Guernsey is more expensive than France!
14th February 2020From the Austral-Asiatic Review, Tasmanian and Australian Advertiser, 9 December 1842
We are regularly favoured with a very excellent channel island journal, the Guernsey Star. It is one of the best 'provincial' papers, if we may so call it, of the United Kingdom. We shall take every opportunity of extracting from its valuable columns. We find that many retired British officers with families have made that island their residence, where every attention is afforded them by the Lieutenant-Governor the gallant General W. Napier. The moderate expense of living may be estimated by the following little extract from the Star :—
Mr. Lewis, of the Marine Hotel, requests us to state that, having been recently at St. Malo, he has ascertained, with certainty, that meat of excellent quality may, at the present time, be purchased at that place at one-half of the price at which it is now sold in Guernsey; that fresh hutter may be bought at 7½d. per lb., bread at 1d. per lb., and eggs at 3d. per dozen. Mr. Lewis has brought over with him samples of these articles, which may be seen at his house, and he will undertake to supply families with them, at the above prices, with a small addition for freight. We consider that, if the prices of the above articles are correctly stated, much advantage might be derived from acting on Mr. Lewis's suggestion: indeed enjoying as we do the advantage over France of great comparative cheapness in groceries, clothing, fuel, &c., if the costs of meat and bread were reduced, living would be cheaper in Guernsey than in France.