December 1826
Extracts from The Star (Guernsey Weekly Advertiser).
Wilmot's giant strawberry; Freeman's writing lessons; ballast from the College; Moses Vaudin builds on the Ruette Braye; Margaret Jehan and Martin Mauger have a little misunderstanding; Arrivals and Passengers; Hick's Circulating Library and Reading Rooms; Thomas de Putron is jealous of some Spaniards; smugglers beat up a Customs official in Alderney (again).
Thursday December 12
As it is now the season for planting that extraordinary fruit, plants may be had genuine at 50s per hundred. British sterling, at B SAUNDERS’s No. 9, Halkett-Place, sole agent to Mr J Wilmot, for Jersey and Guernsey, and as numbers have been sold for that variety, J Wilmot will not be responsible for any but what are sold by his agent, with instructions as to its planting culture, &c.
The size of the fruit is from 6 to 8 inches in circumference, flavour superior to every other variety with colour, general appearance and growth far exceeding any other kind yet produced in England. NB A drawing of the fruit may be seen as above.
[From The Stranger's Guide to Guernsey and Jersey, 1833, perhaps written by Dr Thomas Bellamy: 'there is, however, a species of strawberry peculiar to [Guernsey], which should be mentioned, as being two or three times the size of the largest of the others; but what it gains in appearance, it loses in quality; for the flavour is not to be compared either to the scarlet, the turkey, or the Carolina; the two last of which are mostly cultivated. There have lately been introduced into the island some new sorts, called the rosebury and the downton; and, in the year 1824, the hermaphrodite hautbois, the Wellington, and other sorts, were sent to me by J. R. Neame, esq., a member of the Horticultural Society.']
WRITING TAUGHT IN SIX LESSONS
Mr Freeman, teacher of the new system of writing, begs to return his sincere thanks to the inhabitants of Guernsey, for the very liberal support he has received since his arrival from London, and begs at the same time to inform them, his stay in the island will be very short, in consequence of his numerous engagements elsewhere. Residence, at Mrs. Jeune’s, Pollet-Street.
NOTICE. Persons in the habit of supplying ballast to ships, are informed, that the Directors of Elizabeth College will allow two-pence per cart-load for the earth which they may remove from the College Grounds for ballasting ships. Applications to be made to Wm. Collings, esq., one of the Directors of the said College.
Moses Vaudin gives notice that he has eight lots of land, fit for building cottages, on the Ruette Braye-road, and on an elevated, healthy situation commanding an extensive land and sea prospect, to dispose of. Each lot may have 100 feet front; but it is at the option of the purchasers either to have more or less land, which is of the best in the island for gardens. M. V. having stones on his estate, could build the party walls at a very low price.
Saturday, December 9
Jehan versus Mauger.
This was an action instituted by a young woman named Margaret Jehan, against a young man named Martin Mauger, to recover damages for defamation of character.
It appeared that both parties, together with several other young men and women spent the evening of June 27th at a public house at St Martin’s, where a dance was kept; that Robert [sic] sat by Margaret Jehan; that she held him for some time round the waist, as did also the other lasses their respective beaux; that the weather being excessively hot, defendant’s jacket was off, and his under waistcoat unbuttoned; that a few minutes after she had ceased holding him round the waist as aforesaid, he, the defendant, on examining the rhino in his said waistcoat pocket, did find that instead of four ten-penny pieces and a five-penny piece (the money he had when he entered the room), only two ten-penny pieces remained, consequently, that somebody had taken away twenty-five pence; that he mentioned this to some of his companions, upon which, one of them observed to him, that when the plaintiff did take back her hand from his aforesaid waist, he heard some money rattle; that the defendant then mentioned his loss to the whole of the company, and did give certain hints which seemed to indicate that his suspicions rested on the plaintiff; that plaintiff then flew into a violent passion; said that if he suspected her, she was ready to reimburse his loss, but that if he dared accuse her, she would crack his head! The Court sentenced the defendant to pay the costs of the suit.
ARRIVALS AT GUERNSEY
December 5th: Diligent, Porter, Southampton, bale-goods. Samuel & Julia, Garland, Weymouth, bale-goods. Julia, White, Portsmouth, herrings. Packet Iris, White, Jersey, ballast. Packet Dove, Conner, Jersey, ballast. 6th—Kingston, Chant, Teignmouth, coals, &c. 7th—Thomas & Susanna, Parnell, Brixham, sheep. Atalanta, West, Jersey, ballast. Steamboat Lord Beresford, Goodridge, Jersey, ballast. 9th. Alfred, Lidstone, Plymouth, limestone. Diana, Stone, Jersey, sundries. Peace, Moullin, Rio de Janeiro, to Hamburg, coffee and sugar. 10th Julie, Painchaut, Bordeaux, wines, & c.
