History Section
La Société Jersiaise

The History Section

La Section d'l'Histouaithe

 

Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday November 19th 2002 at 5.15pm
Arthur Mourant Room
        

Roger de Carteret
Before the start of the meeting, there was a minute's silence in memory of Roger who died on October 15th 2002, aged 57, after a long illness.
        
1.         Members present :
Jean Arthur, Yvonne Aston, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Don Bell, Mary Billot (Secretary), Mervyn Billot, Bertram Brée, John & Pam Denize, Frank Falle (Chairman), Gerry France, Sue Groves (new member), Douglas Hooke, Nicolas Jouault, Sally Knight, Frank Le Blancq, Bob Le Sueur, Georgia Le Maistre, David Levitt.

Apologies :
Jean Bell, Mary Gibb, Sue Hardy, Tertius Hutt, David Le Maistre, Alec Podger.

2.        Minutes of the meeting of October 15th 2002, and amendments
5.2        Mrs Lemprière died on June 23rd 1865 at Bonne Nuit Bay, not January 23rd 1855.
        The minutes were then approved as a correct record.

3.         Matters arising from the minutes not covered by the agenda
5.5 Don Bell asked about the two RAF personnel commemorated at Noirmont Point. The minute of September 17th was confirmed, though there was a query as to whether one was a Canadian national.
5.1 Georgia Le Maistre reported that Dr Clare Donovan has confirmed that Millais did live at 6 Royal Crescent; the family appears in the 1841 census. The current owner is willing to fund a plaque. Dr Donovan is at Dartington Hall and is writing a new Millais biography; she is Prof. Platt's wife.
4.3        The SJ Library has decided to buy the French manuscript, ca 1855, for £450.
4 Frank Falle will arrange for further copies of Prof. Platt's paper on the Somerset Tower to be circulated.
7 Nick Jouault will contact Arthur McGugan about vraic.

Chairman's announcements
    1. Frank welcomed Sue Groves (the new Head of Archive and Collections of the JHT) to her first meeting; she has come from Northamptonshire Record Office.
    2. Frank reminded members about the EGM to follow this meeting at 8pm.
    3. Prof. Goldstein (UCL) cannot come in January 2003 and lecture on the blood of the Vikings; his article has not been accepted for publication in Nature. So Frank is going to release the DNA results himself -
      Marker M170 = 30% of Jersey sample is Danish; 10% in Guernsey
      Marker M173 = General Celtic DNA in Europe
      Norse Viking DNA = 2% of sample in Jersey; 6% in Guernsey.
      Frank hopes to get some more sponsorship to send the M170s to Oxford for more testing.
    4. He thanked our excellent speakers (Jean Arthur, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Geraint Jennings and Bob Le Sueur) for the continuing success of the Autumn lunch-time lectures which are attracting large audiences. Frank will talk tomorrow on the lost island of Fara, St Catherine's Bay.
    5. He said that Prof. Meirion-Jones offered to lead a study group to Finistère in 2003; Mary Billot will email him to accept and start to plan (copy to Marie-Louise). Bertram Brée suggested a one night trip to Avranches in 2004; Marie-Louise also suggested Chateau Gaillard, near Rouen on the Seine.
    6. The calendar for the monthly meetings and Autumn lunch-time lectures in 2003 has been drawn up; the Members' Room was confirmed as first preference for meetings if available.
    7. Our Christmas party is on December 17th; we will cater for 25 and charge a maximum of £2.00. Bob offered to help get provisions and Sally Knight will help on the night.
    8. The Jersey Metal Detecting Society, the JHT and the SJ have issued a joint leaflet giving guidance about treasure trove.
    9. The Section budget submission for 2003 has been agreed - £410.
    10. Mary Billot gave a summary of agenda items at the Chairmen and Secretaries meeting on November 4th -
    ·        Library - a report was circulated [Copy with minutes]. The Photographic Archive is open for enquiries from Sections; the 2003 calendar and prints from it are for sale
    ·        Environment Section - a meeting will take place on November 28th at 8pm to explore its remit (especially farming and land utilization), without being political
    ·        Millennium standing stones walk on March 29th 2003 - to six stones only. Committee of organizers and volunteers needed to decide charitable purpose and which six stones. Names to Office please
    ·        Museum display cabinet - Bibliography in now; then Botany/Entymology to follow
    ·        CI natural history database - John Pinel went to a conference in Guernsey and learned about a CI d/b to slot in with the international one. States funding needed
    ·        Radio Jersey monthly slot - Office needs advance notice. Usually on a Wednesday, 10.00-10.30 am
    ·        New Section members - Sections would like to be told straight away so that welcome letter can be sent
    ·        Budget 2003 - Budget submissions needed. Subscription increase being discussed because of deficit; last increase in January 2001 (£22.50 to £27.50). Expenses have been cut to the bone. Membership has stabilized at 4300 after peaking at 5000
    ·        2002 annual bulletin now available for collection.

