I managed to get hold of this brochure which was printed in 1977. It is both sad and amazing when you see everything the Fort had to offer. Over the next month, I shall be posting extracts from this brochure which shows the incredible diversity of Fort Regent, and an optimism that has been sadly lost along with most of the features described in this brochure.
Fort Regent in the 1970s - Part 1
The general telephone number for all parts of the Fort is xxxxx.
BUT for squash Court enquiries please ring xxxxx
Aquarium enquiries please ring xxxxx
Skating Rink enquiries please ring xxxxx
Bonaparte's enquiries please ring xxxxx
At Fort Regent you will find several public telephone boxes. There are two at the main entrance, one at the entrance to the swimming pool, one near the fountains in the water garden, and one at the squash courts.
In the event of First Aid being required please ask any Fort Regent attendant or contact the information centre. The centre for lost property is Main Reception. Public toilets are located within the Swimming Pool complex and in the Piazza; toilets for disabled persons are also to be found in the Piazza as are special facilities for mothers and young children.
At the entrance to Fort Regent you will see a notice announcing the name of the Duty Manager of the Day. He's the man who is responsible for the day to day running of the whole complex. If, during your stay at the Fort, you have any problems, complaints, or suggestions, they will be dealt with at the Information Desk which is located in the Main Reception adjoining the Piazza.
Dogs are only allowed into the Fort if they are kept on leads, and then only in exterior places. That means that dogs will not be allowed indoors anywhere in Fort Regent unless, of course, they are guide dogs belonging to, and being used by, any of our blind guests.
As far as children who have strayed from their parents, or from those looking after them, are concerned, the Lost Children Centre will be Main Reception.
For your safety a sophisticated Fire Detection system has been installed and if fire should break out alarm signals will be set off directly in the headquarters of the Jersey Fire Service.
Please take careful note of any information that is broadcast over the public address system.
Aquarium enquiries please ring xxxxx
Skating Rink enquiries please ring xxxxx
Bonaparte's enquiries please ring xxxxx
At Fort Regent you will find several public telephone boxes. There are two at the main entrance, one at the entrance to the swimming pool, one near the fountains in the water garden, and one at the squash courts.
In the event of First Aid being required please ask any Fort Regent attendant or contact the information centre. The centre for lost property is Main Reception. Public toilets are located within the Swimming Pool complex and in the Piazza; toilets for disabled persons are also to be found in the Piazza as are special facilities for mothers and young children.
At the entrance to Fort Regent you will see a notice announcing the name of the Duty Manager of the Day. He's the man who is responsible for the day to day running of the whole complex. If, during your stay at the Fort, you have any problems, complaints, or suggestions, they will be dealt with at the Information Desk which is located in the Main Reception adjoining the Piazza.
Dogs are only allowed into the Fort if they are kept on leads, and then only in exterior places. That means that dogs will not be allowed indoors anywhere in Fort Regent unless, of course, they are guide dogs belonging to, and being used by, any of our blind guests.
As far as children who have strayed from their parents, or from those looking after them, are concerned, the Lost Children Centre will be Main Reception.
For your safety a sophisticated Fire Detection system has been installed and if fire should break out alarm signals will be set off directly in the headquarters of the Jersey Fire Service.
Please take careful note of any information that is broadcast over the public address system.
If you are staying in the Island for some time you will probably find it worthwhile to become a member of Fort Regent. Please ask at main reception for full details of members' benefits and subscriptions.
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| Frank Erault |
May I, as Bailiff of Jersey, bid you a warm welcome to the Fort Regent Leisure Centre.
This historic Fort is being converted to provide for both Islanders and holiday makers the finest entertainment and sports amenities possible. Local residents are indeed fortunate to have such a splendid Centre on their doorstep, and I am sure that they will want to visit the Fort often to enjoy its many attractions.
If you are a visitor to our Island, may I wish you a very happy holiday among us. There is so much to see and do at Fort Regent that I hope you will enjoy at least one full day here, and perhaps find time for an evening visit as well.
Some sort of defensive system has existed on the hill guarding St. Helier, Le Mont de la Ville, for at least 450 years and probably for far longer than that. But Fort Regent as we know it today was actually built between 1806 and 1814. It was designed by Lieutenant-General John Humfrey for Humphrey) of the Royal Engineers and named in honour of Prince George, later King George V.
