Biography

The obituary of a learned and popular priest, who had spent 50 years in Guernsey. From The Guernsey Press, 16th December 1954. Anslem Bourde de la Rogerie was an erudite man who wrote learned articles on the history of the island. He gathered together invaluable information about Victor Hugo and the time he spent in Guernsey and published it in 1944 as Victor Hugo à Guernesey.

Part of the Victor Hugo and Guernsey project. The portrait of Edgar MacCulloch is courtesy of Candie Museum, Guernsey.

The enfant terrible of the Administration who battled for what he considered just and right continuously, and a friend of Victor Hugo. This biography forms part of the Victor Hugo and Guernsey project.

Advocate and friend of Hugo, Alderney's Peter Le Ber was an exceptional young man, who became editor of the Gazette de Guernesey aged only 24. This is part of the Victor Hugo and Guernsey project.

By Joseph-Laurent Couppey of Cherbourg, extract from 'Notice sur l'histoire des iles anglaises de Jersey, Guernesey et Aurigny, dans ses rapports avec l'histoire de la Normandie et spécialement du département de la Manche,' published in the Revue anglo-française, Poitiers, 1833, pp. 305-7. [From the French.]

A new digital project based upon the book, Victor Hugo's Guernsey Neighbours, by Gregory Stevens Cox, MBE, MA (Oxon), Ph.D. The publication of the book was timed to coincide with the Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival which took place in Guernsey in May, 2016. From this festival was born The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society. The Festival celebrated the 150th anniversary of the publication of Victor Hugo's great novel, Les Travailleurs de la mer, or Toilers of the sea, which with its references to actual people and localities demonstrates a detailed knowledge of and interest in the island, and an understanding and empathy for Guernsey's culture and inhabitants, unparalleled until the publication of G B Edwards' Ebenezer Le Page in 1981. Hugo was not only influenced by Guernsey in writing this novel, however, but absorbed everything around him in his new home, and the legacy of Guernsey can be detected in every aspect of his life and work. The intention of this project, hosted by the Priaulx Library, is that it should collect and examine that island influence, and we welcome any contribution.

In Guernsey in 1858 Victor Hugo became seriously ill with anthrax. It was apparently after recovering from this near-fatal illness that he was persuaded to grow a beard, as a protection for his throat; the first photograph of him sporting a beard was taken on 5 May 1861 on a visit to Brussels, during his trip to finish Les Misérables. For a while he allowed it to grow luxuriantly, but soon smartened it up and adopted the shorter beard now so familiar from photographs. Above is a portrait of one of Hugo's hairdressers, James Le Gallez, by kind permission of Ann Philippo. This is part of the Victor Hugo and Guernsey project. [By Dinah Bott]

Index to the people ilustrated in the photographs in the Donkey series of books by George Torode. Part II: Donkeys at work, Donkey's serenade, Donkey's tails, and The donkey rides out. Please contact the Library for further information (these photographs are under copyright.) With thanks to Olwyn Shorey.

Index of named persons in photographs used to illustrate the following books: Donkey's ears ago, The donkey's back, and Donkey's ears apart. These books, which are in copyright, may be viewed by visitors to the Library. With thanks to Olwyn Shorey.

'You knew old Harry Turner from Mill Street, a funny little man. This is him and his 'Old Guernsey woman.' He has just died. This is him and his effigy of an old Guernsey woman, and his dog Fido.'