The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1830

19th century Jersey
From the Jersey Loyalist: 1830

The front page of the first edition of the Jersey Loyalist on 5 September 1825

Our history of 19th century Jersey from newspaper cuttings has started with the Jersey Loyalist, an English-language newspaper published from 1825 to 1831.

This was a time of great growth and diversification in Jersey, fuelled by an influx of English immigrants which saw the population increase by 17 per cent between 1821 and 1826.

This page is part of a project launched by Jerripedia in 2024 to chronicle the history of Jersey through the 19th century using news cuttings from most of the newspapers published during those 100 years.
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Main index page
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1825
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1826
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1827
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1828
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1829
The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1831

The Jersey Loyalist launched in 1825, seemingly as much as a political opponent of the British Press, which had launched three years earlier, as a truly commercial venture. This was denied in the introduction on page one of the first edition, but scarcely an edition was published in the next six years without the competitor's coverage of one event or another being roundly criticised.

The British Press, later to become the British Press and Jersey Times, had the last laugh, outliving the Loyalist by almost 80 years.

The Jersey Loyalist was typical of early island newspapers, in that it contained very little local news. The majority of its news columns was devoted to London news, copied apparently verbatim from national newspapers received in the island some days after publication, and focusing on parliamentary affairs, which would have had little or no meaning to island residents, save for the more affluent and better educated immigrant English families which had swelled the island's population in the first quarter of the century.

Local news was restricted largely to coverage of States sittings and the work of the Royal Court, although tragic accidents, both on land and at sea, were also included in the mix. The Loyalist was not highly political, but did allow its readers to voice their opinions in frequently very lengthy letters to the editor, more often than not involving the British Press and Jersey Times.

Our selection of news items which follows has been made in an attempt to paint a picture of as many aspects of island life as possible in 1830.

The newspaper's 1930 masthead

January

No quorum

On three occasions in the month a meeting of the States was called, but insufficient members of the clergy were present and the meeting was unable to be held.

Church services

On Sunday 24th a charity sermon was preached in the Town Church for the relief of the poor. The receipts were £19. The same day two charity sermons were preached by the Rev Mr Morris, at Sion Chapel, for the same purpose. The receipts of £12 were divided equally between the Stranger's Friend Society and the Philanthropic Society.

Doctor's death

Dr W Du Heaume died aged 36 on the 20th after a long and painful illness. He was a surgeon in the Army and Surgeon General of Jersey Hospital.

February

Prisoner released

Sir Gregor McGregor, who had been held in jail since December over a claim against him for £2,795 by Captain Edgecock - see The 19th century in newspaper cuttings - Loyalist 1830#December - was freed after no evidence was given that he owed that sum.

Captain acquitted

Captain Philip Jeune, of the ship Iris was prosecuted for ill treating Charles Tibaut, one of his crew, while he was steering the ship in August 1829 during a voyage from Newfoundland to Naples. Tibaut claimed damages of £50.

Evidence was given by several crew members that Tibaut was at the helm when the captain reprimanded him for steering off course and pushed him away to take over the wheel. Only one witness said that Jeune had hit Tibaut with a rope, all the others insisting that there was no assault. The Captain was acquitted and Tibaut was condemned to pay costs.

Edward Valpy

The Rev Edward Valpy was presented with an engraved silver cup by his pupils on leaving Norwich Free Grammar School.

Court martial

A court martial was held at Fort Regent from 3 to 5 February. A corporal and two privates of the 27th Regiment were found guilty of being drunk while mounting the main guard in the Royal Square and sentenced to eight weeks, six weeks and three weeks in solitary confinement in the public prison.

Another soldier found guilty of desertion was sentenced to three months solitary confinement on bread and water, after which he would be branded with the letter D on his left side, under the arm.

Ramparts fall

On the 1st a private of the 35th Regiment accidentally fell over the ramparts at Fort Regent and was found some 40 to 50 feet below with both his arms and legs broken and severe contusions to his head. He remains in a deplorable state in the Military Hospital.

Town tax

A St Helier parish meeting at the Union Hotel agreed that a tax of 5 shillings a quarter would be levied on the inhabitants of the town to meet the parish's annual costs.

