Homeless

Gordon Brown, whom I much admire, had this to say on poverty in the UK:

Homelessness is now rising fast. The Big Issue reported just last week that 227,000 people are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness – rough sleeping, sleeping in vans and sheds and stuck in B&Bs across England, Scotland and Wales.

And those numbers will sadly be rising as food and fuel bills soar and rent arrears force hard-pressed tenants out of their homes now that the support keeping a roof over vulnerable heads during the Covid crisis has gone.

Homeless

The streets of a town, somewhere
In alleyways, the hidden places
They lay down in cold and fear
With hungry and unhappy faces

Those passing by, with a bare glance
Don’t look to close, catch the eye
Ignore the happenstance of chance
Fearful cold where they shall die

Unforgiving rain is beating down
On bundle of rags, cardboard home
This could be any street, any town
Where the very poor can roam

On pavement they lay a weary head
And rarely given their daily bread

The Coronation Year 70 Years Ago - March 1953 Part 2

By a curious coincidence of dates, the coronation year 2023 will be 70 years after the coronation date in 1953. I thought it would be of interest to look back during this year of some of the events taking place before, during and after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

March 1953 - Part 2

16.—Youth Week opens, His Excellency speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Springfield Theatre. Annual meeting of Association of Old Victorians.

17.—-States: Hospital charges debate continued, no vote being taken on Deputy Venables’s proposal; regulations governing the export of potatoes and tomatoes were submitted and approved; authority was given for the raising of loans not exceeding £1,750,000 for the drainage scheme ; a number of triennial regulations were renewed.

18.—Jersey’s response to the Flood Distress Fund culminates in a cheque for £12,500 being sent to the Lord Mayor of London. At the Adastral Club Air Vice, Marshal Sir Geofirey Bromert, national vice-president of the R..A.F.A., unveils photographs connected with the club; in the evening Sir Geoffrey was guest at the annual dinner. Concluding afternoon of Victoria College Preparatory athletic sports. Centenier J. H. Chevalier elected Constable of St. Brelade.

19—States: Deputy Venables’s proposition that a Central Advisory Committee be formed rejected by an overwhelming majority ; regulations regarding infectious diseases in animals were renewed. Three records broken at Victoria College sports. Jersey Badminton Association annual tournament opens. Lieut-Governor receives amounts collected by Boy Scouts in aid of flood disaster victims, the ceremony taking place at Glenham Hall.

20.—At today’s sitting of the Licensing Bench the Attorney General made an important statement on restrictive agreements concerning licensed premises, and the Bench expressed disapproval of the brewery and wine merchants’ agreement. Hautlieu School produces their first play, “The Insect Play." Final adjudications at Youth Week festival at Springfield.

21.—The drought continues, a month having passed without rain.

22.—Unveiling and dedication of additional plaque to the parish war .memorial at St. Ouen.

24.—States : Before the Budget was presented regulations in regard to the sale of houses were brought forward and adopted after H.M. Attorney-General had spoken on the subject; the Island Budget presented by Senator Edwards, showed a substantial surplus of £573,370, but it was pointed out that revenue was dropping and expenditure increasing; consideration of extraordinary expenditure followed and the. House rose at 5 pm. Annual meeting of Jersey District Nursing Association. Island Players present “Treasure Hunt ” at Springfield Theatre. Jersey Young Farmers’ Club hold annual dinner, nearly 300 attending.

25.—A verdict of accidental death returned at the inquest held .on 19-year-old John Le C. Richardson, of Ebenezer Farm, Trinity, who died the previous day from injuries received when he slipped from a liquid manure cart on to a concrete platform below. Jersey Sea Cadet Corps annual inspection held at TSS Undaunted, Fort Regent; the annual meeting of the Navy League (local branch) was held at Wests Ballroom, when Admiral Sir Louis Hamilton; chairman of the Navy League Council, presented awards to the cadets.

25.—States: House pays tribute to the late Queen Mary, it being decided that a memorial service be held at St. Helier’s Parish Church and that a wreath be sent ; the debate on the Budget was continued and various other amendments and regulations adopted. Jersey defeats Alderney 4—0 in Muratti semi-final at Springfield. Victoria College defeats Jersey Athletic Club by 60 points to 43 in annual match held at College Field.

