19th century

Guernsey French

Written by Louisa Lane Clarke for Redstone's Guide to Guernsey, first published in 1841. A copy of this Guide was given to Queen Victoria when she visited the island, and it was retitled Redstones' Royal Guide. This extract is from the fifth edition, published in 1856.

La vielle rue d'la Fontaine, et les Nouviaux Marchis: par Un Catelain

A poem in Guernsey French, author unknown, about the demolition of Fountain Street and the building of the Markets, quoted by Louisa Lane Clarke in The Folk Lore of Guernsey and Sark, 1880. The linguistic notes are hers.

The Letters of Margaret Mann, ed. Danielle Delon

A fascinating collection of letters from Trinidad with strong Guernsey connections, that complement an important set of letters held in the Priaulx Library. The main families mentioned in the letters of local interest are: Baynes; Brock; Carey; Dalgairns; Darby; Davis; De Havilland; De Jersey; Dobree; Douglas; Durand; Edwards; Fitton; Freeman; Hardy; Hawtrey; Hayes; Hewer; Hutchesson; Kennedy; Lacy: Le Mesurier; Lenfestey; Le Maitre; Le Page; Le Sueur; Maingay; Mann; Mansell; McCrea; O'Brien; Powell; Powys; Priaulx; Routh; Saumarez; Selwyn; Tupper; Valpy; Wheeler (Anna Doyle); Whitchurch.'My dear Fanny, if you contemplate the bare possibility of marrying a soldier, take my advice and count the cost.'

Captain White's Logbook

Excerpts from the log-book of Captain William White of the Jerbourg Signal Station, as printed in the Guernsey newspaper The Star c. 1904.

Letters acquired: Sebastopol, Topliss, McCrea

Frederick Barlow of the South Gloucestershires, by Buck, collection Museum of the South Gloucestershire Regiment

The Library acquired at an island auction summer 2013 three separate sets of letters and source materials of local interest.

Register of the French Church of New York, 1688-1804

The De Lanceys in New York.

Rachel Tostevin's Birthday Book

The Priaulx Library was gratified to receive from America a small volume entitled Birthday Scripture Text Book. It was sent to the Library by Mr F B Harrington of Upperco, Maryland, who had purchased it in a sale as part of a book lot.

Finucania: the enigmatic Matthias Finucane

Matthias Finucane: self-portrait, detail, private collection

This overview of the artist Matthias Finucane consists of a biography researched by his descendant, the late Julia von Bertele, and a catalogue, created by Dinah Bott of the Priaulx Library, that aims to illustrate and provide information on all of his known works. It is intended that the catalogue grow organically to reflect further information that comes to light about both his life and his artistic output; he resided for most of his working life in the Channel islands and produced here both portrait miniatures and prints. The Priaulx Library is pleased to host this unique project of great local interest. Contact a Librarian if you have any material to add or can help with any of the many questions that remain unsolved about Matthias' life. The images here reproduced are believed to be in the public domain unless expressly credited.

Daniel de Lisle Brock and the Corn Bill, 1835

'The depression in the price of agricultural produce may be ascribed to various causes: pretty certain it is, however, that neither legal or illegal importations of foreign corn are of the number and still more certain it is that the Channel Islands can have no connexion with any of these causes.' From a Letter from the Deputies of Guernsey and Jersey to Lord Verulam, Colonnade Hotel, Charles Street, 6th May, 1835.

Lamentations de Damaris: a poem about old Fountain Street

Deatil from Le Lievre's illustration in Pitt's Patois Poems, Priaulx Library Collection

The remodelling of Fountain Street was undertaken by the States at their own expense. They formed a Committee to oversee the works, which took place over several years in the 1820s. George Métivier wrote a poem in Guernsey French about the demolition of the street, which was so narrow in places that residents were said to be able to shake hands from the third storeys of their houses, from the point of view of one of its oldest denizens.

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