The 19th century in newspaper cuttings 1813

19th century Jersey
From the newspapers in 1813

The Gazette de Cesaree, one of our sources for this page

Our history of 19th century Jersey from newspaper cuttings started with the Jersey Loyalist, an English-language newspaper published from 1825 to 1831. We then moved back to the start of the century, with Gazette de l'Ile de Jersey, the first newspaper to be published in the island in the 1800s, and to appear intermittently in the following years, as well as other titles with similar names, published by different individuals

This was the dawn of an age of great growth and diversification in Jersey, fuelled by an influx of English immigrants over the following 25 years.

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

This page links to separate pages giving year by year coverage from 1800 onwards in the publications active at the time

The life of the earliest 19th century newspapers in Jersey is difficult to follow. At one time, at least, there were two active publications named Gazette de l'Ile de Jersey. There are also periods when either the publication of the title was suspended, or it continued but editions are missing from the collection of La Société Jersiaise, which was digitised and placed in their website in 2024.

Gazette de l'Ile de Jersey was published from 5 July 1800, printed by G Angot and Philippe Mourant. But it soon vanished. Quite what happened after 1800 is uncertain, but the Societe collection has a very erratic set of editions. From 1810 onwards we have used John Stead's publication Gazette de Jersey and Weekly Advertiser and Philip Mourant's title, when available, plus Gazette de Cesaree to build as comprehensive a picture of local news as possible.

Gazette de l'Ile de Jersey is only available for a total of nine editions across June, August, September, October and November. Gazette de Cesaree also has many editions missing, particularly in the latter part of the year. By that time almost five-sixths of its weekly columns were taken up by advertising and the news content had progressively declined.

January

Russia

The States met on the 16th to propose a general subscription for the relief of the distressed inhabitants of the towns, villages and farms of the Russian provinces of Moscow and Smolensk, which have been plundered, burned and laid waste by the French Armies.

February

Fields to let

C Hemery advertised that three of his fields alongside the road leading to the new market (now Halkett Place), of an average five vergees, were available to rent. This is now the very centre of the town of St Helier

Banknotes

The proposal that issuers of banknotes should be licensed by the States seems to have been abandoned, opening the door at this time to anybody to offer their notes to the public.

Although the 'Jersey' column heading made its way further to the front of the paper at the beginning of the year, that did not mean that any more local news was included. The section was devoted almost entirely to letters to the editor. The Gazette contained less and less foreign news, because the increased in advertising at the rear of the paper made less space available. This growth in advertising seems to have been fuelled by the influx of English immigrants and a growth in the island's commercial sector. Although its news was still presented in French, much of the Gazette's advertising was now in English. The readers appear to have been more interested in English poetry than news in either language, or at least, that is what the newspaper believed.

Suicides

Three inquests were held on the bodies of dead soldiers at the beginning of the month, all having committed suicide. Verdicts of insanity were returned.

March

No local news during the month

April

Not much better for local news

Election

An election for Centenier was held in St John and licensed taverner Pierre Gruchy beat Jean David Le Boutillier

May

Prison

Tenders were invited to supply slate for the roof of the new prison now under construction.

Land sale

As the town of St Helier developed to the east, George Ingouville and Louis Poignand offered 36 building plots for sale behind the houses on George Street (now Kensington Place) and Cheapside. The land was said to be ideal for a rope walk or for building more houses.

Shipwreck

On the 25th a boat returning from mackerel fishing capsized and the crew of six were drowned. Those who died were Jean Horman and his two sons. T Esnouf and his brother, Philippe Larbalestier. The Constable, centeniers and several gentlemen have opened a subscription for the widows and children. Jean Horman left a wife and seven children.

June

No local news in the available editions

July

Schools

Thomas Dumaresq, headmaster of l'Ecole Publique since its opening, announced that he was leaving this position and establishing his own school in St Helier, which would teach Greek, Latin, English and French, as well as writing, arithmetic, commercial accounts, algebra, geometry and navigation.

A group of ladies have formed a committee to oversee the launch of a public school to educate 'the infant poor of this island on the system of the Rev Doctor Bell'. An advertisement in Gazette de Cesaree revealed that 38 ladies had subscribed 10 shilling or £1 or £2 towards the establishment of the school.

Those named as members of the committee were Mrs du Pre, Mrs Lerrier, Mrs Le Breton, Mrs Journeaux, Mrs Dumaresq, Miss C Lempriere, Miss Bonamy, Miss Gosset, Miss Dumaresq, Mrs Gordon, Mrs Patriarche, Mrs Allez, Miss Hodges, Mrs Janvrin, Miss Hemery, Miss Elizabeth Robin and Miss d'Auvergne

The 10 July edition of the newspaper also carried advertisements for other private schools in Jersey and in England.

Beach death

On the 26th a group of children were bathing in a rough sea when one or two found themselves in danger of drowning, in the presence of several people, who were intimidated from attempting to rescue them. Mr Freiden dived into the sea but he was thrown against stones by the sea and perished. He leaves a widow and child.

August

No local news in the two available editions

September

Harbour deaths

A private of the 4th Garrison Battalion, who attended the lime kiln at the pier, attempting to break the stone with an iron bar, overbalanced himself and fell in, and before any assistance could be given was burnt to death.

Elie Gaudin, a young man from St Martin, having carried potatoes to the harbour, on returning the horses took fright and attempting to stop them he was thrown over and the wheel passed over him and killed him on the spot.

October

Cricket

A game of cricket between the gentlemen of Jersey and Guernsey, scheduled for the beginning of the month, could not be held because the Guernsey team failed to arrive.

November

Barracks chaplain

A dispute arose between the Lieut-Governor General Don and the Rev Francois Ricard, Rector of St Peter, over the appointment by the general of the Rector of St Lawrence to be chaplain of the recently built St Peter's Barracks.

Mr Ricard complained about the appointment of another clergymen to serve the barracks within his own parish. General Don refused to change his decision, as evidenced by the publication in Gazette de Cesaree of a sequence of letters on the subject in the preceding months.

December

The single edition available for this month carried no local news.