History Meeting Minutes - March 2009

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 17 MARCH 2009 IN THE ARTHUR MOURANT ROOM AT 17:15

Present:
Frank Falle (Chairman), Jean Arthur, Marie-Louise Backhurst, Mervyn Billot, Bertram Bree, John Clarke, Mary Gibb, Christopher Harris, Sarah Jordan, Nick Jouault, George Langlois, Suzanne Le Feuvre, David Le Maistre, Georgia Le Maistre, Bob Le Sueur, Mike Lees, Ian Machin, Elinor McFadden, Pat Maindonald, Rose Millow, Will Millow, Doreen Schofield-Fost, Danny White

1. Apologies for absence
Mary Billot, Peter King, Linda Romeril.

2. Minutes of the Meeting of 17 February 2009  - no amendments
2.1 6.5 - 2 walks to Seymour Tower (not Icho Tower) & Le Rocco Tower was almost certainly not deliberately damaged by German firepower.
 
3. Matters arising from the Minutes – not covered by the Agenda
None.

4. Chairman’s Communications
4.1 FF mentioned that there would not be a History Section trip/study tour for 2009. It is his long- term intention to arrange a trip that may include the interests of more than one section of the SJ which would potentially increase the take up.  This was essential in the case of trips organised by third parties e.g. Go France etc.
4.2 FF suggested that, due to the current Sterling/Euro exchange rate, the next study tour in 2010 be to the UK, with the 2011 tour to France and sought the help of BB.
4.3 FF advised that he has arranged for long horned sheep to be farmed in Jersey.  They are currently grazing St Clement.  It was Henry III who granted 3,300 tods of wool per annum to the Channel Islands.
4.4 FF – Thanked SJ for taking the Minutes.
4.5 GLeM drew attention to the financial problems of the Heritage Trust which were reported in the JEP of 17/03/09.

5. Military History Group
5.1 Mike Lees tendered his resignation from the Committee due to ill health (he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND)). 
5.2 FF thanked ML for his invaluable work in the representation of the History Section and announced that a replacement for ML is now sought.
5.3 ML mentioned that a Mr Sweeney had contacted him; he is interested in the Guard House above Bouley Bay.

6. Members’ Contributions
6.1 As items which are circulated to those present may take some time to get around the room, it was agreed that items will in future be circulated at the beginning of Members’ Contributions.
6.2 Items circulated
6.2.1 BLeS – The book Making History indicating the Dolmen previously at Mont de la Ville which was moved to Henley.
6.2.2 M-LB – Copies of maps from the National Archive pre-Fort Regent from the book of William Davies.  Although one of the maps indicates a guard house, there was no guard house on that site.
6.2.3 NJ – The book Quarrying in Guernsey, Alderney and Herm, a copy of which is in the SJ library.
6.2.4.1 JC – The magazine Current Archaeology - the cover pictures interior of La Hougue Bie dolmen.
6.2.4.2 JC – Copy of a report, commissioned by John Williams of the Heritage Trust, on the interior of the walls of the Chapel at Hougue Bie, written by Ann Ballantyne (who will be back in July 2009).
6.3 Contributions
6.3.1 SLeF – Article on 20 sites of pumps in St Helier in SJ Bulletin vol.19 in 1965.
6.3.2.1 DLeM – As a Fund Raiser for a charity supported by St Clements’ Church, Vincent Obbard from Samares Manor is opening the Manor to his family’s memorabilia on Friday 20 March 2009.  Flyers circulated.
6.3.2.2 DLeM – The BBC Antiques Road Show is coming to Samares Manor on 12 June 2009.
6.3.2.3 DLeM – He drew attention to WW1 photograph 1914-1915 of A Company, 2nd Battalion.
6.3.3.1 DW – His research for his talk is nearly complete.
6.3.3.2 DW – He has uncovered that quarrying was carried out at Plemont.  Wood was inserted into a fissure, seawater covered the wood, the wood swelled and split the stone.
6.3.4 NJ – Jersey Notes by Richard Rowe from “Good Words” to be attached to the originals of these Minutes - a copy of which will be in the SJ Library after the next History Meeting.
6.3.5.1 RM/M-LB – reported that in 1919 an Australian soldier worked in Jersey in agriculture under Lieutenant Benest.
6.3.5.2 DLeM – The book Brahms’ Waltz by Mark Gibbons details the rehabilitation in Jersey of an Irish Officer in the British Army from shell shock.
6.3.6 WM – there are sound recordings of the Occupation in the Jersey Archive.
6.3.7 BB – commented on the Scandinavian origins of names relating to Jersey i.e.:-
 Guern = grassy;  Jer = green;  Sey = island; Carteret = safe anchorage (the “de” was added later)
6.3.8.1 BLeS – A map in granite of Gaspe is about to be/has been mounted in St Aubin on the Harbour to the west.
6.3.8.2 BLeS – The bollards on the south pier at St Aubin used to be cannons.
6.3.8.3 BLeS – He has been loaned a novel in diary form called Island Pre-Occupied set in St Martin by de Caux.
6.3.9 JA – She read an excerpt from Communiqué from the Society Guernsiaise in 1999 relating to “Legal Time”.
6.3.10.1 GL – Further to a discussion on BBC Radio Jersey on 16/03/09, he circulated a copy of the requisition by the Germans for a fishing boat owned by the Langlois Family known as Little Witch.  This was intended to be used for a raid on Granville.  The family had initially been tomato growers, who invested their profits in the purchase of the Little Witch.
6.3.10.2 DLeM – 270 page book on raid on Granville “Hold Up Naval a Granville” in French & German by Mordal.
6.3.11 M-LB – She is researching town schools and looking for school log books from 1860’s-1872.  These were normally completed by the Head Master/Mistress.  She read an extract from St Simon’s School log that mentioned the weather and a funeral.  They are still completed now.  The English imposed Primary Schools on Jersey and with that came the HM Inspectors of Schools.
6.3.12 GLeM – Mentioned a Medieval Event which is being held at La Hougue Bie to raise funds for the Chapel at Hougue Bie on Saturday 20 June 2009 17:00-21:00.  Anyone interested in participating contact Cally Noel tel 880868.

7. Date of next meeting 
 Tuesday 21 April, 2009 in the Members’ Room at 17:15.