January 1854: Off to Australia
Horrible death of a mystery man, too many islanders are going to Australia, the passengers of the brig Secret, mind your head on the lamp!
19th century
La Longue Veille: from the Monthly Selection of December 1824
Written by 'The Trifler.'
Review of the High Street, Part II; December 1824
Part II, From the Sarnian Monthly Selection, Printed and Published for the Proprietors by Dumaresq and Mauger, Church-Street, Guernsey, 1825, p. 217.
Basket-lifting in 1833: the perils of having nothing better to do
The Comet, Friday, November 8, 1833. The illustration is a detail from a contemporary 'Moss' print of the Guernsey Markets.
October 1810
From the local newspapers.
14 August 1818: A Letter from Gaspe
This letter from a Methodist preacher in Canada is taken from the Magasin Méthodiste of 1818. This French-language publication, intended primarily for Channel Island consumption, was produced at the instigation and probably the expense of the indefatigable Methodist pioneer, Jean de Queteville. The Priaulx Library may be unique in holding a complete run of the magazine, which contains original articles in French and translations of contributions from the English monthly, Methodist Magazine.
The King's Birthday, June 4, 1794
A Party given in honour of the King's Birthday by the Lieutenant-Governor in 1794. Elizabeth Ham in her autobiography said of the birthday celebrations: 'In those days (c. 1809) the officers of the Garrison always gave a Ball on the 4th of June, the King's birthday. These Balls always caused great heartburnings from their exclusiveness.'
February 1809-1810
From the Gazette de L'Isle de Guernesey 1809 and 1810.Pigeons are a nuisance; Robert Jago Fund (the Sandwich); rabid dog; shingle stealing (Braye du Valle); potatoes and horses for sale; French POW craftwork for sale; Lenfestey, Girard, Hallouvris, defamation; Pallot, Blondel, Le Page, Le Mesurier, defamation.
Desertion
February 1809: They left HMS Diomede and the Navy wanted them back—including their tattoos.
Two hundred years ago, in October
From the local newspapers. Mr French, Music teacher; Lost by William Bird; Finucane; Helier Allez; Monsieur Ferey; Valet position required; Chaumontel pears; wet-nurse; Hospital-Lane; Pierre Mansell; Daniel de Mouilpied, Nicolas Robert, Susanne Le Ray; Oysters.