1. Members present :

Jean Arthur, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Mary Billot (Secretary), Mervyn Billot, Bertram Bre, Francis & Anne Corbet, Roy Dobin, Frank Falle (Chairman), Mary Gibb, Sue Groves, Sarah Jordan, Nicolas Jouault, Sally Knight, Frank Le Blancq, Bob Le Sueur, Professor Ian Machin (new member), Rosemary Mesch, Alec Podger, Graham Stone (new member), Bill Tower.

Apologies :

Don & Jean Bell, John & Pam Denize, Guy Dixon, Sue Hardy, Suzanne Le Feuvre, George Langlois, David Le Maistre, Georgia Le Maistre, David Levitt.

2. Minutes of the meeting of January 21st 2003 and amendments

Derek Gray and Prof. Ian Machin were present; David Le Maistre had given apologies.

6.5 Current archaeology = Current Archaeology.

6.6 William Le Fevre = William Le Feuvre.

6.9 March 12th = February 12th 2003.

The minutes were then confirmed as a correct record.

3. Matters arising from the minutes not covered by the agenda

3.5 David Le Maistre will help Derek Gray find more images of Ronez Quarry.

6.1 Marie-Louise Backhurst is continuing her research into the later Stuarts.

6.6 Nick Jouault has found pictures of buildings by William Le Feuvre (including the Winter Palace in Dublin) and bridges (including the Albert Bridge, London, 1871-73). [Details with minutes].

6.7 Marie-Louise has found details of Saint Louis de Gonzague (born Castiglione 1568; died Rome 1591) on a Jesuit website. He was canonised in 1726 and is the patron saint of youth. [Details with minutes].

4. Chairmans communications

4.1 Frank welcomed two new members to the Section. He introduced Graham Stone and Jean Arthur introduced Prof. Ian Machin (formerly Professor of British History, Dundee University). He said that George Langlois was making good progress after his operation.

4.2 He is keen to promote online access to the minutes; access is via the SJ members pages on the website which Geraint Jennings loads each month. Mary Billot will contact Geraint for his help.

4.3 The St Martin Down your way walk in May 2003 is oversubscribed.

4.4 Mont Orgueil Castle the Neil Rushton compilation of documents covers battles in Jersey; the originals are in the British Library and Hatfield House Papers.

Frank and Chris Aubin wish to convene a meeting focusing on the historical evidence for the structural re-modelling of the castle in the 16th century. This will include the History and Archaeology Sections plus others interested. It will try and make accessible the archaeological evidence and the local history as reflected in the building and use of MOC; there is also a need to cover the religious movement from Catholicism to Calvinism as this is also had an influence on the structure.

March 3rd 2003, Jersey Arts Centre - Dr Warwick Rodwell and Dr Philip Dixon are to repeat their talk on MOC previously given to the Society of Antiquaries; free tickets are available from the JAC.

4.5 Bob Le Sueur sent a letter dated February 8th to Mary Billot (copied to Frank) about a specific point in the Mont Orgueil Development Strategy, page 139, Interpretation Principles 7.3 (d) Intellectual. All exhibits will seek to represent historic or current information relevant to the castle and/or Jersey in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. [Letter with minutes].

This is part of the planning application made on January 30th 2003. He asked why this detail was included and pointed out that it seems to be very restrictive. He wished to know whether it will preclude by law any interpretation of periods other than the mediaeval or Renaissance. The SJ Executive will discuss Bobs letter.

4.6 The Section committee (Frank, Mary, Jean Arthur, Georgia Le Maistre, Geraint Jennings, Nick Jouault, Bob Le Sueur) will meet at 4.45pm on March 18th, before the next meeting. It will discuss the topics for the Section annual report for 2002 (and the Spring 2003 newsletter). Marie-Louise said that the form of the 2003 Bulletin has yet to be decided.

5. Tour of the Jersey Archive

Frank thanked Sue Groves for inviting the Section to hold this meeting at the Jersey Archive so that members could be shown round the building. He also thanked her staff for providing coffee, which was very welcome.

Sue and Linda Myers then showed everyone round the Archive.

6. Date of next meeting

Tuesday March 18th 2003, 5.15pm. In the Members Room if available; otherwise in the Arthur Mourant Room