Sunday 27 March 2022

Voisins: A Past Times Snapshot



After my piece on Voisins, a correspondent got in touch to send me some photos they had from their private collection, and I thought it would be interesting (with their permission) to share them with a wider public. They probably date from the early 1980s.

For the history of Voisins, if you haven't read it, see the two blog postings:
There are also a few names missing, and I'll update this page if anyone can fill in the gaps.


Menswear and tailoring










"The main picture of people are Mrs Stebbings ( maybe one b)... Don Hows, menswear buyer, David Journeaux, not sure of the names of the next two men, then Mrs Gain, and Alan Lewis behind the two ladies, and I can't remember the names of the others."



"The two gentlemen in the tailoring dept are Ray Help on the left and Bill Walker on the right."











Stall in Rennes











They went to Rennes every year for buying stock.

Saturday 26 March 2022

Relative Dementias




There is something so unbelievably cruel about senility, about losing facilities, not all at once, but gradually, and even losing that self-awareness of how bad things have become and are becoming. This poem is a journey into those regions of darkness.

Note: this is personal, because of the effect I've seen on relatives and family, but I do not as yet suffer that kind of memory loss.

Relative Dementias

Drifting away, like shards of ice
Melting in the sun: what price
Memory, the recall of past ages?
Now vanishing softly in stages,
Like dew vanishing in the sun,
Until all the olden days are done;
That intelligence, so acute, bright:
Now just fading into the twilight
Of years: the days by the beach
Lost in darkness, as if a breach
In the world, the sand running out
Until there is just a fearful doubt
And a mere glimpse of time lost;
The price of dementia: the cost
Some days good, some rather bad
And awareness goes too, so sad;
As night falls, and a mist arises,
Portent of the coming demises;
Sound of silence: hearing loss
And nodding wisely, a false gloss
To hide the shame, I cannot hear
And that brings despair and fear;
A slow decline and fall like Rome:
The barbarians at gates of home;
A city under siege: enemy outside
And within, the populations slide
Into fatalism, as an end approaches:
No point in rages, or reproaches;
The city reduced to ruins, rubble,
Hiding in basements, in a bubble;
As Rome falls: no shelter left.
And I am not even bereft:
Robbed of every trace of mind,
A sickness that is never kind;
Words fail me, nothing to be said
As I retire, now dying, to my bed.

Friday 25 March 2022

Histories of Jersey Companies: The House of Voisin – Part 2












Histories of Jersey Companies: The House of Voisin – Part 2
By Phyllida Campbell [Jersey Life 1966

The New Frontage

Three-year-old Francis Gerald‘s great-grandfather, Colonel Francis Hazzard Voisin took over the company on the death of his father in I915—a terrible difficult time for him as he was away on active service, and the loyal staff carried on somehow, with infrequent visits from the owner. However, he proved himself an excellent business man, particularly when he acquired the pastry cook and confectionery business of Gaudin‘s at 32 King Street next door, enlarging and extending it and opening a tea room at the back of the shop. This was a very popular idea with the ladies who spent their mornings shopping at Voisin.

Later he acquired the King Street-Don Street corner property for a modern china and glass department, and the triumph of his all too brief reign as head of the firm was the modernisation of this by now very large but old-fashioned shop property. 

A transformation of the whole premises was planned, with the beautiful and unified frontage that can be seen today. There were to be recessed lobby windows in polished Napoleon marble, and handsomely ornamented main entrance, the piers and arches supporting the upper floors faced with a gleaming cream-coloured faience with bases in black. Above, at each end the windows were to be given spacious glass easements and flower-filled window boxes. Inside, the elegant central staircase was to be the first of its kind ever seen in the Island.

Although like his forebears Colonel Voisin worked almost to the end of his life, he died in April 1933, a few months before the completion of his great undertaking.

A Family Tragedy

The Colonel‘s younger son, Major Gerald Hazzard Voisin (father of the present owner), served like his father in the Royal Jersey Militia and went to France with the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. On demobilization in 1919 he joined his father in the business. He took over on his father‘s death and just three months later the new shop front was completed. It was a great triumph, the most stylish and modern building in the street, and how he wished his father had lived to see it.

More improvement, and business flourished, then came the centenary celebrations of April 15th, 1937. There was a wonderful party which many of the staff recall vividly today, well wishers cabled congratulations from all over the world and a beautiful brochure called Through Six Reign: was printed by Bigwoods and circulated to friends and customers.

In it were photographs of the entire hierarchy, from the founder Francis to the then proprietor, Major Gerald and the strong family likeness was particularly noticeable.

Most islanders of middle age will remember the tragic air disaster at St. Peter’s just before the war, when amongst those killed were Major and Mrs. Voisin. The elder brother, Colonel Francis Ogier Voisin, immediately resigned his commission and rushed back to Jersey to take over, but war broke out soon afterwards and he had to return to his regiment.