23. Inquest held on the body of Mrs. M. Hind, of Longueville Court, Bagot, who was found suffering from coal gas poisoning at her residence, a verdict that deceased died from coal gas poisoning while the balance of the mind was disturbed being recorded. Elizabeth College regain Hutchence Cup in inter-college athletics meeting at College Field. Jersey retains C.I. Billiards Trophy in annual match held in Guernsey.

30.—Master Butchers’ Association hold annual dinner, principal guest being Mr. G. Squire, president of the National Federation of Meat Traders.

The rise of AI - Artificial Idiocy!

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ChatGPT is an AI language model that was trained on a large body of text from a variety of sources. It is being described as a “breakthrough” in AI. Personally, based on a number of questions, I think it has a long way to go.

Asked to compile a list of Rectors of St Brelade’s Church it have a made up list of other Reverends, none of whom had ever been Rectors of St Brelade’s Church! . Somehow Harold Davidson (Rector of Stiffkey, defrocked 1932) crept in! Thankfully we have never had that here!

The wonderful AI system said: “This is not an exhaustive list, and there have been many other rectors of St Brelade's Church over the centuries. Each of these individuals has contributed in their own way to the history and development of the church, and their names can be found in various historical records and archives.”

In fact, none of them has!

Perhaps the most peculiar rending of history was when asked about invasions of Jersey, it rightly mentioned the Battle of Jersey, but also mentioned an invasion of 1803 when the French occupied Jersey for 3 years! Dear reader, it never happened – unless it was an invasion of French farm workers looking for plentiful cider!!

To help, it gave details of non-existent books about the invasion of 1803, and when corrected said “I’m sorry to have mislead you.. a further check of my database shows there was no invasion in 1803”. And when asked about the books said “As the invasion didn’t happen, the books didn’t exist”.

If this is the future of AI, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. A.I. clearly stands for Artificial Idiot!!!

London on the Elizabeth Line

London on the Elizabeth Line

The train is leaving the platform now,
Where once farmlands and the plough;
It is the ever encroaching Metroland,
Captured in Betjeman’s flowing hand,
As the pen pushes ink across the ream
Of paper. It’s is poetic, like a dream,
To travel on this way. In Jersey, the train
Long departed, finances down the drain,
Or stocks and sidings in a ruinous fire,

The smell of burn wood and metal dire
And leaving nothing but a pleasant walk;
So, gentle listener, forgive me if I talk
And wax lyrical about the English rails,
And all the stories upon those trails:
Brunel’s tunnel under the river Thames,
King’s Cross, Marble Arch, so many gems;
And don’t forget the murder on the line:
4.50 from Paddington, two trains align,
A passenger in one has a fleeting glance
Of murder in the other. A strange chance!
Holmes and Watson, shrouded in a fog,
Bradshaw ready, off to find a dread dog
On Dartmoor, many miles by the train:
But as an advert said, let it take the strain!
And it does: rattling lines along the way
To my clever son’s OU graduation day
For applause, clapping, and ovation
Not long now, to reaching station
And now arriving, doors gliding open,
It’s time for me to lay down my pen,
And ponder events future yet to be,
The signs of May celebrations to see,
As I hear the distant church bells ring,
And approaching Coronation of the King.

The Coronation Year 70 Years Ago - March 1953 Part 1

By a curious coincidence of dates, the coronation year 2023 will be 70 years after the coronation date in 1953. I thought it would be of interest to look back during this year of some of the events taking place before, during and after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

March 1953 - Part 1

1.—Jersey Sea. Fishing Club hold competition on New North Quay, more than 199 lbs. of grasdos being caught. .

3.—Tragic death of local resident, Mr. E. M. Anquetil, who collapsed and died at; the wheel of his car while driving in Francis Street. Green Room Club present “ Little Lambs Eat Ivy ” at Springfield Theatre.

4—Dense fog holds up shipping, to day’s mailboat not arriving until the. following day..

5,—Tree-planting ceremony carried out by Men of the Trees at Victoria College to commemorate Coronation year. Jersey Dog Club hold successful sanction show.

6.——His Excellency the Lieut. Governor presents long service and good conduct medals to members of the Police Force at ceremony held at Police Headquarters, Rouge Bouillon.

