Guernsey in 1974 – Part 5

Guernsey in 1974 – Part 5

This is an extract from Peter Haining’s guide book of 1974, which is as much interest today for the historian as to the tourist, as many of the places and industries described in his book have long vanished. Please do not take it as a current guide.

Bays for bathing – Part 1

Havelet Bay: Havelet adjoins the harbour at St. Peter Port and has the nearest beach to the town—but this, unfortunately, is inaccessible at high tide. The main attraction, however, is the extensive La Vallette Swimming Pool which provides good bathing whatever the state of the tide along the coast. The pool—it is actually three separate pools— protrudes into the sea and this makes the setting doubly attractive. Water polo is also played here. Havelet Bay is ideal for water-skiing and this takes place daily throughout the season. It is also considered a good starting point for hikers along the south coast, and the best route begins at the south end of the bay by the Halfmoon Restaurant— where, incidentally, all manner of information about walking in Guernsey can be obtained. Also in the bay, and not far from La Vallette Swimming Pool, are two smaller pools which are open daily.

The "Halfmoon Restaurant": This no longer exists. The venue at the south end of the bay near the slipway is now home to the Octopus Restaurant (though travellers should note it is temporarily undergoing refurbishment). While Havelet Bay remains a popular destination for local sea swimmers, kayakers, and paddleboarders, daily scheduled water-skiing and regular water polo matches are no longer the primary active attractions advertised for the bay.

Soldier’s Bay: A secluded little nook, reached by a path from Havelet Bay, the shore is pebbly, but bathing in the deep, clear water is a joy to swimmer and non-swimmer alike. The rocks, which jut into the sea are excellent as diving points. ““Soldier’s Bay” earned its name because it was for generations used by the soldiers stationed at what was once Fort George on the cliff top. The fort was built in 1780, but it was not until the German Occupation that it was actually called upon to serve its purpose. However, the shelling which it received from British aircraft in 1944 was so heavy and so costly in human life that it was evacuated immediately afterwards.

"Bathing... is a joy to swimmer and non-swimmer alike": This is no longer true. Following severe coastal subsidence and highly unstable cliff faces above the cove, the States of Guernsey officially closed Soldier's Bay to the public via footpaths. Landslides and rockfalls make accessing it by foot illegal or physically barricaded.

"It was not until the German Occupation that it was actually called upon to serve its purpose": Historically false. Fort George served actively as a major British military hub for generations long before World War II. For instance, the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry trained heavily at the fort before deploying to the Western Front in 1917 during World War I.

The attacks in June 1944 were targeted Allied air raids specifically designed to destroy the sophisticated Adlerschloss German Luftwaffe radar early warning system built at the fort. The text claims the fort was "evacuated immediately afterwards" due to heavy losses. In reality, the Allied air raids before D-Day were largely ineffective against the heavily fortified structures, and German forces did not evacuate; they successfully held the fort and the rest of Guernsey until the official German surrender on Liberation Day, 9 May 1945.

As of 2026, even if approached by sea, there have been temporary water quality warnings in the bay due to a damaged deep-sea sewage outfall pipe originating from the modern residential development atop Fort George.

Fermain Bay: Undoubtedly one of the most popular bays on the island and always much frequented by families. A boat service runs between here and St. Peter Port which provides some splendid coastal views. There is a pebbly foreshore which gives way to white sand at half tide. The walk to the bay is long, but pleasant, winding through wooded countryside. The half-way mark is Le Chalet Hotel which was the first dwelling on Guernsey to have electric lighting at the beginning of this century. Then it was a private house belonging to a skilled mechanic who harnessed a dynamo to a stream which runs down the valley. Although the bay is now a haven for small boats, it was once considered the ideal place for a raiding party to land. In the 18th Century, for instance, a press gang landed at Fermain, crept inland and made off with several unwilling recruits. There are still one or two German fortifications visible including a white-washed sentry box which now serves as a ship marker and is generally called “The Pepper Pot’. The bay has its own restaurant and toilets, and floats can be hired. Bathing is safe except at high tide when the bank of pebbles make it unsafe for those not experienced. A final interesting point about Fermain is that in the early 1900’s the bay was segregated— women had to go at one end and men at the other. Needless to say this ruling is no longer enforced.

