Peter Le Lievre – Unsung Local Artist
Nestled at the bottom of lower Hauteville you wil find a rather unassuming blue plaque dedicated to local artist Peter Le Lievre. He was one of Guernsey’s best artist and probably one of the most unknown outside of his native island of Guernsey.
Hugoids – Some Victor Hugo Factoids
Victor Hugo is well known locally as a world renowned literaty genuis and for his exile from his beloved France spent in his second home, Guernsey. However we’ve gathered together some rather less known factoids – or Hugoids as we like to call them.
The Silver Mines of Sark – A Short History
OVER the generations Sark has received her fair share of invaders. In 1834 250 Cornish miners ‘invaded’, brought over to open new Silver Mine shafts.
Jersey Legends & Folklore
Both Guernsey and Jersey folklore is full of stories of witches and ghosts. But in Jersey in the 18th and 19th century’s ‘witch balls’ entered the popular folklore of the time.
George Métivier – Guernsey’s national poet
Have you ever heard of Guernseyman George Métivier? Well if you haven’t then you might like to know that he’s been described as “Guernsey’s Robert Burns” by no less than Victor Hugo himself, and even considered the island’s national poet!
Beating the Bankers at their Own Game – the Guernsey Way
In 1815 Guernsey was a desperate place. Impoverished and poor. BUT she had at that time among their leaders some honest men of keen intellect, who were willing to put forward some revolutionary suggestions and to embark upon a monetary experiment that transformed the community into an active prosperous and happy place to be in a very short time.
Guernsey Legends – The Devil and the Schoolmaster
One of Guernsey’s more intriguing legends because it is about the appearance of the Devil to, of all people, a schoolmaster.
Guernsey on the Map – The First and Oldest Post Box in the British Isles
Guernsey is a major landmark on the philatelic map – The Island has one of the first and certainly the oldest post box in all the British Isles
The Meaning of Some Guernsey Surnames
There’s a rich variety of traditional Guernsey surnames. Surnames that have been in the island for generations and with which we are all very familiar but may never have given any thought as to what they might actually mean. In this article we look st some of them.
Alderney’s War
The atrocities committed by the Germans during World War II weren’t limited to mainland Europe and the notorious concentration camps. Sadly the Channel Islands had it’s very own death camps, administered and run by the Nazi Organisation Todt
Brush up on your Patois – Guernsey French Phrases
Brush up on your Patois with Guernsey French Phrases … or learn to sing Sarnia Cherie in Guernsey’s native tongue.
Guernsey Legends – Guernsey Pouques
Three short tales of the “Pouques” that, as every Guernsey countryman knows, sometimes help sometimes hinder mortal men.
More Old Guernésiais Cures, Remedies & Superstitions
Guernsey used to posses a rich set of folklore tales, ancient cures and remedies for ailments and many superstitious tales. Some of the more intriguing and somewhat amusing wisdom of the old Guernésiais folk.
When Worlds Collide : The Romans and Jersey’s Celtic Treasure Hoards
Jersey is unique in many ways but there is one that is particularly curious. Of all the channel Islands it seems to have had the most treasure hoards of all. The latest, the Catillon II hoard, had over 70,000 coins in it plus 2 golden torqs. Even more curious is that 4 similar hoards were all buried at the same time – the mid 1st Century B.C. So what was going on?
Sir Isaac Brock, Guernseyman and Hero of Upper Canada
Guernseyman General Sir Isaac Brock is credited with saving Canada for the Empire from the attack by the Americans 1812. Knowing how much the Canadians gave in manpower and support in the 2 World Wars to Britain, who knows, but if he had failed the history and fate of modern Britain may have been very different indeed.