7,—Riding fatality occurs at St“ Peter, Miss Sheelagh Jones (19), being thrown from her horse while riding in a field near the Airport; and sustaining injuries from which she died later; at the subsequent inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned.

9.—--Mr. D. P. Norman elected Jurat at sitting of Electoral College, he receiving 40 votes against 17 for Mr. H. A. Hamon and 13 for Lt. Col. W. Huelin. The Denville Players open season with “Widows are Dangerous ” at The Playhouse.

10.—States: Recommendation-s for the slaughter locally of aged horses were approved; the Tourism Committee asked that the wine merchants and brewery agreement be dealt with by the Licensing Assembly ; the Entertaimnents Tax was revised : it was announced that the Rehabilitation Committee would be wound up on June 30th ; an Act of the Housing Committee asking for permission to build on; the old railway station site at Gréve d'Azette was approved ; Coronation Day was declared a, public holiday ; various other Acts and amendments were tabled. Vestry screen at St. Clement’s Parish Church in memory of Commander E. O. Obbard dedicated by the Very Rev. the Dean. Annual dinner and dance of Jersey Motor Cycle and Light Car Club.

11.—Licensed Victuallers’ Association hold annual banquet at Merton Hotel—Jersey Rotary Club hear Sir Daniel Cabot speak on the menace of foot-and-mouth disease.

12.—States : A long and interesting debate took place on Hospital charges, Deputy Venables submitting a proposition that the rates bereduced; the discussion was adjourned; a date was fixed for discussion of the Deputy of St. Ouen’s Militia Bill. Victoria College C.C.F. hold field day in St. Ouen’s Bay. Rotary Club holds ladies night at Merton Hotel.

13. Mr. Jack Courval, well-known local fisherman, drowned in St. Aubin’s Bay when struck by the boom of the yacht Manella and swept overboard. At the Royal Court to-day judgment was given for plaintiff in the rate appeal case Buesnel v. Parish of St. John Assessment Committee. Grave concern expressed at increased Hospital charges at meeting of St. Helier parish assembly, the Constable stating it would entail 5d. additional rate. Centenier J. H. Chevalier accepts nomination for Constableship of St. Brelade at meeting of electors at the Parish Hall.

14 An employee of the Gas Company, Mr. Albert E. Brown, collapses in trench at a, building site at Millbrook and dies later in hospital; at the subsequent inquest a verdict of death from natural causes was recorded. At a sitting of the Full Court, Mr. D. P. Norman was sworn in as Jurat. St. Lo boxers lose to the Central A.B.C. in tournament held at Springfield.

Les Amis: Some Facts from 2017

We have a social worker making the assessment and then saying it is going to cost X amount of pounds. Then a High Cost Care Panel will sit and will let them know if they can spend that amount of money. That is a bit of a conflict of interest, I would say. That is the stuff that we constantly challenge, because the people we support deserve to have their needs met and it should not have a pound sign attached to it. (Managing Director, Les Amis)

The “Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel” looking at Les Amis on 24th July 2017 seems to be one of the few public documents in which we can see the pressures Leslie Norman faced.

Issues with Long Term Care - Square Pegs do not fit into Round Holes

The Managing Director of Les Amis noted at the start that there were issues with the Long term care model because it was not a good fit for adults who were disabled and accessing the Les Amis services.

First of all, we started discussions with the States departments back in September 2013, to get ready for the introduction of long-term care. So, we have been at this for a while. Throughout we have advised that the process was not fit for purpose in regards to the people we support. It is ideal for the elderly general population, but for people with learning disabilities and associated conditions it does not really fit. This threw a few spanners in the works, where we find ourselves today still with outstanding assessments. We still have ongoing discussions with the Health Department, mainly, in regard to rectifying the situation. Yes, it has been an interesting process from beginning to end.

This is noted in an example of letters from October 2015, which detailed some of the negotiations that were going on between Les Amis and Social Security. By 14th April 2017, despite a push by Les Amis, almost 70 per cent of residents who had not yet had a full assessment and subsidiary assessment, so did not have a personal care plan in place.

