Christmas 1607: what fun!
From the Acts of the Guernsey Colloquy, a document of exceptional local importance in the Library Collection. The Gathering of Ministers and Elders gives its judgment.
30 December 1672: Castle Cornet explodes
Reminiscences, from The Star, Tuesday December 9, 1890. The reaction of the population to the shocking event: a translation of an Ordinance of the Royal Court of 11 January, 1673; and an account from Roger North's Life of Dr John North, a 17th century Cambridge academic who was related to the Hattons. The illustration of the Castle before the explosion is a print published by Richard Godfrey in 1779, taken from a painting then in the possession of a [Mr] Carey.
Trade: 1827
Imports and Exports from Guernsey in 1827. From The Star, January 1, 1828. The Harbour records were destroyed in a German raid in 1940.
Disorder in the Court, 1790
From the Gazette de l'Isle de Jersey, January 8, 1791. The autocratic Le Marchants—the Bailiff and his two sons—and their provocative behaviour. The original is in French. The illustration is from Augustin Grisier's Les Armes et le duel, 1865, from the Library collection.
Children don't need shoes: saving money with Dr. Bishop
During the First War money and food was short amongst many islanders. The Medical Officer of Health delivered his report on the state of the Island's health for 1915 in September of 1916. In it he suggests an way for the poorer classes to save. The detail is from a photograph by Singleton, 'Rocquaine, 1870' in the Library Collection.
14 August 1818: A Letter from Gaspe
This letter from a Methodist preacher in Canada is taken from the Magasin Méthodiste of 1818. This French-language publication, intended primarily for Channel Island consumption, was produced at the instigation and probably the expense of the indefatigable Methodist pioneer, Jean de Queteville. The Priaulx Library may be unique in holding a complete run of the magazine, which contains original articles in French and translations of contributions from the English monthly, Methodist Magazine.
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.
The King's Birthday, June 4, 1794
A Party given in honour of the King's Birthday by the Lieutenant-Governor in 1794. Elizabeth Ham in her autobiography said of the birthday celebrations: 'In those days (c. 1809) the officers of the Garrison always gave a Ball on the 4th of June, the King's birthday. These Balls always caused great heartburnings from their exclusiveness.'
More about Fountain Street: 1916
The Star, September 27, 1916. The detail is from a photograph of Fountain Street c. 1870, from the Library Collection.
Extracts from The Star, September 1916
Children misbehaving at Candie ; Healy Maindonald, bigamist ; Fishing on Sunday ; Petition re military service ; Roll of Honour ; Ernest Carré, Le Poidevin, Ferguson ; Enlistments ; Bordage widening ; Guernseymen killed ; Albion Terrace School ; Old custom for scaring birds ; Jean-Philippe De Carteret obituary ; Guernsey prices The Star , September 2, 1916 BAND INTERRUPTION AT CANDIE Many correspondents have spilt ink in writing to you complaining of the behaviour of juveniles at the Sunday evening performances in Candie, but apparently they have fallen on deaf ears, as the nuisance still…
October 1810
From the local newspapers.
November 1824: A Review of the High Street
From Dumaresq and Mauger's Monthly Selection for 1825. Part One, by 'Ergo.'