"A boat service runs between here and St. Peter Port": This is completely outdated. While a legendary water-taxi and boat service ran between the St. Peter Port harbour and Fermain Bay for decades, the regular service officially ceased in 1993 when its long-time operator retired. Today, the bay is only reachable by private vessel or on foot.  Commercial float and deckchair hire is no longer a standard daily fixture on the beach; visitors generally need to bring their own paddleboards or swim gear.

Le Chalet Hotel: The story regarding the skilled mechanic using a stream dynamo to create Guernsey's first electrically lit private home is a fascinating piece of local history, but Le Chalet Hotel is permanently closed and derelict. It closed its doors as a commercial hotel years ago, and recent developments have focused on converting the site into residential accommodation.

Petit Port: This bay can justifiably boast the finest stretch of sand on Guernsey and coupled with the magnificent cliff scenery and good bathing make it a popular spot (it is also possible to surf here). Unfortunately there is one snag which may deter older people from visiting the bay— there is a long, steep climb down into the bay with no fewer than 227 steps (I counted them) let into the cliff face. There is a secondary approach to the bay, but though gentler is very much longer and not without danger. Not far from the top of the cliff is Mont Durand where silver was discovered in the 19th Century and an attempt was made to mine it commercially. This was a disastrous failure and today there is little left to serve as a memorial to the project. It was at Petit Port on July 14, 1940, that 
a commando raid under the direction of LieutenantColonel Durnford Slater landed and scoured the area for information about the Occupation. Today the exploits are still discussed, and elaborated on, by the local people. The area also has some interesting rock formations including the circular mass of granite called “Cannon Rock”’.

"No fewer than 227 steps": Underestimated. The author's count is outdated. Due to modern cliff stabilization, path rebuilds, and repairs by the States of Guernsey, the official step count is over 270 steps (with some locals counting closer to 300 depending on where you start).

Secondary Approach Danger: The "gentler but dangerous" alternative path mentioned is completely closed off due to severe, ongoing coastal erosion and cliff landslides. The steps are now the only legal and physically viable way to access the beach by land.

"It is also possible to surf here": Highly misleading. Petit Port is an extremely sheltered, enclosed cove on the south-east corner of the island. It rarely gets a surfable wave breakdown. Guernsey's actual surf scene is explicitly located on the west coast at beaches like Vazon Bay.

Moulin Huet: Only those who enjoy a walk are advised to visit Moulin Huet which is approached by a narrow track which has to be taken in single file. It is not the best bathing beach, as there is only sand at low tide, but swimming— and diving—can be particularly good in the numerous gullies here. Getting to Moulin Huet involves walking — along Water Lane before actually joining the path to the sea. This is extremely pretty and half-way along it there is an old fountain called the ‘“Wishing Well”. If you seek good luck put your foot over the water and wish! There is a beach kiosk at Moulin Huet with chairs spread out on the cliff-side.

Single File Access Track: While the footpath gets narrow, it is wide enough for two people to pass comfortably in most sections, though oncoming foot traffic does have to step aside in the tighter, steeper bends

"Beach Kiosk... with chairs spread out on the cliff-side": Outdated. While a traditional, basic beach kiosk operated at the valley base for decades, the site has been completely transformed into the bohemian Renoir Tea Garden. Instead of just chairs scattered loosely on the cliff-side, there is a beautifully terraced, intimate garden café featuring modern outdoor seating booths and wooden decking overlooking the spectacular bay views.

Saints Bay: One more of Guernsey’s secluded coves which has a shingle beach (except at low tide when a little sand is exposed) and presents every facility for enjoyable bathing. Approached by a long winding lane, the bay has its own small pier which is used by local fishermen. This also serves as a diving stage and an ideal point for a man after a day’s fishing to settle down. Deck chairs and floats can be hired and there is a restaurant for soft drinks and snacks. In the past the bay has been a busy harbour, and in fact there is a stone monument commemorating this fact lying in the sea! Originally it stood by the harbour but as it got in the way of their gun sights, the Germans uprooted it and deposited it into the bay during the Occupation. Another point of interest is the well in La Ruette du Navet which is credited with having the power to cure eczema.

