Discover Lost Jersey - Part 1

I came across an edition of "Discover Jersey" , a guide book written in 1993 by Terry Palmer - that's 28 years ago. While the basic history remains the same, the tourism sites have seen a massive fall, and I thought it would be interesting to explore this guide - and my memories of those places, if I visited them, over the next weeks. The latter are in italics. How much we've lost!


Discover Lost Jersey - Part 1

Tourism Office

The smart building on the north-west side of Liberation Square holds the Tourist Office but it was originally the station for the Jersey Railway Company which in 1870 started laying a track from here along the coast to St Aubin, perhaps the easiest place in all the Channel Islands to put a railway line. 

In 1884 the owners did the seemingly impossible by pushing the line over the 200 ft contour on its way west. ending first at La Moye and. with a last thrust, reaching La Corbiére in 1899; much of the course of this section of line survives as a pleasant walking route. But even before this final stretch was laid. the several changes in ownership indicated that this was not a highly profitable venture; at one time the line's proprietor was the man who also ran the Guernsey Railway Company. which was doing no better.

The last train from St Helier into St Aubin in the 1936 season arrived on 30 September. It was also the last train the JRC was ever to run as. 18 days later. St Aubin station and much of the rolling stock was destroyed by fire.

I remember when it was there. Since then it moved to a custom building, rather off the beaten track, around the corner, then to the Jersey Museum, and now finally to within Liberation Station, which I think is a good move as when it was in Liberation Square, the bus station was just over the road in plane sight. Incidentally, does anyone remember when the square was first created, the French consul of the day decided to park where they always did, close to the tourism office - and on the newly paved pedestrian area. It caused quite a stir!

Fort Regent

Drive east from Liberation Square and within a minute you’re in the tunnel carved under Mount Bingham, upon which sits Fort Regent. To visit this bastion built to keep Napoleon at bay. you need to drive south and come up Fort Regent Road to the car park, unless it‘s already full. On foot. your best approach is from Snow Hill in the north where elevators offer an alternative to the steep ramp. as the cable car is not operating.

Today this old bastion is the Fort Regent Leisure Centre, capped by a dome 190ft (58m) in diameter. There was considerable local opposition to the conversion, some people referring to it as the Jersey white elephant, but at a cost of around £4,000,000 the project went ahead, giving the island its largest concentration of family entertainment. Throughout the summer season there are live daytime activities, except on Monday; evening entertainment targeted at the entire family; top name performers in the 2,000-seat Gloucester Hall which can double as a sports arena: and a wide range of other attractions. which make the centre a miniature version of an American theme park.

The schedule is subject to change. but you should have a selection which includes The Lillie Langtry Story, The German Bunker. The World of the Sea with its own sharks. Humfrey’s Playland which recalls the forts architect John Hambly Humfrey, a fairground, and much more. The season is Easter to early October.

By this time, the cable cars had stopped. And now it is a bare ghost of its former self. I remember going to various events in the Gloucester Hall - the Jersey Symphony Orchestra summer proms, a song and dance group doing ABBA songs, and even further back, Mike Yarwood at the height of his fame. I also still have an electronic Westminister chimes clock from the Ideal Homes exhibitions which used to take place there. The last time I went to the Fort, of course, was for a vaccination.

Royal Square - Library

Public Library. The library, founded in 1736, is at the western end of Royal Place in a building dating from 1886. The benefactor. the Rev Philip Falle. included a number of 16th-cem books in his bequest,

The new library is actually far better, more accessible and with more books and facilities. Living in St Brelade, I made use of the Les Quennevais Library and never went to the town one, but my ex-wife actually worked there. During the move to the new library, it was discovered that one of the chief librarians had been secretly selling off reserve books (out of print) and I believe may have gone to prison as a result. It only came to light because the checking of reserve stock involved in the move.

Esplanade - Occupation Museum. 

St Helier's Occupation Museum is at 9, the Esplanade; there are other mementos of those grim war years at St Peter's Bunker, the Underground Hospital. Lewis Tower and Kempt Tower on St Ouen‘s Bay, the Strawberry Farm. Elizabeth Castle and the Hougue Bie. but don’t let that deter you from seeing the one in town. Here the theme appeals directly to the visitor from Britain with the question: what might have happened had Hitler invaded the mainland? “It was a near thing!" the museum adds. In addition to the expected displays of small arms, there are remnants of equipment buried for years in tunnels at t Peter. and reminders of how the islanders lived. not knowing at the outset whether liberation would come in their lifetime Original letters and documents add colour to this grim story. but the main exhibit is a video. compiled by Channel Television, of people reliving their experiences under the Nazi jackboot.

Still there in 1998, it had gone by 2018, replaced by One Specs and Flavour Cafe. I remember visiting it with my children when  they were very young.