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.

Trade & Commerce

Thomas William Gosselin Ledger

27th November 2024

Staff.

Steam Mill Lane

7th March 2024

The origin of the name Steam Mill Lane, in St Martin's, by Gillian Lenfestey, 2024.

The Fort George Brickfield, St Peter Port

6th March 2024

The history of a rather controversial piece of agricultural land. Research by D Bott & G Lenfestey, 2024. Written by G Lenfestey.On the western side of the Fort Road, between the top of the Val de Terres and Morley Chapel, is a large field, formerly known as the Courtil Colin, divided 2/3 and 1/3, and the 1/3 is divided into equal halves.There is a story that the fields have an embargo on them regarding building accommodation for domestic use on them, and that the larger field has always been known as The Queen's Field. The origin of this embargo, and the name 'The Queen's Field', is not known, but it has always been like that.

Irish smuggling

30th March 2022

From Report relating to frauds in the Customs, 1733, Appendix, pp. 634-5.

The Kingdom of Congers

11th February 2022

From An Account of the Island of Jersey, with An Appendix of Records &c. (1694), to which are added, Notes and Illustrations, by the Reverend Edward Durell, MA, Rector of St Saviour, Jersey. Jersey: Richard Giffard, 1837.

Grand old man of St Peter Port: A I Le Patourel

24th September 2021

The yacht 'Naughty Girl' from the Priaulx Library Collection

From The Star, Guernsey, Tuesday, July 18, 1944. 'Grand old man of St Peter Port began at 1/- a week. Originator of Organised Amusements.' By a ‘Star’ reporter. The photograph shows Alfred I Le Patourel's yacht, the 'Naughty Girl', and is from the Guernsey Photographic Archive at the Priaulx Library.

It happened in December - 1839

20th November 2020

A digest from the Evening Press, December 7, 1940

High Street 100 Years Ago

8th October 2020

Guernsey beauties at the market from Octavius Rooke (c) Priaulx Library Guernesey

Pus nou vieillit, pus nou pense,/ Au temps pâssaï qui n'est pus. From the Star, 1932, a résumé of an article written in 1842 describing St Peter Port in 1800.

William Martel of La Mazotte, 1948

16th September 2020

Oldest inhabitant looks back. Just on a century of memories. By A Press Reporter, November 1948. 'We really couldn’t make up our minds whether the tomato was a fruit or a vegetable.’

Sunny Guernsey, 1948