Trees

A letter from the Lieut-Governor Sir Colin Halkett recommending the planting of trees around the walls of the Old Church Yard was ordered to be inscribed in the books of the parish and any discussion postponed to another day.

Sunday elections

The States received a letter from Home Secretary William Peel, written at the Bishop of Winchester's request, suggesting that the States abolish the custom of holding elections on Sundays. The letter was lodged au Greffe.

Public accounts

The public accounts, lodged on 20 February, showed that the previous year's negative balance of about 90,000 francs had been reduced by half this year.

Shipwreck

The steam packet Watersprite, Capt F White, arrived in the island with the sad news of the total wreck of the packet Meteor, Capt Connor, which struck rocks near Portland on the evening of the 26th in very foggy weather. Meteor had left Jersey early that morning. The passengers, crew, mail bag and baggage were saved.

March

Neglect

The Constable of St Helier took Lieut Hinge before the Royal Court charged with neglecting his wife and family. He was ordered to leave the island or give bail that no part of his family will become chargeable on the parish.

Vagrants

Ann Doren and two other vagrants were brought to Court, charged with having falsely stated in England that they were natives of Jersey, with a view to being sent here and relieved by the island. They were sentenced to a fortnight solitary imprisonment, and to be sent back to their own country.

Child's death

On the morning of the 4th the wife of Philippe Gaudin of Grouville left her two-year-old boy and four-year-old girl alone when she left the house for a short time. She told the girl to make sure that her brother did not fall into the fire. The girl's dress caught fire and she was dreadfully burned. She asked to see her brother before she died. He was badly suffocated but recovered.

House fire

On the evening of the 4th a house belonging to gardener Thomas Robert at the Bouillon was burnt down when a chimney fire started as the oven was being prepared for making bread. The house was insured for £80 and the furniture for £40.

Launch

On the 22nd a 225-ton ship built by George Hamptonne was safely launched in St Helier Harbour, witnessed by an 'immense multitude'. Two new pilot boats have also been safely launched.

Captain's death

On the night of the 28th Capt Aldridge of the oyster smack Commerce was washed overboard by a heavy sea and drowned, while the vessel was on her way from England to Jersey. He leaves a widow and three children.

April

Oyster fishery

Four Jersey and two English boats have been seized by the French and laid up for an unlimited period at Granville for fishing for oysters outside the permitted limits. The crews have been detained pending a decision on the release of their vessels.

Gas lighting

Mr T S Pickston, civil engineer of London, arrived in the island on Wednesday 14th to conclude an arrangement with the authorities for lighting the town of St Helier with gas.

Coal deliveries

Concern was expressed that coal merchants were delivering short measures to their customers - 17 measures instead of 19½ - and it has been suggested that Jersey should follow Guernsey's lead with coal delivered in sacks.

French service

Plans are in hand to petition the UK Government for the mail packets to continue their journey to a French port to establish a direct and regular communication between France and the island. At present there is no regular movement of mail from France to Jersey and letters can have to wait in Granville or St Malo 'God knows how long'.

The system for delivering mail once it reaches the island has also been criticised:

"There is not, we venture to assert, in the united empire, a town that can boast of such a plurality of Post Offices as the town of St Helier. Moreover there is no fixed standard of postage and the various postmasters are permitted to charge at discretion".

Evening gun

On the 20th an artillery soldier named John Campbell, stationed at Elizabeth Castle, after having fired the evening gun, proceeded to reload it for the following morning. The gun, not having been perfectly cleaned, a spark ignited the power and the man's right arm was nearly shot off. He was taken by boat to the military hospital onshore after several guns were fired to attract attention, and his arm was amputated the following morning.

May

Gas lighting

The committee appointed to consider the offer to provide gas lighting of St Helier's streets expressed concern in their report at the likely cost of the infrastructure but recommended that the London company offering its services be authorised to lay pipes under the street pavements. Their report was adopted.

Accidents

A woman named Anne Nicolle, aged about 60, of St Lawrence, was picking limpits at Havre des Pas when she was surrounded by the sea and drowned. Her body was picked up and brought ashore by a fishing boat.