States of Jersey IT Failures in Design and Implementation

Part of the issues was IT problems. As the MD explained:

The system that they use is Care Partner. What had happened in 2015, we were now in the LongTerm Care Law by this point, but we had not finished our complete assessment process. We had carried out a considerable piece of work with Care Partner Version 6. Then they moved to Care Partner Version 6.4. It sounds like a Microsoft joke, but it is not. We were told that the work could not be transitioned from one system to the other, so it had to start again. We had to re-input the work. That is why we have gone beyond the end date of completion at the end of 2015.

This in incredible incompetence on behalf of whoever was in charge of the project in the government, but perhaps not quite surprising, given the Auditor-General’s various reports exposing the many failings in implementing States IT systems.

How the transitions have worked

The Funding at Les Amis has gone through three stages here.

It has gone through 3 stages. The first one we had the Parish. The Parish used to pay for the individuals that lived with us. We had deficit funding. Then you made Social Security Department receive all the money in, so we worked on a group rate where we were paid a group amount and we had to make that work. Then the long-term care came in. So, we have had to transition from the old system to the new system over a period of 5 years, with no real clear direction on how to get there, apart from long-term care will pay for it.

The long term care was assessed on an individual basis, despite the fact that Les Amis provides group support, so the individual care packages were brought in and that equated to £500,000 less income, some more, some less, but overall a reduction .

So Les Amis had to think long and hard and budget for that reduction:

We were using Lean processes. We were looking at how many staff were on the ground and what they were doing. We were looking at our back office operations. We stripped a lot of that out. To be fair, we recognised that you have to change, you cannot stand still. It was more about evolution than revolution, in a sense. We took the period of time from 2013 to 2016 to do all that work. So, credit to everybody who works for Les Amis they took it on the chin. It was hard. It was very hard. It was not easy. But it paid dividends when we got to the point of receiving less income, but we made what we had work for us.

This means that for each individual supported, a considerable amount of input was required, and was not helped by having the re-input a lot of data for the States to use in their assessments. Clearly the Social Security Department was running on “guestimates” in this time period because they were awaiting assessments to complete care packages. 

It is clear that no transitional provision was made until the backlog was fully cleared, instead the government made estimates on what they had, of varying reliability.

What they did is they looked at what we were receiving, they worked on each individual case and said: “That looks right for that individual. That looks right for that individual.” That is how they have gone. At the point of the review they said that we will get all the paperwork in, because Care Partner Version 6 was not in existence, so Care Partner 6.4 needs all that inputting. So, we will use this time now to re-input all the information and then you will have the 2 pieces of paper. You get your assessment, then you get your care package, which is Care Partner element of it, which then gives the indicative budget for the individual. Then that enables them to either broker their care package with any other care provided or it enables the family to broker on their behalf, to say: “We have X amount of pounds. This is the care package, can you do it?”

The Usual Government Lies

The Health Department at this time was saying that as far as assessments and paperwork was concerned, there were no longer any issues. They said: “We are now fully staffed. The backlog has been cleared.”

This was in fact a falsehood. By October 2017, around 70% of the backlog had still not been assessed properly.

The delays were at the Health Department: “We are waiting for a piece of work to be given to us to give us a timeline for completion of this work. We have been waiting for that since the beginning of this year”

So there were 84 residents in group homes, and about 70 per cent of them were still outstanding with both pieces of paperwork needed to complete the loop, and a delay in assessments from Health and Social Services.

Assessments, Backlogs, and Conflicts of Interest

The Assessment process itself has inbuilt conflicts of interest.

We have a social worker making the assessment and then saying it is going to cost X amount of pounds. Then a High Cost Care Panel will sit and will let them know if they can spend that amount of money. That is a bit of a conflict of interest, I would say. That is the stuff that we constantly challenge, because the people we support deserve to have their needs met and it should not have a pound sign attached to it.

And the delays in the assessment process also causes issues:

We have other families that are contacting us, phoning us, dropping us emails: “I really want to get respite but I have not got this done yet, I have not got my assessment.” We will refer them back to Health and say: “You really need to chase your social worker because you cannot do anything until you get your assessment done, your care package is attached that will get you your budget.” Then that paperwork gets sent to Social Security who will release the cash to approved providers, whoever that may be.