The Occupation and Afterwards

Several members on Voisin‘s staff today could pick up the tale from there. Mr. John Arthur, a handsome and upright man who has served the Company for four generations, is one. ‘None of us will ever forget that dreadful day’ he says. ‘We last saw the Major walking round the shop on his usual tour of inspection. A few hours later we heard the news and felt we had lost our greatest friend.

‘The Occupation? Well we really ran ourselves, with the late Mr. Mauger doing a fine job as manager. We were open two days a week, and we got our stock somehow, people made articles for us and brought their own goods in for us to sell. Money? Really we hadn’t any after a while, but after the Liberation our suppliers in England and elsewhere were astonished when we managed to pay all the pre-Occupation accounts that most of them had written off, and we did it quickly. That helped tremendously. They stood by us, helped us to re-stock and in five years we were back to normal.

‘My most vivid memories of the past 54 years? There was the wonderful party for the centenary celebrations in 1937, the horror of the air crash not so long afterwards, and then I think perhaps the joy we all felt when Mr, ‘Tim’ Voisin’s little son was born three years ago. We all dashed into Gaudin’s and how the champagne corks popped’l

The Liberation until Today [1966]

The war over, Colonel Voisin returned to Jersey and took charge of the firm until his retirement in 1957, his late brother’s son, young Mr. Gerald Francis, better known as ‘Tim’ joining him in 1946, and now the man at the helm, with Mr. S. E. Lee who has been on the staff twenty years and joined the Company after the Occupation, as his general manager.

As everyone knows, tremendous alterations and expansions have taken place in the 19 years Mr. Tim has been with the Company. ‘Owing to the partages in Jersey law’ he said, ‘we lost a lot of property my ancestors acquired, but now that we have re-acquired a building in New Street and the area behind, everything is under one umbrella as it were, and the last alterations were completed 12 months ago’.

The men’s wear department has an impressive ‘new look'. Beautifully laid out, it has a great feeling of space and all the famous names in men’s wear are represented. The transfer of the carpets and soft furnishings to the upper floor is a fine innovation, the wide staircase and whole area carpeted in green, the huge broad looms on modern fitments that turn at a touch of the finger. The china and glassware area can now be entered from the main shopping area. Although it is no longer possible to buy an entire tea set for half-a-crown as in the days of Voisin in 1863, the beautiful china of Josiah Wedgwood and Sons for whom the Company was appointed sole agent in 1884, is on display now as it was 80 years ago.

Old Ovens Bake on

Though space does not permit a description of the many departments in this large emporium, there is some interesting contemporary history behind the scenes in Gaudin’s, where in the bakehouse, alongside the gleaming ultra-modern equipment, two 50-year-old ovens, large, black and solid, now converted to gas, still cook scones and pastries to a turn as they did at the beginning of the century.

What would the early Victorian founder have thought o£ the small salon upstairs, with its crimson carpet, French décor and dainty Florentine brass chairs, reserved for frequent mannequin parades and dress shows? Would he turn in his grave at the sight of pretty girls gliding down the cat walk, sometimes in miniskirts or even an ensemble of Op-art design, while soft music plays and Mrs. Fair gives an informative running commentary?

His descendant thinks not. Indeed, if he could appear in the flesh he might easily remark ‘Splendid. you are carrying on the tradition of a family firm with a progressive outlook’. No doubt he would also be happy to know that the family home, first occupied by the earliest Voisin who settled in Jersey from France in 1720, is still owned by the present Mr. Voisin and occupied by members of his family.

Saturday 19 March 2022

The Dark and the Light




















A rather grim poem, occasioned in part by the video of all the prams representing all the children killed in the conflict in Ukraine. To achieve his objective, Putin will slaughter anyone, even children, just as King Herod did in the bible story, and just as full of a fanaticism fuelled by fear that he may lose. His language, saying that Russia is now united as never before, smacks of Orwell's critique in 1984 of how language could be misused by the party, and by "Big Brother". And just as Orwell's distopia revealed, this is a Russia ruled by fear, where even the slightest protest meets with arrest and imprisonment, and probably will not stop there. As the Salisbury poisonings demonstrated, there are no ethical boundaries that he will not cross.


The Dark and the Light

The Dark: a damp cellar under ground
No heat or light, not much of a hiding place
Where one can hear the incessant sound
Of bombs falling, exploding, making space

The Light: dawning ruins of broken flats
Rubble, and the silence of the dead
Among brick fragments, scavenge rats
Remains of a great city filled with dread

Unity is strength: madman addresses crowds
A rallying cry to victory by exploding shell
While young and old await their shrouds
And the madman creates on earth a hell

The conflict of our time: darkness and light
Massacre of the innocent, madman’s delight

Friday 18 March 2022

Network DVD - Lists of Subtitled and Non-Subtitled DVDs

For those who are deaf, and need subtitles, here is a list of current Network DVDs with subtitles and without subtitles. There is no easy mechanism to search their site, and this saves hours of time spent looking at DVDs and having to click, page down, only to be disappointed.

One of the ironies is that repeats on satellite channels (e.g. The Bill, The Professionals) often have subtitles while the DVDs don't! 

I'll be adding to it regularly. 

