Articles

Mr Trengrouse's Rocket Apparatus, June 1836

As reported in the Comet of July 4th, 1836. Henry Trengrouse (1772-1854), from Cornwall, was the inventor in 1808 of an early form of the Breeches buoy. As he first presented his invention, however, in 1818, versions of it had long been in use by the time he demonstrated it in Guernsey, despite the Comet's misgivings.

A diplomatic incident, July 1836

Necessity demanded that a gang of Alderney smugglers kidnap a French customs officer on the French coast and take him back to Alderney, then leave him to make his own way home. The authorities in Alderney smiled indulgently on the miscreants, but French Ambassador Count Sebastiani made angry representations to the UK Government for action. The Comet is indignant, pointing out that the French are quite happy for their nationals to smuggle gin to England.

St Barnabas and the Plateau, June 1932

The philanthropic Reverend Mignot and his Plateau, from the Guernsey Evening Press of June 13, 1932.

Captain Grinnell's testimony, October 1778

An extremely interesting account from the enemy—at this point the Americans—of their view of Guernsey and its defences in 1778.

Off to America with Jean De Jersey, 1752

From the Archives of the Town Hospital, 1752.

Sarnia

A poem from the Mercure newspaper, 20 October 1810.

Diving Experiment III; the Orchard brothers make progress

From the Star of July 21, 1834. A year after they made their first trial of their proprietary suit, one of the Orchards walks under water, and the brothers receive some encouragement.

A letter to his aunt: April 1834

Detail from Cruikshank My Sketchbook 1834 Priaulx Library Collection

From the Star of April 28th, 1834. A light-hearted letter to the Editor, purportedly to his aunt, from a frequent correspondent to the newspaper, a military officer resident on the island who went by the name of 'Time-Killer,' with his observations on houses, high society, and the behaviour and looks of Guernsey ladies and gentlemen. The illustration is from Cruikshank's 1834 My Sketchbook, part of the extensive collection held by the Library.

September 1858

From the Star newspaper.

September 1814: More Prisoners-of-War

Another list of local Guernsey and Alderney Prisoners-of-War held in various detention camps in France during the Napoleonic Wars, from the Gazette de Guernesey, September 3, 1814. The prisoners should officially have been freed in May.

1812, Prisoners-of- War

Local Prisoners-of-War held in France eligible for a share of a charitable fund made up of donations from islanders, and administered by Harry Dobree. The illustration is from the Gazette de Guernesey of March 1812; the actors were officers from the garrison (see note below).

A barbarous murder: June, 1795

As printed in the Gazette de l'Ile de Guernesey.

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