very careful with money. This one certainly was. The account is from The Life of a Sailor by Frederick Chamier (1796-1870), some of whose tales are probably rather tall.

December 23, 1803: The loss of the Grappler and the sufferings of its captain and crew

Chaussey, or Choye, is a group of islets lying off the coast of Normandy, about twenty miles from Jersey, and nine from Granville. They stretch north, east, and west, and cover a space of nearly twelve miles. The principal of them is called the MaÎtre Isle, and is the resort of a few French fishermen during the summer, but being only a rock, and totally devoid of vegetation, its inhabitants are entirely dependent on the neighbouring shores for all the necessaries of life, excepting what their nets may produce. At the time of which we are writing, the winter of 1803, this group of islets was in the hands of the English, and was the scene of the wreck of the Grappler in that year.

The loss of the Sainte Anne d'Auray, 21 December 1826

From The Star, Guernsey Weekly Advertiser, 26 December 1826.

Christmas 1890

From the Star of December 25th, 1890: The Holiday.

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