Pilot Profile: Gerald Francis Voisin

From 1965, the Pilot, comes this interesting sketch. I'd love to know why he got the nickname "Tim", but unfortunately the article does not explain why.

Pilot Profile: Gerald Francis Voisin

February 1965

There have may be some residents in Jersey who have never made a purchase in Voisins but there can be few who have not even taken a cup of morning, coffee in Gaudins. And who hasn't munched a Gaudin cake? Be it cake, coffee or haberdashery all come under the management of G. F. Voisin a man of vision, drive, modern ideas and unlimited energy.

Gerald Francis Voisin was born in St. Helier in 1925. The son of the late Major CH and Mrs. Voisin - who were killed in 1938 in the only fatal air crash at St. Peter's Airport – he went to Prep and graduated to Victoria College in 1936, subsequently moving to Bedford School with the College during the Occupation.

After the war he married Christine Parker and they settled in his lovely boyhood home of Mont Cochon overlooking the woodland leading down towards St. Aubin’s Bay - a far cry from the roar of King, Street. To the silence of this retreat must he added the shrill joyous voices of Susanne Louise and Katherine Mary, aged 5 ½, Margaret Christine aged 3, and Francis Gerald who celebrated his first birthday on May 1st-- 127 years after his great, great, great grandfather founded the firm.

G. F. or 'Tim' as he is affectionately called, was a sidesman at St. Marks after the war, and in 1 959 he was elected Churchwarden just at the time when the redecoration of the Church and the building of the Church Ball were in the planning stage. Since then he has devoted himself wholeheartedly into all the affairs of the Church in fact lie has been seen shovelling snow off the roof of St. Mark's and mixing cement, laying bricks and building walls at the Vicarage.

Tim is a devoted worshipper and a regular Communicant. He often accompanies his grand- mother --a nonagenarian w hose husband was also Churchwarden of St. Mark. When Francis Gerald was baptised last year nearly a century spanned the font. It can be said that the Voisins are famous from generation to generation

Church and business apart, Tim is a Director and Chairman of West Park Pavillion, a Rotarian, a member of the Jersey Master Bakers and he serves on the Victoria Homes Committee. He has an eve and a flair for figures but he counts as his hobbies, photography, gardening,  badminton, sailing and woodwork.

Postscript:

Sandra commented on this piece: "In the mid seventies my late husband worked in Gaudins Restaurant and used to bring home some of their delicious cream cakes at the end of the day as they could not be kept for the next day. This photo was taken in 1974 or 75 when one of the ladies retired."