SOCIÉTÉ JERSIAISE

 

HISTORY SECTION

www.societe-jersiaise.org/history

 

 

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday July 19th 2005 at 5.15pm, Members’ Room

 

 

            Members present :

Frank Falle (Chairman), Jean Arthur, Don Bell, Mary Billot (Secretary), Roy Dobin, Roger Jones (new member), Nicolas Jouault, George Langlois, Frank Le Blancq, David Le Maistre, Bob Le Sueur, Mike Lees, David Levitt, Ian Machin, Will Millow, Winston Pinel, Alec Podger, Wendy Tipping.

 

 

1.         Apologies for absence :

Yvonne Aston, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Jean Bell, Mervyn Billot, Francis & Anne Corbet, Guy Dixon, Gerry France, Mary Gibb, Sue Hardy, Douglas Hooke, Tertius Hutt, Geraint Jennings, Sarah Jordan, Georgia Le Maistre, Bill Tower.

 

 

2.         Minutes of the meeting of June 21st 2005 and amendments

Apologies for absence : delete Frank Le Blancq; add Georgia Le Maistre.

3.5.4     There were Danes in St Lawrence.

5.6        Elias Le Gros : it is uncertain whether he died as the result of a fall at the [General] Hospital.

5.13      A nourrice below the Highlands Hotel at La Corbière was built in the 1890s.

            The minutes were then approved as a correct record.

 

 

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

5.2        Jean Arthur said that no explanation for the origin of the name for Drury Lane had been found, cf. Paris Lane and New York Lane.

5.13      Frank Falle said that lobsters caught here were sent to London in the 17th century, as recorded in Falle’s Account of the Island of Jersey. Nick Jouault said that La Rocque fishermen sent lobsters to London in the 19th century; they will survive for 2/3 days if kept in salt water in a wet hold. He added that a Rozel nourrice was used to store lobsters and shellfish in the 1970s; there are still traces of an old vraic track.

 

 

4.         Chairman’s communications

4.1        Frank welcomed Roger Le Dain Jones to his first meeting. Roger said that he was semi-retired and is now a member of the Bibliography and Geology Sections; he is particularly interested in social history. His imprint Seaflower Books has published 25 titles of local interest in the last 13 years. 

4.2        Frank said that the flyer for the Section’s Autumn lunch-time lectures has been sponsored by Lemprière Whittaker Renouf and will go out with the SJ’s Autumn newsletter. 

4.3        (4.4) Information about the Le Sueur family emigration to Utah and later Arizona has been found in the SJ Library and sent to Sheila Le Sueur.

4.4        Frank displayed the information board on Capt. Henry William Pitcher VC (died India 1875), which was placed below the Pitcher window in St Martin’s Church as part of the St Martin Flower Festival (July 7-9, 2005). The History Section was acknowledged and Gareth Syvret and Anna Baghiani supplied the photographs and text. He suggested that finance for community efforts be put in the 2006 budget.

4.5        Frank reported briefly on the meeting convened by Prof. Colin Platt on May 19th 2005, which considered the naming of parts of Mont Orgueil Castle. There is an ongoing sub-group with which the Section is involved. There are three scenarios – the Platt scenario, the Rodwell scenario; the Frank Falle scenario, which needs to be written up. Frank emphasised that the whole section would have to support the sub-group’s findings.

4.6        Frank has received two letters from Jon Carter. One concerns the conservation plan for Elizabeth Castle; Fred Aldsworth BA, FSA, will prepare the first part of the plan covering understanding and significance. The other letter concerns the conservation of the forts and towers based on research and analysis. Some are being examined for their suitability for holiday lets. Bob Le Sueur asked whether we could comment on any of the proposed alterations; Frank said that this was more in the remit of the Archaeology Section. Nick Jouault said that the text for the information boards should involve the Section.

4.7        Mary Billot said that Prof. Meirion-Jones has sent her the final version of the programme for the Carnac tour.  She has received all the final payments from the 30 participants. The number of presentation books and gifts has been decided.

4.8        Mary drew attention to the SJ Member’s outing to Samarès Manor on August 13th 2005.

 

 

5.         Members’ contributions

5.1               David Le Maistre has a printout from the British Library’s integrated catalogue of P.G.Larbalestier’s works, which include 300 pieces of sheet music. He reiterated the need to start listing music of local composers. He asked whether anyone had heard of West Gallery music, purported to be in the SJ Library. Mary Billot suggested that the Falle Library at the Jersey Library might be a source for this early music. Will Millow had not heard of this type of music.

David circulated pictures of the camera obscura at Rozel, which really looks like a summerhouse.

5.2               Roy Dobin commented on turning forts and towers into holiday lets – cost of conversion, danger (especially at Seymour and Icho Towers), fire and safety regulations. Frank Falle said that the Section is interested in the historical aspects.

5.3               Will Millow said that he is reading generally on the role of music in society and remarked that technical knowledge was required to catalogue music.

He will talk at the August meeting on the practicalities of researching the Sanders history of the CI German Occupation.

5.4               Alec Podger asked how interested was the Bibliography Section (chairman David Le Maistre) in books that mention Jersey in passing (say one line). David said that the Section was re-inventing itself after the death of Ian Monins, who used to record even the most trivial references to Jersey.

5.5               Jean Arthur passed around some news cuttings on Jersey that might be of interest to someone.

5.6               Nick Jouault passed around photographs of the camera obscura at Grève de Lecq and at La Corbière. He also passed around news cuttings showing Les Ecrehos from L’Illustration (13/2/1886) and Le Monde Illustré (1886), St Catherine in the Illustrated London News (1852), Gorey in the ILN (1888).  

He said that the history of Ronez Quarries by the Rev. Fenn would be published soon.

5.7               Frank Falle has been to Colchester to give five talks on Jersey to the Workers’ Educational Association. They were on -

·         Philip Morant (born St Saviour 1700, died Colchester 1770), a clergyman and antiquarian who was Philippe Falle’s book buyer in London. He wrote famous histories of Colchester and Essex

·         Vikings in the 9th century, including Hatain

·         the pattern of Viking settlement in Essex including St Clement at Leigh-on Sea, St John the Baptist’s Church on Danbury Hill near the site of the Battle of Maldon, churches dedicated to St Lawrence

·         the ship built at Maldon during the Civil War, called His Highness Ship which became the first HMS Jersey after the coronation of Charles II

·         oyster fishing in the Colne River, famous for its oysters which were exported to Rome. Colchester had two oyster fleets – local and deep sea (which included Jersey). Seed oysters came from Jersey which were grown on to five years old in the River Colne.

5.8               Roger Jones said that he is editor of the Jersey Society in London journal, which is published twice a year. He is keen to get more copy.

5.9               Summer outings  – Nick Jouault suggested Seafield House, Route de St Aubin, St Lawrence, as a suitable venue in 2006. The owner, Richard Miles, is a collector of prints, paintings and material on the history of the house. Frank Falle asked whether members would be interested in visiting Victoria College later this year. There was enthusiasm for both suggestions.

 

 

6.0               Date of next meeting

            Tuesday August 16th 2005 at 5.15pm, in the Members’ Room if available, otherwise in the Arthur Mourant Room.