La Croix de la Reine is situated at Charing Cross in St. Helier. A memento of the the Queen's Silver Jubilee of 1977, it takes the form of an abstracted four-armed cross carved, almost encrusted, with views and symbols of St. Helier.
La Croix de la Reine
1977
Queen's Silver Jubilee
Saint Helier
P.G. Baker
Connétable
Donné
par
la Vingtaine
de
la Ville
1977
G.W. Croad
L.P. Sinel
Procureurs
Design
and sculpture detail
C. Warren
Stonecarving
L. Chataigniere
Le Commerce Maritime
Le Mont de la Ville
The granite stones for St Helier's new cross at Charing Cross were lifted into place by crane this morning. The completed cross is to be unveiled shortly.
Work has been going on since last spring, when Public Works took the decision to give the area its missing cross and Mr Cyril Warren, former Public Works engineer, was given the go-ahead to research and design it.
About that time, the Procureurs du Bien Public of St Helier's Vingtaine de la Ville, Mr Leslie Sinel and Mr George Croad, thought that the cross should have panels depicting something of the town's history. They helped to choose some of the subjects for the panels, and indicated that the Vingtaine de la Ville would contribute towards the cost.
The design stage of cross was completed in June and Mr Louis Chataignère, a French stone-engraver, has been working steadily on it since then.
Jersey Evening Post 6/3/1978
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The unveiling ceremony took a matter of moments, but the granite cross will stand as a tribute to the skill of Mr Louis Chataignère for generations to come.
For yesterday, Charing Cross got its missing cross, but saw the death of an ancient skill. French stone engraver Mr Chataignère retired yesterday, and it seems that there is no one in the Island capable of continuing his craft.
The Constable of St Helier, Mr Peter Baker, performed the official unveiling ceremony, and said that it was unlikely that Jersey would see this quality of workmanship again.
Mr George Croad, a Procureur of the Vingtaine de la Ville, together with Mr Leslie Sinel, said that he was proud to hand over a cheque for £3,000 to the Constable towards the cost of the cross on behalf of the Vingtaine.
He also said it was fitting that the cross should be unveiled in the year the Queen is to visit the Island, as the idea for its construction was conceived in Silver Jubilee Year.
There has been no figure given for the total cost of the cross, but it took Mr Chataignère at least 240 hours to carve just one of its panels, depicting historical buildings and events connected with St Helier.
Before the unveiling ceremony, the Dean, the very Reverend Tom Goss, conducted a special service at St Helier's Parish Church, then led a procession along King Street to Charing Cross.
He was joined by the Constable, Mr Croad and Mr Sinel, and president of the Public Works Committee, Senator John Averty, Public Works' chief engineer, Mr David Arden, and members of the St. Helier Municipality and their wives.
After the unveiling ceremony, guests christened the new cross at a special vin d'honneur in the Town Hall.
The completion of the cross has also seen the retirement of Mr Cyril Warren, former Public Works engineer, who researched and designed the cross with all its panels.
The decision to give Charing Cross its missing cross was taken last spring after a series of Public Works' meetings on the landscaping of the precinct area.
Jersey Evening Post 20/3/1978
St. Helier
Town Church
Prison
Town pump
Dolmen
Torque
The former Prison was situated at Charing Cross, which then formed the Western end of the town of St. Helier. The Dolmen was discovered on the Mont de la Ville and given to Lt.-Gov. Conway, who had it transferred to his estate at Henly-on-Thames in England, where it can still be seen.
Elizabeth Castle
Ormer
Hermitage
Face of St. Helier