The Café/Restaurant: The text mentions a restaurant for soft drinks and snacks. Today, this is primarily known as the highly popular Saints Bay Kiosk located right at the top of the slipway. It serves homemade food, coffee, tea, and quick bites.

Hiring Deck Chairs/Floats: While standard in classic mid-20th-century tourist guides, current regular services emphasize kayak or equipment hire depending on the seasonal operators rather than traditional deckchair stands.

The 18th-century structure guarding the bay is officially known as Saints Tower No.14. Often mistakenly called a Martello tower, it is actually a distinct Guernsey Loophole Tower.

he tower was built between August 1778 and March 1779. At the outbreak of the American War of Independence, France joined forces with the Americans against Britain. Because the Channel Islands sit just off the French coast, they were in immediate danger of invasion.

In response, the British government constructed a chain of 15 identical loophole towers around Guernsey's coastline to act as a unified defensive shield

The Philosophy of Politics Jersey Discussions

I thought it might be useful to lay out some of the way in which I structured Politics Jersey Discussions on Facebook. 

Politics Jersey Discussions

It is designed as a heavily moderated discussion forum:

• Swearing and abusive language restricted.

• GIFs, emojis, and low-effort reaction posts discouraged.

• Links and photos require explanatory text.

• Anti-spam automation is active.

• Repeat offenders move onto post approval.

• Personal attacks on candidates are moderated.

• Measures against repetitive posting and agenda-spamming.

• Membership screening based on account age and existing Facebook activity.

• No anonymous membership, although anonymous posting is allowed.

The effect is usually:

• Slower discussions.

• Fewer meme wars and reaction-posts.

• Higher barrier to entry.

• More emphasis on written arguments and debate.

• Less trolling and fewer fake/new accounts.

Culture difference

In practice, groups often end up attracting different people because of their rules:

Politics Jersey Discussions	Politics Jersey
Structured debate	Open discussion
Higher moderation	Looser moderation
Longer text posts	More mixed content
Anti-spam focused	Higher volume
Quality over quantity	Quantity and activity over strict quality control
Harder for trolls to stay	Easier for anyone to participate

A useful way to think about it

Politics Jersey Discussions  tries to function more like a moderated civic forum or online town hall. 

Politics Jersey appears closer to the classic Facebook model: a large public square where discussion is broader, noisier, and less tightly controlled.

Whether one is "better" depends on what you want. If you're looking for detailed policy discussion and fewer distractions, the stricter rules can help. If you prefer a wider range of voices and more spontaneous debate, the larger group may feel more open.

Proofs and Refutations in Historical Jesus Research – Part 4

Proofs and Refutations in Historical Jesus Research – Part 4

When we map Imre Lakatos’s four strategies onto the high-stakes battlefield of Gospel scholarship, we can see exactly why NT scholars and historical-Jesus researchers rarely change their minds.

Because the text of the Gospels is ancient, complex, and open to interpretation, it provides the perfect raw material for academics to build a "Protective Belt" around their core theories.

In these posts, I will illustrate how historians deploy the four basic Lakatosian strategies to defend their views against troublesome textual data:

James DG Dunn

If N.T. Wright’s program is a hyper-insulated fortress and the ultra-literary camp (Walsh, Mills) is a rigid, degenerating program, James D.G. Dunn’s research program in “Jesus Remembered” is a textbook example of a highly progressive, methodologically honest Lakatosian model.

Dunn does things better because he didn’t just build a "protective belt" to defend against anomalies after the fact; instead, he designed his "Hard Core" from the very beginning to naturally expect and absorb messy data.

Here is how a Lakatosian critic would evaluate why Dunn’s approach works so beautifully:

The Genius of a "Flexible Hard Core"

Most historical-Jesus scholars choose a rigid, black-and-white "Hard Core" thesis:

• The Literalists/Conservatives: The Gospels are 100% historically exact video-recordings.
• The Radical Literary Critics: The Gospels are 100% elite, fictional desk-editor fabrications.