Enough is Enough

It is understandable - and with endless meetings which got nowhere - why Leslie Norman finally felt enough was enough and resigned as Chairman of Les Amis. There is, in the Scrutiny hearing, detailed how the Health and Social Services department failed to try and understand how bad a fit Long term Care was - because it wasn't devised thinking about those exceptional cases, and a general inability to comprehend, listen and sort out the problems.

Lack of a Transparent Record

Unfortunately there is very little else available as a matter of public record. Evidently from the recent news story - no doubt in an attempt to cut Les Amis budgets further - some report was mentioned commissioned from BDO. Where is this report, commissioned using tax payers money? Can we have sight of it? And what is of concern - is it an attempt to get a cheaper service?

The Push for Second Rate Care

In 2017, it was noted that lower cost was a priority over care:

What happens is when you get the paperwork it will run down all the areas of individual’s needs, so they will have access to community whatever it is and it will tell you what the needs are. It does not say how many hours or whatever and then that care assessment is given to the care provider and the care providers say: “Our hourly rate and to meet all of these needs, that is how much that care package would cost.” You can imagine we get quite a lot going to the High Cost Panel and more often than not and probably about 98 per cent of those sort of cases, we are asked to see if we can do it a bit cheaper. Then we question the fact that if you need all these needs met, we need to have the staff available and we will review it as things go. But if you pay cheap, you get cheap and we are not willing to give a second-rate care package just because it is a bit cheaper.

That is something which may still be the case.

The Happiness Patrol

I was thinking about a Doctor Who story with that title and the way in which blues are played on a harmonica, and I also wanted to write a rondel structure. Add to that the idea of blues in the USA Deep South, and  riverboats chugging along. This rather strange poem was the result.

The Happiness Patrol

My mouth organ, playing the blues
Sadness flowing through every life
Happiness greater after strife
On that riverboat, on that cruise

Weepy drinking, hitting the booze
Street gangs, the punk with knife
My mouth organ, playing the blues
Sadness flowing through every life

It’s dynamite, just lighting the fuse
The happiness patrol, the afterlife
All the sweetness, ending strife
Leaving now, in my dancing shoes
My mouth organ, playing the blues

And they Live in Jersey (1966) - George Behrend, M.A. (Oxon), F.R.G.S.. Assoc. Inst. T.

From 1966 Jersey Topic, a fascinating piece by Pat Hall. 

 

And they Live in Jersey
By Pat Hall

George Behrend, M.A. (Oxon), F.R.G.S.. Assoc. Inst. T.

About a year ago I read “Gone with Regret”, a story of the Great Western Railway. Not because I was a train enthusiast, but because this was the railway which always took me on summer holidays to Devon or Cornwall and I was curious to know what train spotters were always a-spotting.

This very topical book is written with such humour and observation that I am sure it will stimulate the memory of anyone who has set out on a journey from “pompous Paddington” or ever travelled by G.W.R. Why was the luncheon fish invariably turbot?

The author, Mr. George Behrend, who is also a member of the Guild of Travel Writers, and his wife Joan live at Fliquet and since living in Jersey, Mr. Behrend has spent much of his time writing about trains and sleeping cars; a lifelong interest which developed from a boyhood passion,

When he went to Marlborough his preference for buses and trains to cricket and rugger gained him a measure of ‘avant-garde one-upmanship.’ He had written to Leylands for illustrated catalogues of their engines and in reply, an enterprising salesman from Bristol turned up in a fire engine to see him—a 13 year-old schoolboy!

His study of regional geography while reading for his degree at Oxford, explains why one feels that his books are condensed from an inexhaustible mind of knowledge. After obtaining his degree he remained on as a tutor before joining the Army. He served in Egypt in a cavalry regiment with the 2nd Armoured Brigade under, the then, Brigadier Erskine.

His family have always been associated with the Arts and artists, His parents, who now live in the island, were patrons of Stanley Spencer and it was they who financed the building of the Memorial Chapel at Burghclere for Spencer to decorate. The book, “Stanley Spencer at Burghclere" by George Behrend is the only complete collection of the Memorial Chapel paintings, and the story, told by one who knew the artist so well, gives the reader greater understanding of the work.

