Articles

The Library's unique collections are a treasure chest of unusual, interesting and sometimes surprising material just waiting to be found. This anthology, written by the Editor, is based on an eclectic selection of our archive. The author asserts her copyright on all material on the Priaulx Library website except where copyright of other authors is expressly notified. Permission to reproduce material from this website and full attribution to the author is required in all cases.

Library Document Collection

Rosa Brock's Sketchbook

Rosa Brock, Alpine scene, Priaulx Library collection

These lovely watercolours are the work of Rosa, the daughter of General Sir Isaac Brock's brother, Savery Brock. They have been given to the Library on long-term loan by Rosa's great-great-neice, Sally Greenaway of New Zealand.

Antiquities at Rosenheim

Rosenheim from A Farmer's Vacation 1873 in the Priaulx Library Collection

A report of a meeting of the Société Guernesiaise in c. 1927. Rosa Brock's house 'Rosenheim,' now known as 'The Chain House,' was a very popular stop on a typical visitor tour of Guernsey, for its highly decorative gardens. The photograph below, from the Library collection, shows the famous 'sun and moon' trough in situ in the gardens. The Library is lucky enough to hold Rosa's exquisite book of watercolours.

Our old house in Berthelot Street

Notes from Dr Hoskin's MSS. The de Rozel, Lihou, and Knapp families.

Old house in Berthelot Street: legal documents

MSS of Dr Hoskins, notes on his old house in Berthelot Street, transcribed by Edith Carey.

Rental of Andre Monamy, Jurat, 25 January 1564

Notes taken by Edith Carey from the De Guérin MSS and the Lee MSS.

Mariage encombre

Darell Carey from Petitions and trials, Priaulx Library Collection

A wife had a year and a day after the death of her husband to claim the Writ de Mariage Encombré, which enabled her to allege that her husband had sold or alienated all or part of her personal property, without her consent.

The will of Marie de Rozel, 1669

No. 48 in Edith Carey's collection of transcripts, Wills and Legacies; the will of Marie's son, Charles; and distribution of the estate of her grandson, Jacques Bouillon.

The will of Jean Moorhead, 1688/9

From the Ecclesiastical Court records, transcribed from the original (which can be seen on microfilm in the Library), by Edith Carey in her Wills and Legacies notebook.

Scandal! Le Hardy vs Bonamy, 1697

From Edith Carey's extracts from the Acts of the Ecclesiastical Court, Library 41B, pp. 29-30. John Bonamy was made Vice-Dean on the 14th February 1700, and Dean in 1717.

What Sarah Fyers saw from a window in Gibraltar

17-year old Sarah Fyers was with her father with the garrison in Gibraltar in 1801, a few days before her wedding to Cornelius Mann, when she witnessed the first part of the Battle of Algeciras from the breakfast room. A handwritten copy of her eyewitness account is in the Dobree-Mann collection held at the Library. She was a close relation by marriage of Admiral James Saumarez, who played a crucial part in the battle and eventual victory.

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