If your Hard Core is that absolute, any slight variation in the text becomes a lethal threat, forcing you into desperate special pleading.

Dunn broke this cycle by choosing a fluid, scientifically grounded Hard Core: The Gospels are the oral memory of the impact Jesus made on his disciples

By grounding his theory in how oral tradition actually works (rather than how modern books work), Dunn built a model where variation is not an anomaly but is a feature. He based this on current research into oral memory. 

When Matthew and Luke alter Mark's wording, or when the resurrection accounts don't perfectly align, a literalist has to sweat to harmonize it. But Dunn’s model naturally predicts this: in an oral culture, performers constantly adapt the details of a story to fit their audience while fiercely preserving the "gist" or the core truth. Dunn doesn't have to defend against textual messiness because his theory beautifully explains it.

A Truly "Progressive" Research Program

Lakatos argued that a research program is progressive if it has high "heuristic power"—meaning it elegantly explains a massive amount of diverse data without needing clumsy, ad-hoc adjustments.

Dunn’s model is hyper-progressive because it seamlessly solves puzzles that crush other scholars:

• The Aramaic Gems: Why does the Greek text randomly drop into Aramaic (Abba, Talitha koum)? The literary camp has to claim elite authors were "simulating robots." Dunn’s model elegantly notes that these are the literal, indelible linguistic footprints of the original oral impact left in the disciples' minds.

• The Continuity Puzzle: How did a simple Galilean preacher suddenly become the divine Lord of the early church? As we saw earlier, Dunn’s model shows that the "seed" was already there in the oral memory of Jesus's implicit authority. The shift was organic, not a fictional hijack.

What a Lakatosian Critic Would Challenge in Dunn

Even though Dunn does things vastly better, an honest Lakatosian critic would still point out where his "Protective Belt" has to do some heavy lifting. No scholar is totally immune to the mirror problem.

The critic would point to Dunn’s treatment of the "Q Source" (the identical, word-for-word Greek text shared by Matthew and Luke). As we noted earlier, oral memory can explain similar stories, but it cannot explain long strings of identical Greek vocabulary copied across scrolls.

When confronted with this, Dunn deployed exception-barring. He essentially said: "Yes, we must admit that written notebooks or a Greek document existed for these specific, lengthy blocks of text (like the Sermon on the Mount). But those are the exceptions. The vast, overwhelming matrix of the Gospel tradition remains purely oral."

A Lakatosian critic would warn Dunn: "Dr. Dunn, by cordoning off the written evidence as a 'special exception,' you are protecting your oral-impact thesis from being forced to admit that the Gospel writers were much more like literate desk editors than your folk-memory model comfortably allows."

Ultimately, Dunn’s research program is the most compelling because it requires the least amount of special pleading.

While Walsh and Mills have to treat the text like a hyper-intellectualized riddle from a university lounge, and Wright has to construct massive theological-metaphorical frameworks to protect his orthodox dogmas, Dunn simply lets the text be what it looks like: a vibrant, messy, living, oral portrait of a historical figure who made a monumental, shattering impact on the people who knew him. He didn't break the mirror completely, but he constructed one of the most honest lenses to look through.

Next Monday:  Dale Allison Jr.

Religion, History and G. R Balleine – Part 5

Religion, History and G. R Balleine – Part 5
(The Reformation in Jersey)
By Jason St John Nicolle
From "The Pilot", 1991

Part V (finale) The Dog that failed to Bark

AND SO Advocate Balleine rises to address the court.

“The defence has argued that the victory of Protestantism in 16th century Jersey was slow and by no means inevitable; and you will be wondering how the 'prosecution is going to respond to an argument which poses so direct a challenge to any concept of a Reformation 'from below.'

"The jury will doubtless be familiar with the series of detective stories written by a prominent Edwardian physician and Spiritualist, featuring a retired army doctor and a violin-playing drug-addict. One of their cases involved an attempt to lame a famous race horse, Silver Blaze. How was Holmes able to deduce that the villain was a certain John Straker? It was because he had "grasped the significance of the silence of the dog" — the dog who had failed to bark at a man quietly edging towards the stables in the middle of the night. Clearly, the mysterious visitor was someone whom the dog knew well. The great detective had realised that there can be as much significance in the things that don't happen, as in the things that do.

