The Harvey Family

Newlands, the Harvey house, from the Priaulx Library Collection
Throughout the occupation of Guernsey (1940-45) Winifred Harvey (1888-1976) kept a diary, which has been edited and published under the title The Battle of Newlands, and which is still in print. In keeping her diary, she followed a family tradition; the Harveys have left behind them comprehensive records from the middle of the 19th century, so detailed that their lives could virtually be reconstructed from them, and much of that material is here at the Library. Their house, Newlands, is illustrated in the photograph above, from the Library Collection.

Maria Rosetti

Maria Rosetti by Rosenthal, courtesy of National Museum of Art, Romania
From St Peter Port to revolution. A request from Angela Jianu* of Warwick University for some research into the birth data of Marie Grant of St Peter Port has revealed the extraordinary history of a Romantic heroine, born here in Guernsey in 1819, daughter of Marie Le Lacheur, descendant of the Le Lacheurs of the Forest, and known today to all Romanians through her depiction as Revolutionary Romania, and because one of the main streets in Bucharest bears her name: Strada Maria Rosetti.

William Dobree, bankrupt, 1754

November the 2nd 1754 ex parte John de Sausmarez, Henry Brock, Matthew de Sausmarez: In the matter of William Dobrée a bankrupt. From Reports of cases argued and determined in the High Court of Chancery: in the time of Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. [1736-1754], Volume 1. William's debts would today be in the region of, at the minimum, ten million pounds, but as he was in effect a banker, the amount could feasibly be multiplied by ten.

Lost things: Laine's store, 1951

Laine's store by Carel Toms from the Priaulx Library Collection
'Demolition and rebuilding of one of the oldest houses in St Peter Port is to take place shortly. The house is one belonging to the Guernsey Savings Bank and stands opposite the Berthelot Street Restaurant.' An article by (probably) Carel Toms published in the Guernsey Press November 15 1950; photographs of the demolition and rebuilding are in the Toms collection at the Library.

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