Early children's books
The Priaulx Library has amongst its collection of rare items several books intended for children.
Georgian
Richard de Jersey's Book of Navigation
'A thing of exquisite beauty and great interest.' One of the LIbrary's treasures, the award-winning Book of Navigation, handwritten and illustrated by Richard de Jersey in 1737.
A Library Christmas selection box
Guernsey Christmas—published and unpublished excerpts from the Library's collection. The illustration is Victor Hugo's own frontispiece to his Guernsey novel, Toilers of the Sea, the story of which begins at Christmas; like much of Hugo's artistic output, the picture is somewhat gloomy, but the rocks, so important in the book, are nevertheless covered with holly. The print is from a rare edition of the illustrations in the Library's collection.
Sword Exercise of the Cavalry
J. Gaspard Le Marchant, Rules and Regulations for the Sword Exercise of the Cavalry, LONDON, PRINTED for the WAR OFFICE, and sold by T. EGERTON, MILITARY LIBRARY, WHITEHALL, 1796.
Guernsey in America, 1924
From the Guernsey Free Churchman, December 1924 and January 1925.
Le Publiciste: Thomas de la Rue and Mr Greenslade fall out, 1813
The proprietor of the short-lived but interesting newpaper Le Publiciste, the printer and publisher Thomas Greenslade, published a letter in his newspaper on 26th December 1812, highlighting his disagreement with his editor, Thomas de la Rue. De la Rue was busy starting up his own newspaper in Guernsey, Le Miroir Politique, which had its first issue in February 1813, and went on to found the printing company that still bears his name.
Adulteration of wine, 1825
More Guernsey skulduggery, from the Economist and General Adviser, 1825.
Four-horned ewes and six-horned rams, 1779
From the New Universal Traveller, Containing a Full and Distinct Account of All the Empires, Kingdoms, and States, in the Known World, by Jonathan Carver, 1779.
Turkish trowsers
From the anonymous Annotations on 'The History of Guernsey' compiled by Mr William Berry, which takes schoolmaster and entrepreneur Berry severely to task for his numerous errors. The author takes greatest umbrage, however, on the subject of, yes, underwear. The illustrations are from the Library collection; the one above shows a Greek woman from Marmora in Turkish-style clothing.
Census data, 1821
From the Gazette de Guernesey, 4th August 1821