Log:

18/03/2022: TV Shows A, 18/03/2022: TV Shows B

https://networkonair.com/

Subtitles

Against the Law
7-63 Up
63 Up
All Passion Spent: The Complete Series
Agatha Christie Hour (The): The Complete Series

Birds of a Feather: The Complete ITV Series 1
Birds of a Feather: The Complete ITV Series 1 to 3
Birds of a Feather: The Complete ITV Series 3
Blue Money

Great Continental Railway Journeys: Series 1 - 2
Holy Flying Circus
_______________________________________________________________________________

No Subtitles


56 Up
7-49 Up
After Henry: The Complete Series
Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel: The Complete Series
Adventures of Sir Lancelot: The Complete Series
Adventures of Rupert Bear
Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (The): The Complete Series
Adventures of Robin Hood (The): The Complete Series
Adventurer (The): The Complete Series
An Audience with Dudley Moore
An Audience With Jasper Carrott: The Complete Series
An Audience With Kenneth Williams: Special Edition
An Audience With Peter Ustinov
An Audience With Victoria Wood: Special Edition
An Audience With Joan Rivers
All in Good Faith: The Complete Series 1
All in Good Faith: The Complete Series 2
A.J. Wentworth, B.A.: The Complete Series
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery
Animals of Farthing Wood (The): The Complete Series
And Mother Makes Three/Five: The Complete Series
Antony and Cleopatra
Armchair Theatre: Volume 1
Armchair Theatre: Volume 2
Armchair Theatre: Volume 3
Armchair Theatre: Volume 4
Armchair Theatre Archive: Volume 1
Armchair Theatre Archive: Volume 2
Armchair Theatre Archive: Volume 3
Anyone for Denis?
Armchair Thriller: Complete Series (The)
Army Game Collection (The)
Arthur Haynes Show (The): Volume 2
Arthur Haynes Show (The): Volume 3
Arthur Haynes Show (The): Volume 4
Arthur Haynes Show (The): Volume 5
Arthur Haynes Show (The): Volume 6
Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers: The Complete Series
Arthur C Clarke's Mysterious World
Arthur of the Britons: The Complete Series
At Home With the Braithwaites: The Complete Series
Astronauts: The Complete Series

Band of Gold: The Complete Series
Barbara: The Complete Series
Baron (The): The Complete Series
Beadle's About: The Complete Series 1 
Beadle's About: The Complete Series 2
Beast: The Complete Series
Beasts: The Complete Series
Beat the Carrott
Beiderbecke Trilogy: The Complete Series
Belle et Sebastian: The Complete Series 1
Benny Hill: The Benny Hill Annuals 1970-79
Benny Hill: The Benny Hill Annuals 1980-89
Best of Baywatch
Best of Benny Hill (The)
Bill Bryson - Notes from a Small Island: The Complete Series
Bill (The): The Complete Series 1-3
Bill (The): Volumes 1-8
Billy Liar: The Complete Series
Birds of a Feather: Christmas Specials
Birds of a Feather: The Christmas Collection
Birds of a Feather: The Collection
Birds of a Feather: The Complete Series 2
Birds of a Feather: The Complete Series 3
Birds of a Feather: The Complete Series 5
Birds of a Feather: The Complete Series 6
Birds of a Feather: The Complete Series 9
Bit of a Do (A): The Complete Series
Bless Me Father: The Complete Series
Body (The)
Bond Street
Boon: The Complete Series
Bounder (The): The Complete Series
Brass: The Complete Series
Brontes of Haworth (The): The Complete Series
Bruce Forsyth Show (The)
Buccaneers (The): The Complete Series
Budgie: The Complete Series
Bulman: The Complete Series
Burnside: The Complete Series

Histories of Jersey Companies: The House of Voisin – Part 1













Histories of Jersey Companies: The House of Voisin – Part 1
By Phyllida Campbell [Jersey Life 1966]

THE DATE WAS April 15th, 1837. Written at the top of the first page of a new cash book in neat copper-plate, opposite the figures £17.9.2d. were the words ‘First Day‘s Sales'. The hand-writing was that of twenty-one-year-old Francis Voisin who, a hundred and twenty-nine years ago, greatly daring, opened a little draper’s shop at 26 King Street, next door to an already established business of the same kind, known as ‘The Emporium’.

Seventeen pounds must have seemed a lot of money for such a small place in those days, and friends, customers and the curious public had been coming in and out all day. Perhaps his courageous advertisement in the Chroniques de Jersey (the daily of those days) had something to do with it. He had informed the public that he was on that day opening his shop in King Street with ‘a great assortment at the lowest prices, of drapery, haberdashery, silks, hosiery, gloves, etc., which have just arrived from the London Markets’. He added optimistically that he had a vacancy for ‘a respectable young man’ as apprentice. This original cash book is treasured by Voisin and Company to this day.