"We have already heard the defence's argument that it would be wrong to assume that Jerseymen were dissatisfied with Catholicism on the eve of the Reformation. But it admitted that the available evidence is simply too limited for us to be at all certain of the character and degree of their religious commitment. The evidence relates to external practices, such of the membership of religious clubs known as Confraternities and the endowment of anniversary masses; but such practices might reflect custom and social pressure as much as the deeply held beliefs of committed individuals. How many of those sitting in the pews on a Sunday morning have a deep attachment to the Anglican faith? What degree of commitment are we showing to the problems of the Third World, when-we send off a cheque to Oxfam?

"And when the defence argues that the victory of Protestantism was incomplete as late as the 1570's, are they doing anything more than pointing out that there were some Islanders who objected to the new faith? There will always be those who refuse to recognise a victory; but if these objectors had been a significant force in Island life, the very same anti-Catholic legislation which reveals their presence would itself have been so unworkable as never to have been worth promulgating in the first place.

"Again, what force is there in pointing out what might have happened if Elizabeth had had as short a reign as her half-sister Mary, when we .know that she did not die in the 1560's or 1570's; when we know that England's last Catholic ruler died in 1558? Why bother with what might have happened when we know what actually occurred?

"Or, more to the point, when we know what did not occur? In England, popular support for Catholicism dominated the grievances which found expression in three serious rebellions: the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, a revolt in northern England partly precipitated by the Dissolution of the smaller monasteries: the Western Rebellion of 1549; and the Revolt of the Northern_ Earls twenty years later. But there were no such expressions of religious conservatism among the g-grievances which 16th century Jerseymen placed before their monarchs. Nor were any Jerseymen prepared to join the handful of English Catholics who trod the road to martyrdom. If the majority of Jerseymen were unhappy with the introduction of Protestantism, why did this discontent fail to find expression? As Holmes might have put it, why did the Catholic dogs fail to bark?

With this question, Advocate Balleine winds up the case for the prosecution; how will the defence respond?

“The prosecution has assumed a familiarity with the stories of Sherlock Holmes; the defence will also assume knowledge — knowledge of the ways of Man's Best Friend. Dogs bark for a good reason — they bark when they feel threatened. So when did Island Catholics start to fear that the new religion might supplant the old? Arguably, it was not until the 1560's. As late as 1562, enough Islanders were in possession of Catholic service books for the authorities to consider it necessary to order their destruction; and it is hard to see why they would have bothered unless Islanders were using these service books in acts of Catholic worship. When, four years later, permission was given for the establishment of a Presbyterian church in St Helier, the remaining Island parishes were told to 'diligently cast away all superstitions used in the said diocese (of Coutances)'. 'Superstitions' were the features of Catholic worship which did not meet with Protestant approval.

"But why was no voice raised against the confiscation of property given by the pious for religious, and specifically Catholic, purposes? It was hardly a novel departure: the Crown had been confiscating religious property in the Islands since the 14th century. More importantly, in the England of the 1530's, monasteries were numerous and their functions as much social as religious, providing employment, charity and a market for local goods Jersey was completely different. Here there was only one monastery, situated on the islet which was to become the site of Elizabeth Castle; more to the point it was in a sorry state, already in a largely derelict condition.

"But what about the sale of the wheat renter which formed the endowment for numerous anniversary masses? It is interesting that when the majority were sold off, in 1550-4551, the price set by the Commissioners was the equivalent of a mere six years purchase. It is hardly surprising that people were willing to take advantage of what was quite probably: the bargain of the decade. Most dogs can be silence, with a good bone; and for 16th century Jerseymen such bones came almost exclusively from the Crow or the Governor. From the appointment of Seymour 1537, the Governors were solidly Protestant, so was the context of patronage. In short, these Catholic dog failed to bark for a very good reason: it was not in their interests to do so. 99

And here the Advocates finally rest their cases; the Court of Jersey History rises, and the jury retires to consider its verdict A Reformation 'from below', as argued by Advocate Balleine Or a Reformation from above'? It is up to the jury to decide.