A pensioner named Rainey fell from a boat when crossing the pierheads and was nearly drowned. Fortunately a porter humanely jumped after him and succeeded in bringing him onshore.

Cannon balls

As some workmen were removing earth from a bank on the premises of William Le Brocq, near Mont Orgueil Castle, they found several globular stones of different sizes, formed of granite and covered over or cased within lead, in size corresponding nearly with a four pound shot. Another ball of stone, not covered with lead, and of dimensions to suit a six-pounder, was also found. These curious relics of antiquity were probably fired from the castle or from vessels in the bay, at an early period of the invention of cannon, before the manner of casting iron shot had been discovered.

Highway robbery

On the evening of the 5th, J de Ste Croix, son of the Jurat, was waylaid by two men on St Aubin's Road. It appears that they were hidden near Bel Royal, where Capt Hamon was stopped and robbed a few weeks back. One of the men jumped and tried to catch hold of the reins, but the horse reared up and Mr De Ste Croix flogged both man and horse, which went off at full gallop, leaving the robbers behind.

Carpenter's fall

On the 8th at about 5 pm Philippe Le Roux, of Havre des Pas, employed as a carpenter on Messrs de Ste Croix's new vessel, fell 16 feet from the deck into the hold and lacerated his belly on a trunnel. He is under the care of Dr Fixott and hopes are entertained of his speedy recovery.

Stocks

Mrs Philippe, condemned six months ago to solitary imprisonment for six months, and to be placed in the stocks for one hour in the Royal Square, underwent the last part of her sentence on Saturday last, amid a large concourse of people, assembled to witness the novel spectacle, which had not taken place in this island for a great many years.

Money lenders

Several cases involving money lenders were brought before the Royal Court on the 22nd. George Bowring was charged with lending money at a rate upwards of 200 per cent to Mr and Mrs Brown, charging a half penny interest for every shilling per week. He was ordered to be brought before the Court. Thomas Plowman complained that John Craigo had demanded double - a penny per week on every shilling on goods pawned with him. He was also ordered to appear in court, as was Mrs Sicombs, on a similar charge.

Hairdresser Thomas Vickery, of Rue de Derriere, actioned Philippe Lempriere for the payment of a not of hand of £22 4s 6d. Lempriere resisted the payment , pleasing that it was a usurious transaction and that Vickery had charged him upwards of 30 per cent. Several witnesses testified that Vickery had charged, or attempted to charge 30 per cent interest on loans.

The original amount lent to Lempriere was only £13, but by renewing the loans several times it has grown to £22 4s 6d in two and a half years. The Court discharged him from the payment of the note of hand and condemned Vickery to pay costs.

At the next Court sitting George Bowring was ordered to return Mr and Mrs Brown's pawned goods, to lose the sum he had originally advanced against those goods and to pay a fine of 20 livres.

June

Gas

Thomas Edge returned to the island on the 3rd to start work on the new gas supply for St Helier. A large shipment of gas pipes was on its way and it was anticipated that gas lighting in the town would be in operation by October. In the Royal Court Mr Edge passed contracts with Philippe de Quetteville for a piece of land to erect the gasworks, and engineer Thomas Peckston, of London, was named his representative in the island, with Hugh Godfray as his attorney.

King's death

The June editions of the Loyalist were almost devoid of local news. The last edition of the month carried the news of the death of King George IV two days earlier. The news did not make the front page of the newspaper, which was filled with articles headed "Our commercial relations with Portugal - the Oporto wine monopoly", one on a meeting to discuss National Colonisation, and a jumble of shorter pieces on Midsummer's eve at Penzance and other obscure subjects.

Falls

On the 24th about 6 pm, a 12-year-old girl named Snooke fell from the pier at low water and received very considerable injury. She is under the professional care of Dr Charles Jones, but from the serious nature of her wounds, little hopes are entertained of her recovery.

On the 25th a young man named Philip Tibot, who was painting in the rear of the Constiotutionnel office, fell from a height of 14 feet, which caused concussion. Dr Fixott and his son attended him.

On the 26th about six in the evening a young lad named Goodwin George fell in Pigeon Street and fracured both bones of his left arm, which were set by Dr Fixott.