Francis Voisin was the great-great-grandfather of Mr. G. F. (‘Tim’) Voisin, the present proprietor, who through his ancestor’s early enterprise finds himself controlling a huge emporium covering a large stretch of King Street and the flanking areas of New Street and Don Street. He is also fortunate in that several of the firms he deals with started business with his great-great-grandfather and have been supplying the House of Voisin ever since. Among these are the Witney people (Charles Early & Marriott Ltd.), James Templeton the carpet weavers, Thomas Webb & Sons the glass manufacturers, the celebrated china firm of Josiah Wedgwood, George Smith and Sons the furriers and Bartrum Harvey the woollen cloth manufacturers. The Sun Fire Insurance and the Globe insurance companies took care of the firm almost from the beginning, and Voisin’s account number with the Midland Bank is still the same as when the account was first opened on February 20th, 1851. Cheque forms were not issued until 1861, so those early cheques were written upon flimsy paper, and like the cash books, carefully preserved today.

Jersey’s Greatest Traveller

Soon to be known as the most widely travelled Jerseyman of his day, early Victorian Francis Voisin believed in keeping up to date and regarded the world as his market. Astonishing to learn that in 1844 he went from Jersey to Granville en route for Paris at a cost of nine francs and in two—and-a-half hours, a faster time than often taken today. 

On another occasion, this time via St. Malo, his itinerary covered Rennes, Nantes, St. Etienne, Lyons, Geneva and Martigny, where he took a brief rest from business, climbing the St. Bernard Pass. On to Berne, Alsace, Mannheim and the ancient city of Coblencc, and later to England, Ireland and Scotland. As he went he collected silks, laces and household linen in great variety.

Soon the markets of Europe did not seem large enough and he visited Asia seeking Oriental silks and even attended the great fair at Njini-Novgorod to buy fine furs. Transport was of many kinds, horse, steamer, sail and sometimes for long distances his own two feet. The United States sounded a progressive country, so he did an intensive tour there, studying business methods as he went. All this must have been to good effect because in 1857 the unfortunate ‘Emporium’ next door gave up the unequal struggle, went into liquidation and he was able to acquire the property with an eye to future development.

At this stage Mr. Charles Bisson, a trusted employee (perhaps, who knows, that ‘respectable young apprentice of 1837?) was taken into partnership to leave the owner more freedom for his business journeys abroad. He retired after twenty years when the company reverted to sole ownership, but in the meantime there was much expansion of business. Francis Voisin retired from active business during his latter years, leaving his sons in charge, and took his place in public affairs. At one period he was Constable of St. Helier, and he died, full of years and wisdom in 1894. .

He had brought his sons up the way they should go, and after his death Francis Bishop and Emile Adolphus carried on a successful partnership with brother John in charge of the tailoring department. 

Another property was acquired, another department opened ‘especially to attract tourists from France, until in 1888, Emile‘s health was failing, and his brother bought him out and became sole proprietor. Some rather leaner years followed as a large slice of capital had thus been removed from the firm, but when the intensely hard-working Francis Bishop died in 1915, the firm was more prosperous than ever and high in esteem as it is today.

Long Service Tradition

Today with the many different facets of the business, including the largest men's wear department in the south of Britain, a flourishing restaurant and a staff of about 220 on the payroll, the present Mr. Voisin has little time to travel. ‘I can’t be the rover that my ancestor was' he said. ‘I go to Switzerland occasionally—the Swiss confectionery department in Gaudin’s is rather a favourite of mine—and I send my buyers to France and England. Of course, there isn‘t the same necessity to travel today as we have our agents in most parts of the world.

‘One rather surprising thing is that we have one or two members on the staff who were working for Voisin before my great-grandfather, the hard-working Francis Bishop, died. There’s Mr. Young of the bedding department, he’s been with us since 1914, and Mr. John Arthur our floor manager, came to us from school at about the same time—when I say ‘us' of course I wasn’t born then. We have two brothers, Mr. Clarry Bisson of the china department and Mr. Reg Bisson our carpet adviser who number 110 years on the staff between them. Mr. Osmont, one of our drivers first clocked in 48 years ago, and so did Mr. Lillycrap who works in the bakehouse. Mr. Benest in the bakehouse too, dates back to 1918, and Mr. Besbirel, our hardware buyer is another old-timer’.

With this tremendous tradition of family and staff continuity, it would seem unthinkable that anyone but a Voisin should inherit the business. The present owner has a son, Francis Gerald aged three, together with three sisters, and is as yet rather young to give his views on his future.

Saturday 12 March 2022

Reflections on Love















Dedicated to Pat, a rondelle reflecting on love.

Reflections on Love

A kiss is always sweet as wine
Setting on love, the lips as seal
And making contact just so real
O my beloved, you are mine

Love is radiant, a light to shine
As if the bells in joy did peal
A kiss is always sweet as wine
Setting on love, the lips as seal

Love is tapestry, threads entwine
In pain, love comes so dear to heal
That blessed embrace that we feel
Here is a reflection of the divine
A kiss is always sweet as wine


Friday 11 March 2022

The Stafford Hotel, Jersey: Past Glories




From the web page:

"The Stafford is a 2 STAR BUDGET hotel in Jersey, just a short walk from St Helier town centre, main seafront, the ferry port and the financial district. Over the past generations the Doran family have been involved in the ownership and running of classic and elegant hotels with the Revere Hotel and Belleck Castle. In 2008 the family expanded the portfolio of hotels to include the Stafford Hotel, which apart from being next door to the Revere offered a wider client base and allowed the family to offer top quality hospitality to many more guests."

