Articles

The Library's unique collections are a treasure chest of unusual, interesting and sometimes surprising material just waiting to be found. This anthology, written by the Editor, is based on an eclectic selection of our archive. The author asserts her copyright on all material on the Priaulx Library website except where copyright of other authors is expressly notified. Permission to reproduce material from this website and full attribution to the author is required in all cases.

Natural History

Herm carrageen, c. 1865

George Geary's great scheme. From The Star, January 27, 1883. From Guernsey cuttings (Andros Tupper collection). 'The Island of Herm and its resources.'

Daniel Dobree's swallows

From Report and Transactions of the Guernsey Society of Natural Science, 1882, p. 12.

Maybugs

A cruel pastime is banned.

December 22, 1843: Earthquake!

From the Star.

Mr Sharshaw's shark, October 1847

Blue shark being loaded aboard the Guernsey fishing vessel, the Josephine Marie

The Star, Monday, October 18, 1847. The image is of a large blue shark being landed aboard the Guernsey fishing vessel, Josephine Marie, c. 1990, courtesy of Daniel Robins.

Sark, 1890: A photographer's holiday

This description of a holiday in Sark was written by a well known Methodist minister, Reverend Nehemiah Curnock, for the Methodist Recorder, of which he was the editor. It was reprinted in the Star in December, 1890. Curnock was taking photographs with a 'Kodak instantaneous' camera; he was in the forefront of technology, for Eastman had only patented it in September, 1889. The box camera took a 100-exposure film; the whole camera could be returned to the company for the photographs to be developed, or equipment could be bought to develop the pictures at home without a darkroom. The photograph is from the Library Colletion and shows La Collinette in 1936.

June 1891: donated to the museum

Motley collections from the Guernsey and Jersey Magazine, June 1891, p. 362. 'The Guille-Alles Museum. The following objects have been added to the collection during the last three months:'

Lilium Sarniense, or, a Description of the Guernsay-Lilly

Frontispiece of Douglas' Guernsay Lilly, 1725, in the Priaulx Library Collection

Lilium Sarniense, or, a Description of the Guernsay-Lilly. To which is added The Botanical Dissection of the Coffee Berry. With Figures. By Dr. James Douglas, Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London; and Fellow of the Royal Society. London: Printed by G. STRAHAN, at the Golden Ball, over-against the Royal Exchange, Cornhill. 1725.

Candie and L’Hyvreuse: Condatum et Eboracum or ebriaca herba

Suggestions for the origin of these interesting place names. Comments welcome! NOTE: if you make reference to this theory of the origin of the placenames Candie or L'Hyvreuse, please give the article title, refer to the Priaulx Library and attribute it to the author, Dinah Bott.

Eels

'Longevity of freshwater eels' from The Guernsey Press, 20 January 1912.

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