    Members' contributions

    1. Nick Jouault visited North Cornwall and stayed at Rev. Hawker's Rectory (now a guesthouse) to research his great grandfather, Edward Le Dain, shipwrecked whilst sailing from Calcutta to Marseilles. He was the sole survivor from the 'Lily' rescued by Rev. Hawker and the latter was sent a Jersey cow in gratitude.
      Nick's Brittany contact has written a paper on vraic.
    2. Bertram Brée said that the Seigneur of Noirmont (now Mr Jagger) has rights to seaweed on the Minquiers. He warned Internet users about a recent virus (Bugbear). There is a surplus of £4.00 per person from the Pirou trip.
    3. Bob Le Sueur said that Roy McLoughlin's book The sea was their fortune has details of the wreck of the 'Lily'.
    4. He reported on Diane Enget's lecture to the Amitiés Franco-Britanniques on November 13th; she spoke about André Gide's visits to St Brelade in 1907 and 1909. Gide, a homosexual, met a 17 year old Belgian girl here who eventually bore him a daughter when she was 38; the child now lives in Paris.
    5. David Levitt reported on his visit to Springfield School on November 14th, which resulted in a photograph and Section mention in the JEP on November 16th. He also gave details of a horizontal sundial dated 1688, which was at Le Bel Royal, St Lawrence (property of the late Peter Gibaut) when listed by Charles Stevens. It recently reappeared in an auction catalogue and was spotted by David Le Maistre. This is very interesting as it is the oldest in Jersey apart from the Mont Orgueil fragment. [Details with minutes].
    6. Georgia Le Maistre said that Reg Mead (Jersey Metal Detecting Society, '731671) is turning up military buttons in fields that have no obvious connection with military installations. If anyone is interested please contact him direct.
    7. Jean Arthur asked for the whereabouts of 'Ballyhooly' in Grouville in 1896.
    8. Don Bell will bring his Pirou photographs to the December meeting.
    9. Marie-Louise reported the following -
    10. ·An interpretation meeting on Mont Orgueil Castle will take place on December 11th 2002 (morning only); Frank Falle, Bob Le Sueur, David Levitt and Marie-Louise have been invited from the Section. Bob asked whether the historical facts would be foregone. Frank said that the list of archers and garrison would be reinstated as the original board has been removed. Mervyn Billot said that a model of the Battle of Trafalgar has also been removed.
    11. ·She visited Dinan recently and went to the Dinan Victoria Club, where she recorded details of English/Jersey families resident there. The local history society of Ille-et-Vilaine plans to visit the SJ on May 29/30/31, 2003; M. Vilbert is the organiser
    12. ·She has seen mementos of Dr Symes Hooper (MOH during the 1832 cholera outbreak) owned by a local descendant
    13. ·She said that the new Magistrate's Court would not incorporate the granite from the old Prison because of cost, though it was saved for that purpose. Some stones are now missing from its 'secret' storage in a field. She will talk to Deirdre Shute on how to proceed. Georgia said that the St Paul's arch also remains in storage
    14. ·She gave details on Dr Cuquemelle to Georgia - born 12 July 1795 at Montebourg, near Cherbourg, son of Pierre-François, draper and merchant. He had gone to Russia with Napoleon (Le Chronique 19 March 1859). Le Chronique 15 December 1832 - To let : Nonpareil Cottage, quite new
    15. ·She is to be shown round the Chelsea Hotel; the façade conceals three houses joined together
    16. ·She said that Mr Besau/Bisson's house was for sale - with its Biblical graffiti.
    17. Yvonne Aston asked whether Jersey's population in 1831 was only 17,000? It was suggested that this was the figure for St Helier only. The almanacs will confirm.
    Any other business
    There was no other business.

    Date of next meeting
     Tuesday December 17th 2002, 5.15pm, Members Room - Christmas gathering