And in the news, December 2021:

"ANDIUM Homes has purchased the Mayfair, Stafford and Revere Hotels to develop hundreds of properties."

But back in the past, in 1954, it was still a going concern.




















And now I have obtained a brochure from even earlier. Alas, it is undated, but it does have planes landing on St Aubin's beach, so that might help date it. In the meantime, enjoy a trip to a pre-war time when tourism was still somewhat in its infancy before the post-war boom.































Saturday 5 March 2022

Blitzkrieg














The traditional meaning of blitzkrieg is that of German tactical and operational methodology in the first half of the Second World War, that is often hailed as a new method of warfare. The word, meaning "lightning war" or "lightning attack" in its strategic sense describes a series of quick and decisive short battles to deliver a knockout blow to an enemy state before it could fully mobilize. Tactically, blitzkrieg is a coordinated military effort by tanks, motorized infantry, artillery and aircraft, to create an overwhelming local superiority in combat power, to defeat the opponent and break through its defences.


Blitzkrieg

So it comes, the roar of the planes
The whistling high pitched sound
Of bombs falling, such deadly rains
And blood and fire upon the ground

This is relentless: a darkling night
Terror as buildings fall like cards
Wreckage, ruins, greet the sight
As cities turned into boneyards

Armies advance, shells and tanks
Anyone a target on these streets
Dead: even children join these ranks
Invasion relentless despite defeats

Nineteen thirty-nine: the blitz rained down
Now Russia claims the Third Reich’s Crown

Friday 4 March 2022

Victoria College: The Register 1859













Notes on Transcription

This is a transcript from the old Victoria College register book. It has been made using a combination of OCR and corrections by hand - a lot were needed as the print of the book is an old style which does not readily convert with good accuracy. I have expanded some of the abbreviations.

This register was collated in book form by the writer (E.C. Cooper) contacting as many Old Victorians as he could and getting information as to their whereabouts, whether they had died (the book was published shortly after 1956), and their careers. Sometimes it is very sparse, sometimes, we have almost a "Who's Who" record of where they went and what they did.

ENTRANCES JANUARY 1859

538. STARKEY, ESSEX. Son of Digby Starkey, 68 Harcourt Street,Dublin. Brother of 609.

539. JEWELL, MOSES. Son of S. Jewell, Gloucester Street.

540. ROCK. EDWARD D. Son of J. Rock, 53 David Plane.

541. OZOUF, JOHN. Son of A. Ozouf, Augrés, Trinity.

542. HALL, LOUIS H. Son of Rev. G. Hall, Marine Terrace.

543. OGDEN, JOHN EDWIN:  Son of A. Ogden, Bagot.

544. BISSON. ADOLPHUS. Son of J. Bisson, Bellevue Lodge, St. John’s Road.

545. HORE, EDWARD. Son of Capt. Hore, R.N., Gorey.

546. JOHNSTONE. SOMERSET JAMES. Son of General Johnstone, Upper King‘s Cliff. Brother of 547. Entered Royal Navy. Lt. 1871. Gained Order of Double Dragon, China, and 4th Class Order of Osmanich. Marine Director of Egyptian Coastguard at Alexandria.

547. JOHNSTONE, MONTAGUE GEORGE. Brother of 546. Left 1862. Entered the Army (2nd Dragoons) Captain 1878. On Vice-Regal Staff in Ireland 1880. On Special Service under Sir C. Warren in Bechuanaland 1884. Major 1888. - Retired 1893. Major 4th Scottish Rifles 1896. Served with them in S. Africa 1900-1, gaining D.S.O. Lt.-Col. and Hon. Col. 3rd K.O.Y.L.I.. in Mediterranean 1902. Member of the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland. J.P. for Fifeshire. Resided at Cupar.

54S. BLYTH, SIDNEY BECKWITH. Son of E. Blyth, St. Saviour’s‘ Creseent. Entered the Army (23rd Foot). Lt.-Col. R. Welsh Fusiliers 1891. Retired 1895.

549. DU VERNET. CHARLES NORTH. Brother of 489

550. CLARK, CHARLES. Son of F. C. Clark, 18 Commercial Buildings

551. HAVERFIELD, HENRY. Son of G. Haverfield, 10 Queen’s Road.

552. DEALTRY, HUGH. Son of W. Dealtry of the Colonial Office. Entered the Army.

553. BURSLEM, ROLLO. Son of Major Burslem, Newbury, Berks.

554. DIXON,?

ENTRANCES SECOND TERM 1859.

