Social History

Remembering 1780

13th November 2018

A man in the time of George III, by Dion Clayton Calthrop, Priaulx Library

From Ferdinand Brock Tupper's History of Guernsey, printed by Stephen Barbet, New Street, Guernsey, 1854, p. 434. 'From the MS of a Guernsey jurat, now deceased, written in 1839 or 1840, we extract the following:'

Photographs in the Quarterly Review of the Guernsey Society 1955-59

2nd November 2018

List of photographs in Vols. XI-XIII of this invaluable journal,which can be consulted at the Library. As listed in the original publication. The Library has original photographic prints by one of the main contributors of photographs at this period, S M Henry.

The carved chests of the Channel Islands

9th July 2018

'A slightly coloured sketch.'An oaken chest, half eaten by the worm, But richly carved by Anthony of Trent, With Scripture stories from the life of Christ; A chest that came from Venice, and had held The ducal robes of some old ancestor. That by the way—it may be true or false.[From] Rogers’ Italy.By Samuel Elliott Hoskins. Victor Hugo was not, it would seem, the first to transform the carved wooden chests of Guernsey into some other form of decorative furniture. De Beauvoir De Lisle got there before him!

Elie Brevint on people and things

5th January 2018

Boethius second book fourth verse © Priaulx library

More exceptionally interesting 17th-century observations from Elie Brevint. Brevint (1587-1674) was minister of Sark from 1612. His father Cosmé, also a minister, was a Huguenot refugee from Angoulême who had accompanied Helier De Carteret from Jersey in his colonisation of Sark. Transcriptions and microfilm of Elie's 14 Notebooks, which were found in a loft in Sark in the 19th century, are held in the Priaulx Library. They are written in French. The picture above is a detail from Boethius, In philosophia consolationem, Strasbourg 1501, one of the rare books in the Library’s collection.

Henry Turner, ghosthunter

30th October 2017

Guernsey ghost: weird tale of a haunted house. From the Daily Express, March 31, 1903. Starring local eccentric and humanitarian, Victor Hugo's bookbinder, Harry Turner.

From our family albums

8th September 2017

Social History

Proper names from the captions to the photographs in From our family albums (1998), edited by Julie Hargetion of the Société Guernesiaise. Surnames in capitals. This book and its two companion volumes may be viewed by visitors to the Library, but permission for reproduction of the photographs can only be obtained by going through the books' compilers, the Family History Section of the Société Guernesiaise, from whom copies of the books may also be purchased.

List of photographs in the Quarterly Review of the Guernsey Society 1965-1968

29th August 2017

This invaluable publication is available for consultation at the Library. A list of its photographic illustrations from vols. XXI-XXIV 1965-1968. Please ask for further information. The items may no longer be with the same owners or guardians.

List of photographs in the Quarterly Review of the Guernsey Society 1969-1972

24th August 2017

This invaluable publication is available for consultation at the Library. A list of its photographic illustrations from vols. XXV-XXIX, 1969-1972. Please ask for further information. The items may no longer be with the same owners or guardians.

On some Guernsey institutions III

13th June 2017

View from Marshall's Hotel 1832 by Celia Montgomery, Priaulx Library collection

By architect and wit Amias C Andros, published in the Star in 1879. See the two bound volumes of his press cuttings in the Library for further information. The illustration is A view from Marshall's Hotel, 1832, by Celia Markham (in the Priaulx Library collection.)

Local dishes supply food for thought

16th May 2017

Old Guernsey Recipe Book c 1950 in the Priaulx Library Collection

From The Guernsey Press' 'Signpost to yesterday' series, April 9 1952. By 'Guernesiais.' The writer makes the contentious claim that Jersey Wonders are actually from Guernsey, and as for bean jar ... The old Guernsey recipe book illustrated is from the Library collection.

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