Passengers’ Names:—Messrs. Barnes, Brown, Guille, Williams, Malster, Rowett, Lakeman, Adams, Marsh, B & R Lethbridge, Honey, Mertier, Weind, Sollom, Guest, Mitchmore, Gambleau, Carey, Blackwell, McVey, Randall, Jackson, Tiltson, Minchen, Twainham, Gregory, Hayes, Mauger, Farrel, Touzel, Short, Sarre, Marquand, Simon, Hughes, James Wills, Sullivan, Penny. Mrs Barnes, William, Lakeman, Shawel and family, Grout, Hitchell and child, Horne, Maclean, Toll, Adams, Rion and family. Misses Wells, Langley, Apjohn, Durant.
Tuesday December 19
British and Guernsey Circulating Library And Reading rooms,
Conducted by J. G. Hicks,No. 106, Smith-Street.
The inhabitants, residents, and visitors to this island, are respectfully informed that READING ROOMS have recently been opened at the above place where will be found a variety of English Daily and Weekly Newspapers, Guernsey and Jersey ditto, Reviews, Magazines, Literary Gazette, Army and Navy Lists, &c., &c.
TERMS. Yearly Subscribers 21s 0d. Quarterly 7s. Monthly 4s. Weekly 1s 8d. Daily 5d. Inhabitants and residents to subscribe yearly; non-residents or visitors may subscribe for any less period, as above stated. The Rooms are open every day, from 9 o’clock in the morning till 9 in the evening.
The CIRCULATING LIBRARY (opened in April last) consists of a new and choice collection of Works, in the various branches of modern Literature, viz.—History, Biography, Voyages, Travels, and the most esteemed novels that have been published during the last four years, including those of WALTER SCOTT, WASHINGTON IRVING, and COOPER. Catalogues containing the terms, &c., may be had at the Library.
Books exchanged every day (Sundays excepted), from 9 o’clock in the morning till 7 in the evening. In submitting the above establishments to the attention of his friends and the public generally, J. G. H. Hicks solicits their patronage, presuming the terms of each will be found moderate, and assuring the subscribers that the most studious attention will be paid to afford general satisfaction.
Thursday, December 14
Thomas C. De Putron, of Pierre Percée, appeared before the Court, at the instance of Mr Richard Rabey, charged with having repeatedly molested three Spanish gentlemen (refugees) who reside in the house of Mr James Le Lievre at St Martin, by knocking at the doors and windows of the said house—chalking injurious epithets and threats upon the door, and discharging firearms at night with a view to intimidate them.
The Court, taking in to consideration the prisoner’s avowal of the offences with which he was charged, together with other favourable circumstances, merely sentenced him to three days’ solitary confinement.
It appears that De Putron paid his addresses to a young woman living in the house as servant-maid, and that he was prompted by jealousy to insult the Spanish inmates.
*****
James Drake, was also brought to the bar, charged with having, on Wednesday at midnight, thrown stones against the door of a house in Berthelot-street, occupied by Richard Abrahams, and otherwise insulted the said Abrahams. The Court sentenced him to 48 hours’ solitary confinement in the public jail on bread and water.
Tuesday December 26
CUSTOM-HOUSE, London. December 14, 1826
Whereas it has been represented to the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Customs, that on the night of Saturday 21st of October last, a quantity of Tea was illegally imported in to the island of Alderney; and that a Smuggler carrying a chest of such Tea, at the back of the said island, was detained by John Kingcombe, a boatman in the service of the Customs, when a number of persons unknown came and rescued the said chest of Tea and the Smuggler, and violently beat and ill-treated the said John Kingcombe.
The said Commissioners are hereby pleased to offer A REWARD OF FIFTY POUNDS.
To any person or persons who shall discover, or cause to be discovered, any one or more of the said offenders, so that he or they may be apprehended and dealt with according to Law. To be paid by the Collector and Comptroller of His Majesty’s Customs at the Port of Southampton upon conviction.
Order of the Commissioners,
T Whitmore, Secretary.