When Humfrey began his work in 1806 he recorded that he had a total of 553 men plus such Masons and Miners as could be supplied from the inhabitants".
Later he assessed his workforce requirements at more than a thousand including 700 labourers and 124 miners.
Fort Regent is estimated to have cost £375,000 to build. Not overly expensive considering that some of those walls are 18 feet thick!
But however strong the walls, any fortress has to have a water supply. The well of Fort Regent reaches a depth of 235 feet and took nearly two years to sink.
When Humfrey began his work in 1806 he recorded that he had a total of 553 men plus such Masons and Miners as could be supplied from the inhabitants".
Later he assessed his workforce requirements at more than a thousand including 700 labourers and 124 miners.
Fort Regent is estimated to have cost £375,000 to build. Not overly expensive considering that some of those walls are 18 feet thick!
But however strong the walls, any fortress has to have a water supply. The well of Fort Regent reaches a depth of 235 feet and took nearly two years to sink.
Even before work on Fort Regent began, in fact, 98 years before the foundation stone was laid, the Signal Station was in operation. It was established in 1708 and is thought to be the oldest in the United Kingdom. Still used is the private system of signals first compiled in 1792.
The Union Flag flies at the masthead during all daylight hours. It's lowered at sunset and raised at dawn. The flag is never otherwise lowered save only on the death of the sovereign. Even then it's hoisted immediately in honour of the successor.
The Union Flag flies at the masthead during all daylight hours. It's lowered at sunset and raised at dawn. The flag is never otherwise lowered save only on the death of the sovereign. Even then it's hoisted immediately in honour of the successor.
However, almost as soon as it was completed, Fort Regent was no longer needed. A year later Napoleon had been defeated at Waterloo and the French wars were at an end. British military forces continued to garrison the fortress until they finally abandoned it in 1932; although the Fort itself remained in the possession of the British Government until 1958 when it was sold back to the States of Jersey for the knock-down price of £14,500.
No battle was ever fought at Fort Regent but claims that the guns of the Fort never fired a round in anger are somewhat exaggerated. Second World War pilots can testify to the fusillades of anti-aircraft shells which the soldiers of the Third Reich sprayed into the skies over Jersey - without, it's claimed, any success at all.
Now its glory has been given back. Fort Regent, built to repel outsiders, now welcomes all-comers. Fort Regent has been transformed into Europe's most comprehensive sports, entertainment and leisure complex.
No battle was ever fought at Fort Regent but claims that the guns of the Fort never fired a round in anger are somewhat exaggerated. Second World War pilots can testify to the fusillades of anti-aircraft shells which the soldiers of the Third Reich sprayed into the skies over Jersey - without, it's claimed, any success at all.
Now its glory has been given back. Fort Regent, built to repel outsiders, now welcomes all-comers. Fort Regent has been transformed into Europe's most comprehensive sports, entertainment and leisure complex.
The first major attractions of the Fort Regent sports and entertainment complex to be in operation were the superb swimming pools.
One is a national size pool - and that means it's all of thirty three and a third metres in length. Even if the day is a little chilly outside (and you'd better believe that's not usual in Jersey) the pool inside is a different story. For those statistically inclined, the 175,000 gallons of water in the pool are all in the region of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or, if you prefer, 26 degrees centigrade.
The pool also figures in the Guinness Book of Records as the scene of the most profitable sponsored swim the world has ever seen. In a 2% day marathon effort 1,750 swimmers raised a total of nearly £20,000 for local charities.
What happens if you're up at the Fort and you suddenly fancy a swim but you've forgotten to bring your bathing things with you? No problem- You hire them.
Safety is the main aim of all those who work at the pool. On duty every moment that the pool is open to the public is a team of experienced lifeguards.
Safety, too, means that a children's pool has been installed. It's right next to the big pool so that the youngsters don't feel left out but shallow enough to reduce the chance of accidents. The small pool has its own supervisors.
But maybe you're one of those whose bathing suits never get wet- You are? Well, we've got a place for you, too. Try the sun-terrace where you can improve your tan and sip a refreshing drink at one and the same time.
Or if you only want to watch the swimmers in action, visit the spectator’s gallery which is entirely free of charge.
