Arthur Mourant Room

Jean Arthur, Yvonne Aston, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Mary Billot (Secretary), Mervyn Billot, Roger de Carteret, Guy Dixon, Frank Falle (Chairman), Tertius Hutt, Nicolas Jouault, Sally Knight, David Le Maistre, Bob Le Sueur, David Levitt, Alec Podger.

Apologies :

Joy Bell, Sally Coffin, Francis & Anne Corbet, Nelson Fauvel, Derek Gray, Geraint Jennings, Reg Jeune, Sarah Jordan, Frank Le Blancq, Martine Schenk, Pauline Taylor

2. Minutes of the meeting of February 20th 2001 and amendments.

The minutes were approved as a correct record; there were no amendments.

4.1 The Chairman and Secretaries meeting had agreed that questionnaires to members on internal matters were useful but there was some unease on those raising external concerns.

5.4 Lady Otway's second marriage took place in 1898 in St Helier (the date of 1889 in the JEP article is wrong); she died in London in 1910 and is buried here.

1. Frank Falle said that the Section's 2001 budget request for £250 had been approved.
2. Martine Schenk is unlikely to be in Jersey for the 2001 Autumn lunch-time lectures; however there are four other speakers on our list.

4.3 Mary Billot updated members on the field trip to Dinan. Prof. Meirion-Jones has finalised the itinerary; copies of the draft programme were distributed. Lunches will be taken in the group but dinners will be left to individuals to arrange. Accommodation is being negotiated.

5.1 Guy Dixon reported on the St Ouen millennium parish history. He is researching the Jean Le Brocq fund for the deserving poor in St Helier, St Martin and St Peter and for missionary/gospel works. Le Brocq died in St Peter in 1845 and the will was proved in 1846.

5.2 Bob Le Sueur said that the Grosnez Castle information sign had been vandalised about 12 years ago. Tourism has agreed to pay for four new signs and has released £2,000 to the JHT. They will be at Grosnez, La Hocq Tower, Portelet and a fourth location to be decided. The first sign will be ready in June 2001. Mrs Lemprière-Robin now owns Grosnez. He said that it was a suitable site for an explanatory notice about the other islands and rocks (Casquets, Roches Douvres, the Pinacle). The detailed conservation plan for Mont Orgueil Castle is being prepared; interpretation of a complicated building is needed. David Levitt asked whether his guide notes on the Castle had been passed to the SJ for checking.

5.3 Tertius Hutt gave a history of the Oddfellows Hall, home to many cults and sects. It is in Grove St and is now apartments. Its history is difficult to trace in the almanacs. There is a blurred distinction between the various non-conformist groups as it was possible for congregations and their pastors to change allegiance. The Mormons were there briefly in 1965.

4. David Levitt gave a paper on sundials and distributed an illustrated resource pack. He drew particular attention to the Elias Le Gros sundial on the Picket House, Royal Square, and to the example at St Brelade's Church. [Copy in Library]. Jean Arthur passed her list of sundials to David, which she had compiled with Joan Stevens.
5. Yvonne Aston drew attention to the website of the Yale University Law School Avalon Project; there are many pre-18^th century documents relating to New Jersey www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states. She also passed to the Library more material from Loren Le Sueur about his Mormon ancestors. [Copies in Library]
6. Roger de Carteret reported on a useful website which lists the Royal Navy in Napoleonic times including a reference to HMS Havick, Philip Carteret (son of the navigator) and other interesting details at www.cronab.demon.co.uk/INTRO.HTM.