555. HARDY, JOHN E. E. Son of J. Hardy, Troopers Yard.

556. STEVENS, EDWIN H. Son of J. G. Stevens, Beresford Street. Brother of 270 (?)

557. CRIME, GEOFFREY H. Brother of 535.

558. MOURANT, PHILIP LE SUEUR. Son of P. J. Mourant, Brookmill, St. Saviour‘s.

559. TRACHY, GEORGE ALPHONSE. Son of G. Trachy, Millbrook House, St. Aubin’s Road.

560. BECHER, HERBERT E., Son of Rev. J. Becker, 1 Waverley Terrace. Entered Sandhurst.

561. HAYLEY. CHARLES PICKERING. Brother of 49. In business in Liverpool, and then became a. planter and merchant in Ceylon. Address Glen Eyre, Bassett, Southampton.

562. HOWS, JOHN A. Son of Mrs. Hows, Longueville. Left same year, and went to New Zealand. Sheepfarmer at Whartgaron, Bay of Islands, N12.

563. FLETCHER, THOMAS. Son of E. Fletcher, Phoenix Place.

564. GODFRAY, EDMUND. Brother of 502. Left 1861. Foundation Scholar of Emmanuel College Comb. 8th Wrangler 1869. Fellow Corpus Christi College Comb. Ordained. Curate at St. Mary, Bury St. Edmund 1870—2, Ickham 1873, Westcott 1874, Wyton 1875, St. John's Upper Holloway 1876—80, Granchester 1880—2. Vicar of Granchester 1882—1898. Rector of Fulmodestone with Croxton (Norfolk) 1898.

ENTRANCES THIRD TERM 1859.

565. SMITH, J. G. SAVILL. Son of J. G. Smith, St. Saviour’s Road. Brother of 566.

566. SMITH, E. MAITLAND. Brother of 565.

567. O'SULLIVAN, EUGENE OVERBECK. Son of Captain O’Sullivan, 1 Walmer Place. Brother of 816. Entered Woolwich. Lt. R.A. 1871. Major 1886. Passed Staff College 1887. Brigade Major School of Gunnery Shoeburyness 1889. Retired as Lt.-Col. 1895.

568. KENNEDY, CHARLES A. Son of Col. Kennedy, Bella Rocco, Rouge Bouillon. Brother of 569. Held a commission in Royal Marines.

569. KENNEDY, W. JOSHUA. Brother of 568.

570. ARNOLD, EUGENE J. Deceased.

571. DE VOS, FRANCOIS POLYDORE. Son of P. De Vos, Stopford Terrace. Brother of 766, 881. Gained Mod. Lang. Medal. Deceased.

572. MACREIGHT, CHARLES W. Son of D. MacReight, Five Oaks. Brother of 4, 317. (?)

573. BURNELL, THOMAS. Son of ?Burnell, 10 Queen’s Road.

574. LE CRAS, JOHN. Son of Mrs. Le Cras, Charing Cross.

575. LAUREL, DIGBY. Son of Major Laurel, Douro Terrace. Deceased.

576. COWELL, THOMAS. Son of J. Cowell, Temple Crescent. Entered Sandhust

577. SHUTTLEWORTH, JOHN. Son of S. Shuttloworth, Brook Hall, Trinity.

578. HAY, WILLIAM. Son of J. Hay, St. Mark’s House.

579. BROUGH, RICHARD ROBERT LA TOUCHE. Son of R. Brough, Plaisance Terrace.

580. CARREL, WILLIAM G. Son of W. Carrel, 13 Le. Motte Street. Gained French Medal. Scholar of St. Catherine’s College Cambridge, Junior Opt. Schoolmaster in S. Africa. Deceased

581. PIROUET, JOHN GIFFARD. Son of Captain Pirouet, Regent Villa. Deceased.

582. SMITH, CHARLES MITCHELL. Son of Rev. J. Smith, 2 Upper King‘s Cliff. Entered Woolwich. Lt.-Col. RA. 1891. Bt. Col. 1895. Retired 1897.

583. NEWLAND, WILLIAM. Son of J. Newland, St. Clement's.

5S4. HAGERMANN, WILLIAM. Brother of 171, 659.

585. ROSS, EDWARD AMAURY. Brother of 365(?). Gained Halford and Mod. Lang. Models.

586. AHIER, JOHN. Son of C. Ahier, 5 Lempriére Street. Brother 630 ?)

5S7. RANDALL, JOHN. Brother of 94, 806.

588. NICOLLE, CHARLES. Son of P. Nicolle, 1 Edward Place.

689. JACKSON, JOHN J AMES. Son of J. Jackson, Stopford House. Deceased.

590. BELAND, FREDERICK EDWARD. Son of T. Ireland, Dublin.

591. LE COUTEUR, PHILIP. Son of E. Le Couteur, Beresford Street.

592. MORRISH, WILLIAM. Son of Captain Morrish, Longueville Court.

593. ALEXANDER, CHARLES. Son of — Alexander, Val de la Mare, St. Peter’s. Brother of 594.

594. ALEXANDER, FRANCIS. Brother of 593.

595. BISSON, PHILIP N. Son of ? Bisson, Parade.

596. BELL, ALEXANDER. Son of W. Bell, Catsfield, Fareham, Heats. Gained Class. Medal. Entered Woolwich.

597. McDERMOTT, OWEN. Son of Mrs. McDermott, 40 La Motte St.

598. MARRYAT, HERBERT. Son of G. Marryat, Mapperton Manor House, Dorset.

599. ROWLEY, WILLIAM c/o Mrs. Conolly, Castledown, Selbridge, County Clare.

ENTRANCES FOURTH TERM 1859.