The same day 14-year-old Peter Giffard fell from the cutter Sea Flower at sea on passage from the Ecrehous to Bouley Bay and drowned.

Child beaten

On the 26th at about 8 pm in the market place, a woman named Jane Throut, servant to D Mason, bacon retailer, having had some angry words with a bacon seller named Robinson, and the child of the latter having thrown some dirt at her, seized the child, who is about 6 or 7 years old, and in the most brutal and ferocious manner beat him to such a degree of severity that he is nearly dead. This cruel and unfeeling wretch has consequently been arrested and lodged in the prison.

The edition of 12 July contained a further obituary of the late king, together with this drawing of him driving his pony phaeton in Windsor Park

July

George IV

The edition of 5 July contained a biographical sketch of the late king, sharing the front page with an account of the execution, in front of a crowd of 50,000, of a French soldier who murdered his sergeant.

On the 2nd William IV was proclaimed King in the Royal Square, the proclamation being read by the Deputy Viscount.

Absentees

The Loyalist reported on 5 July that an Order in Council had been received in the island censuring the Constables for absenting themselves from the States and raising the fine for non-attendance from 6s 6d to £2.

In a leading article the newspaper suggested that the UK Government had no right to intervene in the States business in this way and the attempt should be strongly resisted.

The States met to consider the Order in Council on the 12th and unanimously refused to register it 'as militating against the privileges of this island', and appointed a committee of six Jurats to petition the Privy Council to have it revoked.

Banishment

Matthew Miles and his wife were banished from the island for creating great disturbances in the house they lodged in, not being able to find bail for their future good conduct.

Election day

The States considered the recent suggestion, originating from the Bishop of Winchester, that public elections should no longer be held on Sundays and voted by 19 to 13 that there should be no change.

August

During the month the Loyalist was preoccupied with news of the French Revolution and very little space was found for local news.

Lieut-Governor

Sir Colin Halkett has been promoted to the rank of Lieut-General and will leave Jersey to serve as Lieut-Governor of Gibraltar. He will be replaced in Jersey by Major-General William Thornton.

Slaughterhouses

The States have voted £2,400 for the building of slaughterhouses in the neighbourhood of the new line of quays. Abraham de La Mare is the contractor.

Aide de Camp

John Le Couteur, Constable of St Brelade, has received a letter from the new King's son, Col Fitzclarence, stating that His Majesty has appointed him his Aide de Camp in Jersey. Mr Le Couteur was a schoolmate of the Colonel and they were then very close friends.

Captain lost

On the 27th Captain Baudains was thrown overboard from the Hawk, near Corbiere, shortly after leaving St Helier for England. He had been struck by the boom and all the efforts of the crew to save him were in vain.

September

Carriage accident

As Mrs Hutchings of Pier Road was driving Miss Allez, from Rozel, in descending the hill towards Grouville the horse became unmanageable and the women were thrown out. They were relatively uninjured, but the carriage was greatly damaged and the horse was not found until the following morning, having run off with the shafts at its heels.

Boat lost

A boat with four men on board was lost after leaving Bonne Nuit. The empty boat drifted into Plemont, with no sign of John and Josue Le Masurier, Joshua Le Couteur and John Benest, who had 17 children between them.

Saw-pit accident

A large piece of mahogany was being placed on trestles in Francis Amy's saw-pit when it fell on his teenage apprentice Richard Hayward, breaking his thigh bone.

Robberies

The man responsible for a robbery at John Mallet's Grouville home was arrested as he was about to board the packet to Weymouth. About £28 in gold, silver and banknotes, with a trunk containing various articles recognised by Mr Mallet as his property were found in possession of the robber.

Another robbery was committed at the house of Charles Syvret in St Ouen. About £14 in cash and banknotes was taken. Three boys were arrested on the 1st, and some of the notes were found on one called Vautier.

Jumped in sea

The only item of local news in the edition of the 13th was the story of a man called Cole, who jumped into the sea off Corbiere from a small boat which was bringing him to Jersey from Guernsey. He was said to have been chasing after a woman, the widow Duval, who had made the crossing the previous day and, he claimed, had robbed him of 50 to 60 sovereigns. An inquest found that he was mentally deranged.