Gaza

This is not a poem about politics, except insofar as people are politics. So many are caught up in this conflict, a conflict not of their own making, but of their own suffering. I am not concerned here with the political excuses and blame games, but with mothers and children. The true cost of any war is not measured in political points, but in civilian displacement and trauma.

Gaza

My child is forgotten, one of many,
As we trek on, searching for any
Place for refuge, to call home;
Until then we simply roam
Dispossessed. The sky at night
Brightened by the shooting stars:
But these are the harbingers of Mars,
Not cosmic, but man-made,
As rockets come and many slayed;
I will fear the terror by night,
Breaking open in explosive light,
As we cower, and pray for life,
To just survive within this strife;
Rubble of fallen buildings all around:
Aftermath: cries of the wounded sound;
It was another day, and it was bad:
I weep for my children, I am sad,
That no one sees our plight,
And day brings no respite.

TESSON CHAPEL: 1861 – 2001 – Part 1

TESSON CHAPEL: 1861 – 2001 – Part 1
By Richard and Gwyneth Syvret

INTRODUCTION

In Jersey in the Middle Ages an ancient right of sanctuary for outlaws existed which enabled those accused, and possibly guilty, of crimes to take refuge in one of the twelve parish churches or its nearby cemetery. This was a parallel, although not a close one, to the establishment in Old Testament times in Israel of cities of refuge in which a person who had unwittingly killed another could live without fear of reprisal. In Jersey however long-term existence in a church or churchyard was impossible and, while the friends of an accused could bring him food there for nine days, he had after that time to take an oath to leave the Island and never return. The church authorities would then escort the outlaw down specified routes from each parish church to the sea. Whilst on such a route or 'perquage' the accused could not be arrested.

The perquages of St Mary, St John and St Lawrence met together at the point at the foot of a cotil on Les Monts Greberts in St. Peter's Valley where Tesson Chapel now stands. Looking out from the porch of the chapel, were one able to step back in time some four or five centuries, one might have seen fugitives passing occasionally from those parishes and on through Beaumont marsh to the sea of St Aubin's bay.

Such ecclesiastical arrangements did not however outlive the Reformation but what has remained for later generations is the ability to find a different but more enduring sanctuary for time and eternity in the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE BIBLE CHRISTIANS

The story of Tesson Chapel must of course begin prior to its construction and even prior to the purchase by contract dated 2nd November 1861 of the small piece of land (44 feet by 30 feet) on which it now stands by trustees representing the Bible Christian Society. The work of the society, which was later to become a part of the Methodist denomination, was commenced in Jersey on 20th August 1823 when Mary Ann Werrey arrived from England to evangelise the Island.

She was a follower of the founder of the movement - William O'Bryan (whence the nickname 'Bryanites' which was attached to members of the movement for many decades). She preached energetically both in a room used generally for dancing and in the open air. A larger room was obtained and pews and pulpit donated. By October 1823 reports regarding the missionary activities of the Society stated that many in Jersey had been blessed and converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary left Jersey before the end of the year and Mary O'Bryan, daughter of William O'Bryan, took her place. Mary was then only seventeen but a preacher in both French and English.

In 1825 the Society erected a small chapel in Great Union Road St Helier. Numbers there fluctuated over the years - 69 in 1827; 14 in 1834; 100 in 1847 - but the Society continued to send itinerant preachers to labour, alongside the local people, on the Island. During the 1840s there came to settle in Jersey Mr John Cory who was a member of one of the families in England which greatly supported the Bible Christian movement. He was followed to Jersey by several of his brothers and became a leading figure in the building and maintenance of the loyal and prosperous churches established in the 1860s and 1870s in the Island.

Improvements were made in 1849 to their small chapel at Great Union Road and these enabled it to seat 700 when opened in January 1850. That chapel was further enlarged in 1864.

It was from the work at Great Union Road that a Sabbath school for children developed in St Lawrence Valley.

