Edward Le Quesne: Roads and Traffic

Edward Le Quesne (1882-1957) was elected a Deputy for St Helier No 2 district in 1925 and held the seat until he stood successfully for the new office of Senator in 1948. This is an extract from a journal he wrote entitled “50 Years of Memories”, written sometime around 1949.

Here he describes the states of the roads in the early part of the 20th century.

My thanks to Sue Hardy who told me that the steamroller mentioned at the end can be seen at the Pallot Steam Museum, and to Philip Johnson who found a photo, and to Pallot's for keeping our history alive in their wonderful museum. 

http://pallotmuseum.co.uk/  

Roads and Traffic

In the early part of the 20th century vehicular traffic was entirely different from that existing to-day. Motor cars were unknown, and apart from the two railways, all had to rely on horse-drawn vehicles. People residing in the North and West of the Island, in most cases, only came to town of a Saturday and then either in their own vans or box-carts or on the buses, some of which only ran on that day.

These buses often consisted of converted vans on which box-like structures had been super-imposed. Packed like sardines, the “ fares ” huddled in semi darkness, their luggage, apart from what they could carry with them, being placed on top of the van over which was placed a tarpaulin to protect them from the weather.

To St. Martin and Trinity ran a regular daily bus service which normally left from Minden Place and from thence, in one instance to Bouley Bay, and in the other to St. Martin’s Church, from which points, passengers had to complete the distance to their respective homes on the oldest of all means of transport, i.e.. “ Shanks’ Pony ”.

The Railways ran from St. Helier to, in one case St. Aubin and in the other case to Gorey. A little later extensions were made to both Gorey Pier and to the Corbiére.

To the few that could afford it a bicycle was a means of conveyance much appreciated. These, of course, were solid-tyred and to say the least, hardly a comfortable means of travel. Some had two wheels of the same size, others had ‘one large wheel about four feet in diameter and a smaller wheel of twelve to fourteen inches. These were called “ Penny Farthings ”, and were most difficult to ride, for if the front, i.e.. the larger wheel, hit a fairly large stone, over the top of the handle-bars went the unfortunate rider, and a tumble at speed from that height meant very frequently serious bruises.

The roads were far from smooth surfaced. When a road needed resurfacing this was done under the “Corvée” system that then existed, and which was still in use in some of the country parishes until quite recent times. 

Every landed proprietor had to provide his quota of transport to convey cracked stones from the quarries to positions appointed. If he had no vehicle of his own he either had to borrow from his neighbour or pay the Connétable an amount fixed as an equivalent for the service he should have rendered. This normally amounted to one pound, if his due was for a horse and cart for a day.

The stones having been stacked along the roadside, they were then spread by parish workmen and left to be rolled in by passing traffic. To obtain even a moderately smooth surface often required years of use and often previous to that being obtained, the road required resurfacing once more. Somewhat later a steam-roller was introduced. and the main roads made somewhat better, but it was not till the middle of the second decade of the century that roads as we know them today, came into being.