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.

Maritime

Experiment with Diving Dress, 1833

JOHN and JOSEPH ORCHARD having constructed a DIVING DRESS for the purpose of searching the Bottom of the sea in a moderate depth of water, beg leave to inform the public that they will, on TUESDAY MORNING at 10 o'clock, go down at the pier head and walk underwater towards Castle Cornet. This being the first thing of the kind ever made in this island, they invite the attention of the public to the above trial.

November 1834: Wrecks and Wickedness

Detail from Cecila Montgomery's ink sketch Pier, Castle Cornet, Priaulx Library colelction

From the newspapers of November 1834. The illustration is a detail from Cecilia Montgomery's ink and gouache sketch, Pier, Castle Cornet, in the Library Collection.

July 1791 - Louis XVI is arrested

Snippets from the Gazette of 1791, from the French. The early Gazettes strongly supported the French Revolution, but this soon changed.

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.

Captain William Macey

The Star, May 9, 1895. Reprinted from the Leyton Free Press, May 4, 1895.

Will of Thomas Le Pelley, 1643

From Edith Carey's Notes on Sark, Le Pelley MSS. [Presumably a contemporary] translation from the French. Court of Probate, London.

Lines, on the lamented death of Captain Dobree, R N

'Who lost his life in a humane attempt to save the lives of shipwrecked seamen on the coast of this island.' From L'Independance, March 14th, 1818; followed by excerpts from the sermon given at the Castel church on 15th March 1818 by Nicolas' young contemporary, the Reverend William Guille. The watercolour of the church is dated 1804 and is signed JM (for Dr John MacCulloch).

Germain Clement, 1837

From the Star, May 11, 1837.

Prizes

Privateering action in the 18th century.

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