Benjamin Britten asked George Behrend to work with him when he started the English Opera Group and in the early days of the Aldeburgh Festival, During this period he spent much time travelling in Holland and Switzerland, not by railway, but at the wheel of Benjamin Britten’s 1929 Rolls Royce.

How enthusiastic was his wife about railways? Mrs. Behrend, who has the happiest temperament, endeavoured to look martyred when she said she hated train travel and when they motored on holiday she was always stuck in a goods yard while her husband went off to inspect the engine sheds. But then she had an early training: their honey-moon was spent in an hotel in the middle of Irun railway station where the French trains passed the platform at the rear of the hotel and the Spanish trains passed in front!

The Abbey in the Oakwood

'The Abbey in the Oakwood', painted between 1809 and 1810 in Dresden, by German artist, Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). Recently seen on Facebook, I used it as the inspiration for this poem.

The Abbey in the Oakwood

The monks have left, long, long ago:
Just ruins left, where once it was so
Full of plainsong; chanting in the day,
And night, from dawn to dusk, they pray;
At Matins, Lauds, Prime, and Terce,
Sext, Nones, Vespers pray for mercy;
Vespers as sunset creeping over hill,
Compline, end of day, all is still;
But the Reformers came, an end
To many years, and monks wend
Out far beyond cloistered walls,
And the monastery finally falls;
All the masses and priests fled:
Night is a thief of stone and lead;
And only ruins remain, stones left,
Weeping, unhappy, all so bereft;
An abbey fallen, only shadows last,
Where monks at refectory broke fast,
Laboured over pen and ink on book:
Now, just the cawing of the rook,
Settling on an ancient ruined arch:
An Abbey eaten away in time’s march;
Leafless branches gather round,
Amidst this once so sacred ground;
And yet, sometimes, I can still hear
The chanting of monastic prayer,
Soft footsteps upon paved floor,
And a creaking opening of a door;
Echoes of what was, once time alive,
Where long dead memories shrive;
And dusk rising, rain falls like tears,
Washing away all nightly fears.

The Bells were ringing

Some weddings from 1966:

The French Invasion of Jersey 1804, How it Happened, and How it Didn't

"Artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT could play a role in Whitehall and represent a “massive opportunity”, the new science secretary has suggested. Michelle Donelan, who took over the new role after the prime minister’s departmental reshuffle last month, said the civil service should rely on its own experts but did not rule out a role for artificial intelligence in the future."

I'm not so convinced. Here's a session I had with it. The new science secretary should do a bit more digging!

Me: Has France ever invaded and conquered Jersey?

Chat: France has invaded and conquered Jersey on a number of occasions throughout history. Jersey is located just off the coast of France, and its position has made it a target for invasion throughout the centuries.

One of the most significant French invasions of Jersey took place in 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. A French force led by Baron Philippe de Rullecourt landed on the island and attempted to capture the British garrison stationed there. The attack was unsuccessful, but it resulted in a prolonged siege of the island that lasted for several years. During this time, the inhabitants of Jersey endured significant hardship and deprivation.

Another notable French invasion of Jersey occurred during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. In 1803, a French force led by Admiral Jean-Baptiste Willaumez attempted to invade the island, but was repelled by the British garrison. In 1804, another French invasion force under General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois landed on the island, and succeeded in capturing the British garrison and occupying Jersey for several years.

Since then, Jersey has remained under British control, but it has continued to be a point of tension between France and the UK, particularly in regards to fishing rights and territorial disputes in the surrounding waters.

Me: Can you tell me more about the 1804 invasion

Sure! The 1804 invasion of Jersey by the French was one of the most significant conflicts to take place on the island. It occurred during the Napoleonic Wars, a period of conflict between France and various European powers, including Britain.

The invasion began on the night of February 5, 1804, when a French force led by General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois landed on the island. The force consisted of around 2,000 soldiers, and was supported by a fleet of French ships.

The French force quickly encountered resistance from the British garrison stationed on the island, which consisted of around 700 soldiers. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the British forces put up a fierce defense, and engaged the French in a series of skirmishes throughout the island.

The French managed to capture several strategic positions on the island, including the town of St. Helier and the castle at Elizabeth Castle. They also took many prisoners, including the governor of the island, Major Moses Corbet.

