Friday 1 March 2019

On the eve of the election of 1948.















1947 States

On the eve of the election of 1948, the States still reflected the old order of Constables, Rectors and Jurats.

Crown Appointments

Bailiff:-Sir Alexander Moncrieff Coutanche,
Dean: The Very Rev. Matthew Le Marinel. M.A.
Attorney-General:-Charles Walter Duret Aubin
Solicitor-General:- Cecil Stanley Harrison.
Viscount - Vacant
Receiver of His Majesty's Revenues.-Major R. E. B. Voisin


The States Assembly

The Bailiff

The 12 Jurats:
James Messervy Norman
Edwin Philip Le Masurier, MBE
Stanley Hocquard
Ernest Geo. Labey
Ph. N. Gallichan
Touzel John Bree, OBE
Geo. Ph. Billot *
W.J.J. Collas *
N.G. Hind *
John Le Marquand *
P.C. Cabot

(* all these relinquished their position as Jurat to stand as Senators)

The 12 Rectors
Matthew Le Marinel (St Helier, Dean)
J.S. Norman (St Saviour)
C.P. du Heame (St Laurence)
Vacant (St Ouen)
Raymond S Hornby (St John)
W.G. Tabb (St Brelade)
L.W. Hibbs )Trinity)
Vacant (St Peter)
T.H. Labey (St Clement)
Vacant (St Martin)
J.H. Valpy (Grouville)
C. Ouless (St Mary)

The 12 Constables
H. Le F Grant (St Helier)
S.G. Crill (St Clement)
F. Le Boutillier (St Ouen)
L.T. Anthoine (St Saviour)
T.G. Le Marinel (St John)
H.E. Le Rossignol (St Brelade)
C.P. Billot (St Martin)
C Le Huquet (Grouville)
John Wesley Baudains (St Lawrence)
J. Du Val (St Peter)
J.E. Cabot (Trinity)
F.J. Perree (St Mary)

The 17 Deputies
Ph. Le Quesne (St Helier 1)
C.P. Rumfitt (St Helier 1)
E. Le Quesne (St Helier 2)
W.H. Krichefski (St Helier 2)
C.H.B. Aharne (St Helier 3)
S.J. Venables (St Helier 3)
T.P. Mourant (St Saviour)
R.F. Le Brocq (St Clement)
H.W. Maillard (St Lawrence)
W.J. Bertram, BEM (Grouville)
Ed. Slade (St Martin)
E.D. Gibaut (Trinity)
J.B. Michel (St Peter)
P. Le Feuvre (St Mary)
Ph. Le Vesconte (St John)
G. de la P. Hacquoil (St Ouen)
E. Huelin (St Brelade)

The Constables and Deputies were the only members of the Assembly elected on a regular basis (of 3 years), while the Jurats were elected for life. The Constables were elected after each term of office expired (or ended if a Constable died) on a three year basis, but not consistently together.

The original role of the Jurats was judicial and legislative but the legislative side of the role was removed in 1948 was the States of Jersey was reconstituted without them. They were elected for life on an Island wide mandate.

Both the Jurats and Rectors would be leaving the States, but the election was not until December 1948. Change was coming!

While the Anglican church was represented by the Rectors, a number of Deputies and Constables were Methodists. Until very recently, probably around the 1990s, Methodism was strongly represented within the States, and this can be seen above with the wonderfully named John Wesley Baudains!

The rigidity of the old States Assembly can be seen most clearly, if we look at the wartime States committees which were still extant until the sweeping changes in1948

Essential Commodities - Jurat Edwin Philip Le Masurier
Transport and Communications - Jurat James Messervy Norman
Finance and Economikcs - Jurat Edgar Aleck Dorey
Agriculture - Jurat Touzel John Bree
Public Health - Jurat Philip Melmoth Baudains
Essential Services - Deputy William Smythe Le Masurier
Public Instruction - Jurat Philip Ernest Bree
Labour - Deputy Edward Le Quesne

It will be noted that three-quarters of the presidents were Jurats, who had been elected, but for life.

2 comments:

Michael de la Haye said...

Tony, interesting post but there is one error I’m afraid. You mention that the Jurats who stood in 1948 relinquished their post of Jurat. This is not actually correct as they did not need to do that, the 1948 Law allowed Jurats to stand and be elected as Senators whilst remaining as Jurats of the Royal Court. It was not until the early 1950s that the ability to hold both positions was abolished. George Billot only retired as a Jurat in 1955, Hadley Le Riche Edwards in 1957, William Collas in 1954 and John Le Marquand in 1949. The only one to do what might be regarded as the decent thing and resign as Jurat when he was elected as a Senator was Neville Hind.

Michael de la Haye said...

Tony very interesting post but just one point of correction. You mention that 5 of the Jurats relinquished their positions to stand as Senators. This isn’t actually correct. One of the features of the 1948 Law that created the post of Senator and removed the Jurats from the States was that, notwithstanding the reform, a person could be both a Senator and a Jurat of the Royal Court. Of the 5 Jurats who were elected in 1948 (the ones you list) only Jurat Hinds did what might be seen as the ‘decent thing’ and resigned as a Jurat, all the others continued in the dual role, Jurat Le Marquand until 1949, Jurat Collas until 1954, Jurat Billot until 1954 and Jurat Edwards until 1957. The Law was only amended in the early 1950s to stop the dual role and, even then, it did not apply to those elected in 1948