This Sunday school was a satellite work of the main St Helier Sunday school and a lease for two rooms at "St. Lawrence Valley" for £3 per annum was agreed in June 1858, it being decided at the same meeting to take down the partitions dividing the rooms. The positions of superintendent and co-superintendent at St Lawrence Valley were filled from time to time from those engaged in the children's work at Great Union Road. Names like Scard, Job, Bragg and Newbury feature in those positions in the second half of the 1850s. A practice seems to have grown up of combining a tea for the pupils there with an outing for the townsfolk. Combined numbers envisaged were thirty children and fifty adults in 1857 in late summer.

THE WORK COMMENCES

The year 1861 however became a turning point for the Sunday school at St Lawrence Valley because the elders of Great Union Road chapel in October of that year received a report from a special committee appointed relative to the building of a chapel in the valley. On November 2nd 1861 trustees purchased the land from Mr and Mrs Richard Simes for £5. The trustees were bound by the deed of purchase to conform to the orders and directions of the 'conference' of the Bible Christian Society both in respect of the ground and of the chapel that would be built on it.

The chapel building itself was erected on a piecework basis with certain individuals responsible for each aspect of the construction. The work commenced in November 1861 and went on through to the summer of 1862. One record shows a total cost including land of just over £163, another £135, A part of the money needed was borrowed for the purpose from individuals - mainly from a Mrs Burton who advanced £50 -and by June 1866 £60 of debt remained outstanding. The Bible Christian Trustees on the island however, in the year to June 1866, had much larger financial matters on their hands, Great Union Road chapel had recently been enlarged and work had commenced at Gorey with initial borrowings of £300.

In 1867 the foundation stone of a new church designed to seat 1200 people was laid in Royal Crescent, Don Road, St Helier on the site of an old theatre and, whereas by 1880 no debt was outstanding for St Lawrence chapel, the total circuit debt was £3,305

What of the spiritual work of St Lawrence chapel during this time however? Weil, the first recorded service there was on 7th September 1862. Quite a number of seat rentals were charged (at one shilling per quarter year) and until 1868 the only Sunday service each week was in the morning, this being altered to 3 p.m. in November of that year. The chapel was part of the circuit that appointed and supported two full time ministers and it participated in the missionary endeavour (for which the Bible Christians were noted) by having missionary speakers on a weeknight. The key work however does seem to have remained with the Sunday school. A number of changes of superintendent occurred and there was talk of a library for the valley school. The circuit Sunday school outing was also held each year at St Lawrence Valley - in 1864 for 350 persons, in 1869 the 'Mill Room' being requested (presumably a room in Tesson Mill) for 200 and in 1871 the chapel when 100 persons were expected.

The register of baptisms solemnised by the Bible Christian Minister in the Jersey circuit for that period show at least three infant baptisms at St Lawrence chapel in those years (1865, 1871, 1875). The children concerned were the offspring of Samuel Gilley who was a miller - probably again at Tesson Mill. In 1864 the chapel had 9 members (compared with 179 for the circuit), in 1870 15 members and in 1874 6 members. In the latter year a decision was taken to discontinue the preaching service although missionary and deputation meetings remained.

By 1880 the membership had fallen to three (circuit - 243) and the scene was beginning to be set for another change.

DECLINE AND CLOSURE

In 1883 a decision was taken to close the chapel and to request the trustees to sell it. The sale cannot have been proceeded with however for on 18th June 1884 the report of the circuit minister - Revd. John Luke - was that "at St Lawrence, where we have re-opened our chapel, we do not find much to encourage".

It would seem that Beaumont had more residents at that time than the area of St Peter's Valley where Tesson Chapel now stands because in March 1886 it was decided by the Bible Christian Trustees to purchase from a Mr Voisin the Friendly Hall at Beaumont with St Lawrence chapel being transferred to him as part consideration. This however also did not materialise.