Dinner with King

Col Le Couteur, Constable of St Brelade and ADC to William IV in Jersey, dined with the King and Queen at Brighton on the 16th.

Mate injured

On the 22nd as the Ariadne was entering the Harbour she veered too close to the Speedy and Mr Babot, the mate, attempting to keep her off, had his arm fractured. He was attended by Dr Fixott.

October

Flogging

James Mills, found guilty by the Grand Jury of having committed a burglary in a Grouville house, was flogged by the public executioner, before being confined to jail for six months.

Smuggling

Francois Le Sueur of St Saviour failed to appear in Court charged with the illegal importation of six casks of brandy and five chests of prohibited tea. He was fined 3s 4d per gallon of brandy and three times the value of the tea.

William Le Brocq was found guilty of fraudulently importing 21 chests of tea and condemned to pay a fine of three times its value. A lengthy argument by Advocate Godfray that no law had been broken because it has not been properly registered, failed to convince the Court, which refused leave to appeal.

November

Infanticide

A lengthy report of the aftermath of a trial for infanticide failed to mention that it had happened in Guernsey and had no connection to Jersey.

Elections

An election for a successor to Philippe de Quetteville as Constable of St Helier was held in the Town Church on the 14th, after the service. Francois Godfray beat Peter Perrot. The candidates for Centenier were Winter Nicolle and Elias Perchard. Mr Nicolle won by a large majority.

The election for Constable continued well into the afternoon, with 643 votes being cast, Mr Godfray winning by 338 to 305.

The following week Philippe Mourant beat Thomas Bichard by 269 votes to 143 to succeed Philippe Nicolle as Centenier.

The poll closed before a large number of parishioners who had pledged their vote to Mr Mourant could attend.

The election of Francois Godfray has not found favour with island parishioners, who have been unhappy with the support of English emigrants for him.

Acquittal

Corporal George Hall, of the 84th Depot, was found not guilty by a Royal Court jury of stopping Philip Hardy on the King's highway and robbing him of his watch and 18d cash.

Shooting death

On the 14th a 12-year-old boy named Daly accidentally shot himself with a pistol in a field near George Ingouville's house in St Saviour and died a few hours later. The parents of the boy were in France.

Lieut-Governor's arrival

On the 23rd Major-General William Thornton arrived in the island on HMS Alban and was greeted at the new landing place by Col Touzel, Major Fraser and garrison officers. A Militia guard of honour was stationed near the landing place and troops lined the road from the pier into town.

On the 29th the new Lieut-Governor took the oath of office in the Royal Court. A reception at Lowe's Hotel followed.

December

Appointments

Col Touzel has been appointed Military Secretary, Assistant Adjutant General, Assistant Quartermaster General and principal Aide de Camp to the new Lieut-Governor. Col Le Couteur, Col Robin, Col Le Geyt and Lieut-Col Le Breton have been appointed Militia Aides de Camp.

Burglar

Jean Cattel Launey was unanimously found guilty by a jury of committing several burglaries in various parts of the island. He was sentenced to be whipped severely, to be banished from the island for life, and his goods to be confiscated to the use of the King.

Lieut-Governor's 'requests'

It did not take the new Lieut-Governor long to start getting involved in local affairs. On 8 December he wrote to the Constable of St Helier remarking on the number of 'Foreigners' present in the island and the recent departure of many of them. He requested the Constable to 'cause all the Aliens at present residing in the parish' to appear at the Inspector of Strangers Office in Vine Street on the 20th and 21st to have their passports examined. The Constable was required to furnish a list to the Inspector of Strangers of all Aliens resident in the parish so that their names could be registered.

He went on to question whether taverners and others accommodating foreigners had been making a return of their names and indicated that any failures in this respect should lead to prosecutions.

On 21 December Major-General Thornton wrote again to the Constable, stating that in several parishes 'the law intended to enforce a due observance of the Sabbath day in this island had been suffered to fall into disregard and disuse'. He requested the constable to rigidly enforce the law from 1 January 1831. The regulations forbade, among other things, the presence of anyone in the parish cemeteries during the service and the presence of anyone in a tavern was liable to a 20 sous fine.