Cadiz again: 1826
An extract of a letter from M. L. B. of the Brig J-, to a friend in this Island, dated Newfoundland, August 1826. Published in L'Indépendance, Saturday, 21 October, 1826.
Le Marchant memorial, 1834
From The Star, April 28 1834.
1833: The Manor and Les Gravees are sold
From the Star, December 13th 1833.
Diving Experiment II: more about the Orchard brothers, 1833
From the Star of June 28, 1833. Another description of their trial of their innovative diving suit.
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!
Peter Bougourd and Henry Cumber, 1837
From The Star of April 10, 1837. Proceedings in the Royal Court, Thurday, April 6th, 1837.
February 1885: Prison returns
From the Guernsey Magazine of February 1885, p. 552.
September 6 1826: The loss of the Sir Francis Freeling packet
Gazette de Guernesey, 30 September 1826. From the French.
February 18th, 1836: Louis Marin
From the Star of February 18th, 1836. Another way in which Jersey differed from Guernsey—the justice system; the Petite and Grande Enquêtes. The Star's readers must have been assumed to be unfamiliar with legal procedure in the sister isle, as the newpaper explains it at length. Marin was sentenced to transportation for life.
The end of the Submarine Diving Society, 24 October 1836
From the Star of Monday, 24th October, 1836. A report of the death of Peter Gallienne, a 'sober, steady, enterprising and well-informed young man,' which is thought to be the first ever death while diving of a helmeted diver.
Pierre Carey is under pressure at a States meeting, 1649
A report from The Guernsey and Jersey Magazine of 1837. Historical Notices of the Channel Islands, 8, taken from Pierre Carey's private papers. This Pierre [Peter] Carey is the Parliamentary Commissioner who later made a daring escape from imprisonment in Castle Cornet. A transcription of his letter book is in the Library.
14 February 1814: A Guernseyman's golden Valentine
Dug from Lima's golden mine, We hail it as our Valentine. HMS Menelaus recaptured a very valuable French prize, the Spanish treasure-ship the St Juan Baptista. The master was a Guernseyman, and Guernsey people are often very careful with money. This one certainly was. The account is from The Life of a Sailor by Frederick Chamier (1796-1870), some of whose tales are probably rather tall.