A very detached house indeed, November 1947
A visit to the island of Brecqhou, by Bernard Brett, from The Star, November 1947. The detail is from a 1962 photograph in the Library collection.
Buildings & Houses
Old High Street from the 1860s onwards
Recollections of a Guernsey lady, Evening Press, December 2nd, 1940. Part One.
Daniel Dobree's swallows
From Report and Transactions of the Guernsey Society of Natural Science, 1882, p. 12.
St Barnabas and the Plateau, June 1932
The philanthropic Reverend Mignot and his Plateau, from the Guernsey Evening Press of June 13, 1932.
December 1890
Snow, how our girls can escape degradation, and soup-kitchens, Guille-Alles Library and beginnings of the Societe Guernesiaise, Theatre Royal, Herm overseer, Mr Roger's new premises (SPP), and Sark French, from the local newspapers.
1833: The Manor and Les Gravees are sold
From the Star, December 13th 1833.
April 1891: The Candie Library
A series of letters to the Star, beginning April 16, 1891. Percy Groves, the first Librarian and relative of Osmond Priaulx, was notorious for running the Priaulx Library—then known as the Candie Library—as a private fiefdom. He was taken to task for this by Osmond Priaulx's old friend and collaborator in the creation of the Library, Amias C Andros. Those days are long gone, we are proud to say; we use the front door now (although admittedly, it was originally the back door!) and have excellent drains, and our visitors can enjoy all the wonderful views from the House!
The Town Hospital Gate, 1825
The impecunious Thomas Le Marchant of La Plaiderie died in 1762, leaving a family of young children. His estate at L'Hyvreuse, which included what is now Beau Séjour, was bought by William Dobrée , his children's guardian. Part was then sold to the States of Guernsey; L'Hyvreuse house was demolished and the land used for recreation and as a parade ground for the militia. The imposing double gateway, 'similar to that called Ivy Gates, but much handsomer,' to L'Hyvreuse house was all that remained; it then served as an entrance to the New Ground, or what we now know as Cambridge Park, but…
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.
July two hundred years ago ... or thereabouts
Excerpts, mostly from the Gazette de L'Ile de Guernesey, on this day (or thereabouts) two hundred years ago.