The pride of the Iris, from the Star, December 14, 1858
The horrible death of 21-year old Guernseyman Lieutenant Edward Murray Tupper, RN, in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu).
Sark, 1890: Out of season
From The Star of 11th December 1890, an extract from 'The Channel Islands out of Season,' an article reprinted from the Manchester City News.
Christmas 1890
From the Star of December 25th, 1890: The Holiday.
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.
The loss of the Sainte Anne d'Auray, 21 December 1826
From The Star, Guernsey Weekly Advertiser, 26 December 1826.
December 1826
Extracts from The Star (Guernsey Weekly Advertiser).
Christmas 1607: what fun!
From the Acts of the Guernsey Colloquy, a document of exceptional local importance in the Library Collection. The Gathering of Ministers and Elders gives its judgment.
30 December 1672: Castle Cornet explodes
Reminiscences, from The Star, Tuesday December 9, 1890. The reaction of the population to the shocking event: a translation of an Ordinance of the Royal Court of 11 January, 1673; and an account from Roger North's Life of Dr John North, a 17th century Cambridge academic who was related to the Hattons. The illustration of the Castle before the explosion is a print published by Richard Godfrey in 1779, taken from a painting then in the possession of a [Mr] Carey.
Servants in Silks
From The Sarnian Monthly Magazine, July, 1815. The illustration is from My Sketch Book, part of the Library's extensive collection of works illustrated by George Cruikshank, which can be viewed on request.
The first flower show, July 1833
The Gardener's Magazine, Vol. 9, 1833, and other extracts from local newspapers.
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:'
From Guernsey to Norwich, 1682-style
Another interesting letter from the physician Sir Thomas Browne to his son, describing his beloved daughter Elizabeth's voyage from Guernsey in May 1682 to visit him in Norwich, in the King's yacht Monmouth. Browne died later that year.