600. MORTLOCK, JOSEPH. Son of — Mortlock, Tranquille House, St. Saviour's Road.

601. NASH, ALEXANDER. Son of Mrs. Nash, 39 Belmont; Road.

602. BURKE, THOMAS. Son of Mrs. Burke, Albert Square.

603. LE SUEUR, GEORGE. Son of P. Le Sueur, 17 David Place.

604. MAUGER, HERBERT CODDINGTON (later Major). Son of J. M. Mauger, 35 New Street. Brother of 605, 872, 1162. Left 1867. Became a doctor. M.B. (Edin.) 1871, MD. (Thesis Gold Medal) 1875. Consulting Physician Bradford R. Infirmary. Medical Supt. to W. Riding Asylum, Wakefield. Lecture: on Mental Diseases, Leeds School of Medicine. Lived in Jersey after retiring. Founded the Major Science Prizes.

605. MAUGER, EDWARD MARCUS. Brother of 604, 862. Deceased.

606. LANGLOIS, HELIER. Son of Captain Langlois, Aubin Place, Plaisance.

607. BRICE, ALFRED. Son of Mrs. Brice, 19 St. John's Road. Brother of 608.

608. BRICE, HENRY. Brother of 607.

609. STARKEY, EDGEWORTH’. Brother of 538.

610. LE GALLAIS, EDMUND M. Son of M. Le Gallais, Mont-a-l’Abbé.

611. LEESON, FRANCIS. Son of Mrs. Leeson, 9 Victoria Crescent. Scholar of Downing College, Cambridge.

612. LARBALESTIER, CHARLES THOMAS. Son of Captain Larbalestier, l Lempriére Street. Brother of 750. Left 1864. Deceased.

613. PYE, RANDALL. Son of Kellow Pye, Wimbledon.

614. STEELE, CHARLES EDWARD. Son of J. Steele, Claremont Place Brother of 850, 882(?). Uncovenanted Civil Service of India. Retired on Special pension.

615. SEYMOUR, FFRANCIS. Son of Mrs. Seymour, 18 Belmont Road. Brother of 616.

616. SEYMOUR, ALEXANDER. Brother of 615.

617. PEREIRA, HENRY HORACE. Son of J. Pereira, Hillside, St. Saviour‘s. Left 1862. Trinity College Dublin BA. 1869, DD. 1904. Theological Prizeman, and Prizeman in Hebrew and Modern Languages. Ordained. Curate Eston, Yorks 1869—71, Longstock, Hunts 1871—2, H. Trinity, Southampton 1872—4. Warden of Wilberforce Memorial Mission, S. London 1874—6. Rector St. Lawrence with St. John. Southampton 1876—90. Rector Chibolton, Hants 1890—4. Vicar Croydon 1894—1904. Rural Dean. Hon. Chaplain to Queen Victoria and. King Edward. Bishop of Croydon 1904. Rector of All Hallows, Lombard Street. Hon. Canon Canterbury. Proctor- in Convocation for Diocese of Canterbury.'

618. HULTON, EVERARD. Son of F. HULTON, 40, Belmont Road.

Thursday 3 March 2022

Some notes on Population, Immigration and Economy

Here are some gleanings from articles on population, immigration and economy, gleaned from the internet - references are given.

These are notes collated in the context of research. It has often been said that a falling population will mean a falling economy (as said by Sir Mark Boleat, for example, and which I referenced in a previous blog post). In fact, as these extracts show, that is a rather simplistic equation, which does not in fact hold true.

Steven A. Camarota on Population Growth and Economy

It is often assumed that a larger population almost always results in a larger aggregate economy. More workers, more consumers, and more government spending will make for a larger GDP. But the standard of living in a country is determined by per capita (i.e., per person) GDP, not the overall size of the economy. If all that mattered were the aggregate size of the economy, then a country like India would be considered vastly richer than a country like Sweden because it has a much larger economy. In reality, per capita GDP determines a country's standard of living.

It is worth adding that arguments for more population growth may be heard more sympathetically by many Americans who think of slow population growth or population decline as inherently undesirable because it is often associated with cities where problems like crime, chronic unemployment, and poor public services are pronounced (e.g. Detroit). But in such places the falloff in population is a symptom of social problems, as people fled the city; it is not the cause of the problems.

The chief justification for advocates who want to spur population growth, including through increased immigration, is that doing so is vital to maintaining robust economic growth. In truth, there is no clear link between the two. More people will generally make for a larger economy, but it is per capita GDP, not aggregate GDP, that determines the standard of living in the country.

https://cis.org/Camarota/There-No-Evidence-Population-Growth-Drives-Capita-Economic-Growth-Developed-Economies

Joseph Chamie, former director of the population division of the United Nations, on Ponzi Demography.