But your stay at the swimming pool need not just mean things aquatic. Afterwards why not try the newly decorated and luxuriously furnished Springboard Restaurant where Alfredo and Margaret will be delighted to serve you with coffee, tea, light snacks, or even their own specialities of the day. Or, if you fancy something a little stronger, try the licensed Hi-Dive lounge bar.
At the pool, too, you'll find the solarium. Just the thing to start off your holiday tan. Before you venture on to Jersey's beaches make sure that you start the bronzing process with a few minutes under the lights of our solarium. The price includes the swim you'll no doubt enjoy afterwards.
Once you have paid your initial entrance fee to Fort Regent the swimming pool complex is free to spectators, except when there are special galas.
Safety is the main aim of all those who work at the pool. On duty every moment that the pool is open to the public is a team of experienced lifeguards.
Safety, too, means that a children's pool has been installed. It's right next to the big pool so that the youngsters don't feel left out but shallow enough to reduce the chance of accidents. The small pool has its own supervisors.
But maybe you're one of those whose bathing suits never get wet- You are? Well, we've got a place for you, too. Try the sun-terrace where you can improve your tan and sip a refreshing drink at one and the same time.
Or if you only want to watch the swimmers in action, visit the spectator’s gallery which is entirely free of charge.
But your stay at the swimming pool need not just mean things aquatic. Afterwards why not try the newly decorated and luxuriously furnished Springboard Restaurant where Alfredo and Margaret will be delighted to serve you with coffee, tea, light snacks, or even their own specialities of the day. Or, if you fancy something a little stronger, try the licensed Hi-Dive lounge bar.
At the pool, too, you'll find the solarium. Just the thing to start off your holiday tan. Before you venture on to Jersey's beaches make sure that you start the bronzing process with a few minutes under the lights of our solarium. The price includes the swim you'll no doubt enjoy afterwards.
Once you have paid your initial entrance fee to Fort Regent the swimming pool complex is free to spectators, except when there are special galas.
The ramparts of Fort Regent tower 175 feet above the sea and if majestic views are what you expect, majestic views are what you get.
Breathtaking views. Magnificent views of the town and the harbour of St. Helier and of the distant country parishes. Views, too, that demonstrate the invincibility of Fort Regent.
With such a panorama at your disposal why not try the telescopes that are dotted here and there around the highest parts of the Fort? They'll bring details sharply into focus and give you an amazing new angle on St. Helier.
As evening draws closer those stimulating walks around the 22 acres of Fort Regent are transformed into softly-lit promenades for gently strolling romantics - undisturbed arbours for those in love.
Below the ramparts are yet more gardens. Rose gardens with the pink, carmine, crimson, and claret-coloured blossoms of everyone's favourite flower. The water garden with its sparkling fountains and rippling rivulets. Soothing and relaxing.
And the peacocks. Flaunting their unbelievable tails and attempting to dazzle the attentive peahens with their magnificence. Listen to them calling each other. Isn't that raucous yell an anti-climax after their gorgeous plumage? By the way, it's best not to upset them. They have been known to get a trifle aggressive.
But there are smaller birds, too. Near the peacocks are the aviaries to walk through as more than a hundred brightly coloured natives of the tropics and exotic places whirr past your head and fill the air with their song.
Look out especially for the pair of white crested jay thrushes who lovingly sleep side by side covering each other over with their wings.
As you toured the walls of the Fort, did you notice the picnic spots? We've made places for you to sit down and we've even made tables for you to use. Please do use them, after all that's why we put them there. And afterwards, please don't forget to tidy up and put all your litter in the baskets.
Entry to all these areas is included in your daily admission charge to the Fort.
But there are smaller birds, too. Near the peacocks are the aviaries to walk through as more than a hundred brightly coloured natives of the tropics and exotic places whirr past your head and fill the air with their song.
Look out especially for the pair of white crested jay thrushes who lovingly sleep side by side covering each other over with their wings.
As you toured the walls of the Fort, did you notice the picnic spots? We've made places for you to sit down and we've even made tables for you to use. Please do use them, after all that's why we put them there. And afterwards, please don't forget to tidy up and put all your litter in the baskets.
Entry to all these areas is included in your daily admission charge to the Fort.
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