Tocque family documents

Canada

Documents from the Tocque family of Jersey dating from 1742 to 1917 have been lodged with the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

Brothers Nicolas and Simon Tocque were engaged in the mercantile shipping business out of Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1743. Philip Tocque (possibly the father of the brothers) was owner and master of the barque Alliance as well as other ships in the mid-nineteenth century. The shipping business took the Tocque ships to the East, the Caribbean, Portugal and Newfoundland. John Philip Tocque, Philip's nephew, carried on the shipping business until the end of World War I.

The documents held by the museum comprise shipping records (including contracts and correspondence) of the Tocque family business; log book of the barque Alliance on her voyage from Cardiff to Mauritius and return to Liverpool (1855-1856), commanded by Philip Tocque with young John Philip aboard. Fonds includes painting of the Alliance, photographs of sailing vessels, and ephemera.

This John Philip Tocque is probably the same who was a director of the Jersey business in Canada, William Fruing and Co, who took over the brigantine Hibernica when the company became bankrupt.

Jersey Archive

Jersey Archive holds photographs and papers from the Tocque family from 1880 to 1999, deposited with them in 2009.

It also holds a receipt book for rente paid to Anne Jeanne Tocque, Suzanne Debora Tocque and Rachel Elizabeth Tocque, for rent of an apartment and appurtenances. The book contains records dated between 1811-1841.