Instead, on 29th October 1888 Mr. James Cory, one of the trustees, auctioned the property following a decision of the trustees to that effect. Advertisements had been placed in four Jersey newspapers and the reserve price of £80 was also the selling price. Two days later decisions were taken regarding the disposal of the harmonium, seats, inside porch, rostrum and other items. The net proceeds of sale were shared equally between Great Union Road, Royal Crescent, Gorey and St Martin's chapels and the general circuit funds.

Guernsey in 1974 – Part 4

Guernsey in 1974 – Part 4

Guernsey in 1974 – Part 4

This is an extract from Peter Haining’s guide book of 1974, which is as much interest today for the historian as to the tourist, as many of the places and industries described in his book have long vanished. Please do not take it as a current guide. Italics are my notes on the situation today.

St. Sampson:

St. Sampson is the only other port apart from St. Peter Port on Guernsey. It has lost some of its importance in recent years with the slowing down in exports of granite, once a very large industry in the hinterland just behind the harbour. (Old granite quarries and mills are still visible there today.)

Despite this St. Sampson is worth visiting as it is now a centre for boat repairing and craft of all shapes and sizes can be seen in the dry docks. Coal, timber and oil are also delivered here.

 St. Sampson has transitioned from a gritty 19th-century granite-exporting and commercial cargo port into a modern residential and leisure boating hub. While old granite quarries are now utilized as freshwater storage reservoirs and the inner harbor has become a marina, traditional commercial operations like coal deliveries and dry dock repairs are largely outdated. You can read more about Guernsey's history and geography.

On the actual seashore is St. Sampson’s Church, the oldest on the island, which dates from the 12th Century. St. Sampson, an English monk, landed on the island in the 6th Century and built a tiny chapel which was later replaced by the present church. He is now regarded as the Patron Saint of Guernsey and has a feast day on July 28th. He is also credited with a number of miracles, including banishing all moles, toads and snakes from the island. (It is interesting to note that these types of creatures are still never found on Guernsey.)

Samson of Dol, a Celtic missionary monk traveling from Dunmonia in England and Brittany, landed on this exact spot around 550 AD and erected a primitive timber chapel or oratory, introducing Christianity to Guernsey. It is true that Guernsey has no native snakes or moles. However, this is due to post-glacial geography (the island separated from continental Europe earlier than neighbouring Jersey, preventing these slow-moving animals from colonizing the landmass), not a miracle.

There are several monuments to seamen in the harbour — all in French—and one of them (commemorating Daniel de Lisle Brock) is believed to have been a menhir. 

Daniel de Lisle Brock was one of Guernsey's most celebrated historic Bailiffs (serving from 1821 to 1842). Near the slipway at St. Sampson's Harbour, there is a large, upright granite pillar erected in his memory. Local antiquarians and modern archaeologists strongly believe this stone was originally a prehistoric megalithic menhir (standing stone) repurposed by the islanders.

A further strange memorial is to be found in St. Sampson’s Church, and it must surely be among the most unusual. The tablet reports the death of Thomas Falla, an 18-yearold Guernsey Lieutenant, who was killed in the Siege of Seringapatam in 1799. What killed him was a 26 lb. cannon ball which lodged itself between the two bones of one of his thighs—and went undiscovered by the surgeon who examined him! The explanation given later when the unfortunate man eventually died and a post-mortem was carried out, was that the hole made by the shot had become so inflamed that it had closed over, leaving the ball further hidden behind the thigh bones. A working knowledge of French is needed to read the tablet—but this does not prevent anyone from feeling horrified amazement at the incredible tale it tells.

The French-inscribed marble tablet is located exactly inside St. Sampson's Parish Church. Lieutenant Thomas Falla of the 12th Regiment of Foot was wounded on 6 April 1799 during the assault on Tipu Sultan’s stronghold in India. The guidebook's gruesome medical details are completely correct: a massive, heavy solid-iron shot did indeed pass deep into his thigh and wedge perfectly between his femur and surrounding structure. Because the entry wound was heavily swollen and inflamed, the military surgeon missed it during a physical examination.Falla tragically survived in agonizing pain for six hours after the injury before dying, at which point the military doctors extracted the ball during a post-mortem to the absolute shock of the regiment. The plaque remains a popular spot for dark-tourism enthusiasts visiting the church today.