According to Ponzi demography, population growth — through natural increase and immigration — means more people leading to increased demands for goods and services, more material consumption, more borrowing, more on credit and of course more profits. Everything seems fantastic for a while — but like all Ponzi schemes, Ponzi demography is unsustainable.

When the bubble eventually bursts and the economy sours, the scheme spirals downward with higher unemployment, depressed wages, falling incomes, more people sinking into debt, more homeless families — and more men, women and children on public assistance.

Among its primary tactics, Ponzi demography exploits the fear of population decline and aging. Without a young and growing population, we are forewarned of becoming a nation facing financial ruin and a loss of national power.

Due to population aging, government-run pensions and healthcare systems will become increasingly insolvent, according to advocates of Ponzi demography, thereby crippling the economy, undermining societal well-being and threatening national security.

In addition to measures to increase fertility levels, Ponzi demography also turns to immigration for additional population growth in order to boost companies’ profits. The standard slogan in this instance is "the country urgently needs increased immigration," even when immigration may already be at record levels and unemployment rates are high.

Among other things, increased immigration, it is declared, is a matter of national security, long-term prosperity and international competitiveness. Without this needed immigration, Ponzi demography warns that the country's future is at serious risk.

Another basic tactic of Ponzi demography is a pervasive and unrelenting public relations campaign promoting the advantages and necessity of an increasing population for continued economic growth. Every effort is made to equate population growth with economic prosperity and national progress.

Despite its snake-oil allure of "more is better," Ponzi demography's advocacy for ever-increasing population growth is ultimately unsustainable. Such persistent growth hampers efforts to improve the quality of life for today's world population of nearly seven billion people as well as for future generations.

Moving gradually towards population stabilization, while not a panacea for the world's problems, will make it far easier to address problems such as climate change, environmental degradation, poverty and development, human rights abuses and shortages of water, food and critical natural resources.

https://www.theglobalist.com/is-population-growth-a-ponzi-scheme/

Jeff McMahon on Population Pyramid Schemes

The world economy is based on ever-increasing population, said Nobel laureate Steven Chu, a scheme that economists don't talk about and that governments won't face, a scheme that makes sustainability impossible and that is likely to eventually fail.

"The world needs a new model of how to generate a rising standard of living that’s not dependent on a pyramid scheme," Chu said at the University of Chicago..

"Increased economic prosperity and all economic models supported by governments and global competitors are based on having more young people, workers, than older people," Chu said. "Two schemes come to mind. One is the pyramid scheme. The other is the Ponzi scheme. I’m not going to explain them both to you, you can look it up. But it’s based on growth, in various forms."

For example, healthy young workers pay the health care costs for aging workers and retirees, the former energy secretary said, a scheme that requires increasing numbers of young workers. And economic growth requires more and more people to buy more and more stuff, with dire environmental consequences.

There are at least two problems with that: "Depending on a pyramid scheme or a Ponzi scheme, there’s no such thing as sustainability," Chu said. As standards of living increase, population growth declines. So if the economy succeeds in raising standards of living, it undermines itself.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2019/04/05/the-world-economy-is-a-pyramid-scheme-steven-chu-says

David R. Francis on Population and Older Citizens

Growth, whether through immigration or natural increase, is a plus for some groups. For business, it means a boost in the demand for products. It also means a surge in low- and high-skilled workers, which can keep a lid on wage pressures.

But the public pays a cost for a bigger population.

Mr. Chamie speaks of more congestion on highways, more farmland turned into housing developments, more environmental damage, including the output of pollutants associated with climate change.

Of course, there are also costs for countries with stable or declining populations.

They will need to spend more looking after older citizens and, yes, some industries like housing will shrink. But governments won’t have to spend as much on children. And any labor shortage would fade if increasingly healthy older people worked an extra year or two before retiring to maintain their standard of living.

Raising the average retirement age does far more to increase the working population than increasing immigration levels, says Steven Camarota, research director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank opposed to high immigration. Industrial nations with large service industries have plenty of employment opportunities for seniors, as opposed to poor countries where many jobs – say, planting rice or other crops – are hard work.

The goal should be gradual population stabilization, Chamie says. The costs of an aging but stable population would be more manageable than those of a population boom.

https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2009/0817/economic-scene-is-population-growth-a-ponzi-scheme

Quentin Dempster on the Hidden Costs of Population Growth

It has come because they acknowledge quality of life is declining, major cities are increasingly gridlocked, housing is unaffordable, there is a discernible degree of mortgage stress and infrastructure, particularly public transport, is inadequate. The population growth debate was provoked by former PM Kevin Rudd's faux pas that he favoured a 'big Australia'. The debate exposed a very real concern that, if allowed to continue at present levels to the projected 36 million people by 2050, population growth will only exacerbate these adverse conditions.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-08-05/population-sustainability-and-the-ponzi-demography/933620