However, the French occupation of Jersey was short-lived. After several months of occupation, British forces under the command of Lieutenant General George Don landed on the island and launched a counter-attack against the French. The French forces were eventually forced to retreat, and they withdrew from the island on December 24, 1804.

The invasion of Jersey in 1804 was significant for several reasons. It was the last time that a foreign power successfully invaded and occupied British territory. It was also an important moment in the history of the island, and is still remembered and commemorated by the people of Jersey today.

Me: I don't think it ever happened. Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois was busy in Malta at the time.

I apologize for the error in my previous response. You are correct that General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois was not involved in the invasion of Jersey in 1804.

I reviewed my sources, and it appears that the French commander who led the invasion was actually Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, a prominent military leader during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Jourdan led a force of around 8,000 troops and 11 ships that landed on the island on the night of January 6, 1804.

The invasion was initially successful, with the French capturing several key positions on the island, including the town of St. Helier. However, the British forces, which numbered around 2,000 soldiers, launched a counter-attack and managed to repel the French forces. The French eventually withdrew from the island on January 10, 1804.

Once again, I apologize for any confusion caused by my earlier response. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Me: Actually Jean-Baptiste Jourdan was in Italy in 1804

You are correct, and I apologize for my mistake. I should have reviewed my sources more thoroughly before responding.

Upon further research, I have found that the French commander who led the invasion of Jersey in 1804 was actually General Jean Hugues Alexandre Drouet d'Erlon. Drouet led a force of around 2,000 troops and several ships that landed on the island on February 5, 1804.

The French forces managed to capture several key positions on the island, including the town of St. Helier and Elizabeth Castle. However, the British garrison on the island put up a strong defense, and with the arrival of reinforcements, launched a counter-attack against the French. The French were eventually forced to withdraw from the island on December 24, 1804.

Once again, I apologize for any confusion caused by my previous responses, and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention.

Me: Can you tell me the names of any books on this invasion?

Certainly! Here are a few books on the 1804 invasion of Jersey:

"The Invasion of Jersey, 1781: A Tourist Guide" by Mike Bisson and Jonathan G. A. Smith
"The Invasion of Jersey: A Study in Defeat" by Winston Churchill
"The Invasion of Jersey, 6th January 1804: The Diary of a Portsmouth Merchant" by Peter John Brotherton
"The French Invasion of Jersey, 6th January 1804: An Eyewitness Account" by Amice Maxie

I hope this helps!

Me: I can find the 1781 invasion but not the 1804 one. Are you sure it happened?

I apologize for the confusion. I reviewed my sources and it appears that I made a mistake in my previous responses. There was no invasion of Jersey in 1804.

I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience my previous responses may have caused. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Me: How did you find books written on it if it didn't happen?

I apologize for the confusion. As the invasion of Jersey in 1804 did not happen, there are no books written specifically about that event. The books I listed in my previous response were actually about the invasion of Jersey that took place in 1781, which was a real historical event.

Once again, I apologize for any confusion or misinformation my previous responses may have caused. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Can you tell me about "The Invasion of Jersey: A Study in Defeat" by Winston Churchill

"The Invasion of Jersey: A Study in Defeat" is a book written by Winston Churchill that examines the failed French invasion of Jersey in 1781. The book was originally published in 1920 and is considered a classic work on the subject.

In the book, Churchill provides a detailed account of the invasion, including the events leading up to it, the military tactics used by both sides, and the aftermath of the conflict. He also analyzes the political and strategic implications of the invasion, particularly with regard to the wider context of the American Revolution and the ongoing conflict between Britain and France.

Churchill's writing is noted for its vividness and attention to detail, as well as his ability to place the events of the invasion in their historical context. "The Invasion of Jersey" is regarded as a seminal work on the subject and remains widely read and studied by historians today.

Can you tell me about "The French Invasion of Jersey, 6th January 1804: An Eyewitness Account" by Amice Maxie

I apologize for the confusion earlier. As the invasion of Jersey in 1804 did not happen, there is no book called "The French Invasion of Jersey, 6th January 1804: An Eyewitness Account" by Amice Maxie.

I believe my previous responses were in error and I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask. 

I don't think Churchill ever wrote on the 1781 invasion of Jersey

I apologize for my mistake earlier. You are correct that Winston Churchill did not write about the invasion of Jersey in 1781. I must have misspoken earlier.

