The death of Mary Saumarez, October 1812

A letter from the Library's Mann-Dobrée collection, edited by Julia de L. Mann: Anne Dobrée to Henry Routh, October 8, 1812. Nineteen-year-old Mary Dobrée Saumarez was the eldest daughter of Admiral James Saumarez and his wife, Martha Le Marchant; Anne was her cousin. Henry 'Harry' Le Mesurier, son of Havilland, had just lost his arm at the Battle of Salamanca.

States Telephones

The undermentioned subscribers have been connected to the Telephone system for week ending August 10, 1911: 2440 Ewens C., Le Chalet, St Martin's. 680 Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping Limited, High Street 824 Wright & Co., 3 Commercial Arcade ( The Star )   The under mentioned subscribers have been connected to the telephone system for week ending June 9, 1910: 643 De La Mare, E, No. 12, Commercial Arcade 599 Loveridge's Drapery Stores, 44 High Street 1306 Poat, W & F, Les Nicolles Vineries, Baubigny ( The Star ) In her 107th year Mrs Neve  became a subscriber…

J H Ingrouille, 1916

At the meeting of the Loyal Guernsey Lodge of Oddfellows, held at Lower St Julian's last evening, the officers wore mourning regalia as a tribute of respect to the late Mr J H Ingrouille, who was one of the founders of this great Friendly Society. The following may be read with interest by local Oddfellows: Mr John Ingrouille was the survivor of half-a-dozen Guernseymen on whom rested the honour of starting the great Friendly Society movement in this island. In the upper room of the café in the States Arcade, then a hotel kept by Bro. Rougier, was formed by the six, the Loyal Guernsey Lodge…

Nicholas Roussel, Le Rimeur, 1807

From an editorial in the Star of December 12, 1836. The woodcut of a 'frisky' Guernsey pig is from Dr Thomas Bellamy's Pictorial Directory of 1843, in the Library collection. The writer comments on the credulity of those in the country parishes, who continue to venerate such impostors and quacks as Louis D'Orléan, about to face trial for imposition, and in doing so gives us details of the case of Nicolas Roussel which, although having occurred in 1807, 'is not yet forgotten, and just a few particulars respecting it will not, just now, be unacceptable'.

The notorious Frenchman D'Orlean, 1836

'I have cured persons whom the Doctors had given up; if I am guilty it is of that.' The King versus D'Orléan, the conclusion of a protracted case which opened in the Royal Court, Saturday, December 10th, 1836. Much of the evidence was heard in camera. D'Orléan was practising as a veterinary surgeon. The folk of the country parishes—Judith Lainé, the Bichards, Rihoys, Reniers, Mahys, Galliennes and Ogiers, in this case—are as usual regarded as ill-educated and credulous by Guernsey's sophisticated urbanites. The details of the case are reported in the Comet of February 6, 1837.

The Yellow Dress

A surprising dark side to life at the Town Hospital is hinted at in this Royal Court case. Unmarried local girls who became pregnant and who sought help at the Hospital, although treated kindly, were nevertheless put under a great deal of pressure to disclose the name of the father, so that he would be responsible for the child's maintenance and not the parish, but the threat extended to this girl is another thing entirely and seems to have terrified her. It should be noted that the Star newspaper chose not to mention the dress and represented the trial somewhat differently.

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