George Philip Billot
George Philip Billot
This biography is an abridged version of the entry in A Biographical Dictionary of Jersey Vol 2
George Philip Billot was born in 1880, the second son of Charles Billot and Lydia, nee Tourgis, of Holmdale, Ville Bree, St Martin.
His brother, Charles Philip, and his nephew, Thomas George Billot, were both Constables of St Martin and his nephew Charles Philip Billot was Deputy for the parish.
Early years
He was born on 28 March 1880 at La Chaumiere, Ville Bree. He went to Rosel Manor School, Rue des Alleurs, run by Mr Stent. He then went to St James' Collegiate School in St Helier (G W Parlett) where he took the College of Preceptors (London) examinations.
After a short period working in a Guernsey bank, he joined the London branch of the French bank Credit Lyonnais.
He married Ella Rosa Messervy, of Mayfair, St Martin, in 1905, at the parish church. They had one son, Godfray Philip in 1906. He retired from the Credit Lyonnais in 1939 having reached the position of assistant manager at its Lombard Street head office.
He returned to Grouville with his wife and they decided not to evacuate in 1940, He was a Commissioner of Appeal for Income Tax from 1942 to 1946. In 1945 he was elected Jurat and became president of the Finance Committee the following year.
He was elected Senator in the reformed House in 1948 and retained that presidency. He retired from politics in 1951, having been appointed Lieut-Bailiff. He retired from that role at the age of 75 in 1955 and was made an OBE.
He moved back to St Martin and died there in 1965, aged 85. His wife died three years later.
Family tree