I believe you may be referring to a book by George Balleine titled "The Siege of Jersey, 1781." This book is a comprehensive account of the invasion of Jersey during the American Revolution, when the island was occupied by French forces for several years.

Once again, I apologize for any confusion my previous response may have caused and thank you for bringing this to my attention. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. 

I can't find such a book. Where did you find it?

I apologize for the confusion. I made an error in my previous response. I am not aware of a book by George Balleine with the title "The Siege of Jersey, 1781." I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

There are several books written about the invasion of Jersey in 1781, including "The Battle of Jersey" by James Grant, "Jersey, 1775-1820: A Study in Historical Geography" by F.B. Smith, and "Jersey under the Jackboot" by Robert Le Roi. These books provide detailed accounts of the invasion and its aftermath.

Reflections on Cold Times

 

Reflections on Cold Times

Cold winds, fingers of ice, blow
Nights are dark with sleeting rain
The fire's warmth is all aglow
In our cosy home, a sweet refrain.

The cold within, the hands of ice
As an Eskimo calling, shivering
The body shaking, this is a price
Heart beat in pain, a withering

The mind fading, old age, decay
Icy winds blowing in thought
The memory waning, slipping away,
Aging mindscape, a present fraught.

Frosty winds, a chill that bites,
Thoughts in shivers, wintry sights.

And they live in Jersey (1966) - Brigadier Sir Francis Fetherston-Godley, O.B.E, D.L.

 

From 1966 Jersey Topic, a fascinating piece by Pat Hall. 

And they Live in Jersey
By Pat Hall

Brigadier Sir Francis Fetherston-Godley, O.B.E, D.L.

Although of Irish descent, Bridadier Sir Francis Fetherston-Godley has family history closely associated with Jersey, so this article is doubly topical. His great, great grand-father who commanded the 83rd Regiment in Jersey, married the daughter of the Rev. Rickard, Rector of St. Peters. (Her one-time home, Le Colombier, St. Lawrence, though now much renovated, still stands and is mentioned by Joan Stevens in her book ‘Old Jersey Houses').

Sir Francis spent much of his childhood here when his father was Assistant Adjutant-General to the Governor, and he went to Victoria College before going on to Cheltenham and Sandhurst.

After serving in the First World War in France and later in India he left the Army in 1926, but his association with the Service continued.

The organisation of the Territorial Army in Gloucester—a county of which he is Deputy Lieutenant—took up much of his time. Even more absorbing was his work with the British Legion of which he became National Chairman in 1934. In this capacity he lead delegations of Ex-servicemen to Europe with the idealistic hope that an international reunion of men who had fought opposite each other might lead to a means of averting war.

He had many conferences with European Heads of State including four meetings with Hitler and about as many with Mussolini, each of whom presented him with their signed photographs. The mission, as we all know, failed and in 1939 he was back in France in uniform.

He is a Commander of the Légion d‘Honneur, was mentioned in despatches in both wars, was awarded the OBE in the First War, and among his numerous medals which include the Croix de Guerre, Belgian and Yugoslavian decorations he possesses the Queen‘s Colonial Police medal. This, he explained, he had been awarded for service in the Kenya Police Reserve.

While living in Kenya in 1947, he was asked to assist in forming an armed force to help keep the peace. He was Commandant of this Police Reserve for the Southern Province of Kenya from 1950 to 1954, and during the period of Mau-mau terrorism served under the late Sir George Erkine (previous Lieut. Governor in Jersey). He is President of the Old Contemptibles Association in Jersey.

The Brigadier is also a very keen yachtsman and in his time has owned six very beautiful yachts. The latest of these, the 21 ton m.y. “Corita”, built on the lines of a Norwegian whaler, is now lying in St. Helier Yacht Harbour.

I recalled some of the sound common sense shown in his letters to the Press and asked if he had ever considered taking part in local politics. He told me he had no wish to interfere with island affairs, but as he could not stand inefficiency he had, on occasions voiced his opinions in the Press.

When I asked this eminent soldier whether he considered himself a Jerseyman or an Englishman, he replied, in his voice which is surprisingly quiet for one with such a commanding manner, “I am Irish.”