Off to America with Jean De Jersey, 1752
From the Archives of the Town Hospital, 1752.
At a meeting of the Town Hospital directors on 23rd January 1752,1 'Mr Jean De Jersey proposed to take 20 to 30 children from the hospital, half boys and half girls, to New England. It was agreed that all those who volunteered to go would be released, and not otherwise.'
The children left on 21st March 1752:2
'Names of the children who have left this day for New England with Captain Flight, firstly Piere Enouf, Thomas Le Tocq, William Lauga, Piere Le Moigne, Piere Henry, Marie Broomstick, Marie Bésnier, Elizabeth le Ray, Jeanne William, Rachel Day, Marguerite Nivon, Jeanne Oliver, Elizabeth de la Mare, Marie Toilor, Elizabeth Perchard, Elizabeth Alridge, all together 16 children, namely five boys and eleven girls.'
1 The Town Hospital Records are held in the Island Archives; the Library does hold some original documentation from the foundation of the Hospital. DC/HX 79-01, Deliberations 1741-1801, p. 48.
2 DC/HX 118-01, Journal III 1752-1758, p. 7.
See L'Indépendance of March 7 1818; a tax was raised on St Peter Port parish to help send indigent parishioners and their families to America. On 28 March a letter was published advising people to emigrate to Canada instead.