Quietly Famous In Jersey

Let's take a brief glance at a few historical figures who have washed up on the shores of Jersey.....


Karl Marx. The man who invented Communism in 1848 enjoyed a number of holidays on the island in the 1870's.
















In August of 1878 he stayed at the Trafalgar Hotel at St. Aubins. However, in a letter written to fellow Communist Frederick Engles, he stated "We are giving up St. Aubin's because Jessy (Marx's wife) and I have a horror of a monotonous dally lamb and mutton diet, as a result of which I have become a reluctant vegetarian over the past few days".

He then relocated to the Hotel de L'Europe in St.Helier, which is now better known as Chambers.


Claude Debussy, the French composer, holidayed here in July of 1904. He stayed at the Grand Hotel, West Park.















According to Wikipedia Debussy "is considered the most prominent figure working within the style commonly referred to as Impressionist music. Debussy virtually defines the transition from late-Romantic music to twentieth century modernist music". Some of you slightly younger readers may be more aware of him through mention in a Pet Shop Boys lyric.


Victor Hugo. Sometimes referred to as 'The French Shakespeare', Hugo lived in Jersey between 1852 and 1855. He arrived here after being exiled from France during the reign of Napoleon III (the King hadn't taken too kindly to being publically referred to as a traitor by Hugo).
















When he first arrived in the island, he stayed at the Pomme D'or Hotel in St.Helier. Soon afterwards he moved to Marine Terrace, at Havre Des Pas. One of his favourite spots for contemplation in the area was a large rock to the right of the slipway, called "Rocher des Proscrits". This is now marked with a plaque.


T.E. Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia) lived here as a boy in the early years of the 20th century. The family home was at Havre des Pas, at the base of the hill running down from Mount Bingham. It's now marked with a plaque.





















Some of you may be finding French revolutionaries, Communists and desert war heroes a bit heavy for this hour in the morning, so how about something a little lighter....


In 1952 the 'Sea Devils' was filmed on the island. Starring Rock Hudson it was a tale of smuggling, love and the French Revolution. The film was set in Guernsey, but location shoots took place in Jersey at Gorey and Beauport Bay.



















The Monty Python comedy team filmed a number of scenes in the island during 1969 and 1972 for their Monty Python's Flying Circus TV series.

Unfortunately I don't have further location details as the information above came from brief mentions of the island in interviews with John Cleese and the series Producer, who didn't say much more.















In 1978 Jersey Airport was used for scenes in the war movie 'Force 10 From Navarone', starring Robert Shaw and Harrison Ford. The film was the follow-up to the 1961 classic 'The Guns Of Navarone'.



























Well, that'll probably do for now. There have also been a host of unlikely musical visitors that arrived on these shores - but not to perform - including Led Zeppelin, Gary Glitter, Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden, but maybe I'll save them for later...

Nazi Forces In Jersey

Most local residents are well aware that the during World War 2 the Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi forces - they were infact the only part of British soil to be conquered by the Third Reich. All over Jersey there are German bunkers, gun emplacements and tunnels bearing silent testament to those dark days.

However, with a little time on my hands I thought it'd be interesting to knock up a post revealing some of the forgotten wartime history, a few of the not-so-obvious locations which people pass and enter on a daily basis, completely unaware of their previous uses....

Let's Start with Library Place, the centre of St.Helier's shopping area. What is now Barclays Bank used to be The British Hotel. When the Germans arrived it was converted it into a Brothel (for officers only), with the prostitutes being imported from France.

Less than a minute's walk away is the island's main shopping precinct, King Street. Prominently positioned midway down the street you'll find locally owned department store, De Gruchys. Their restaurant was used by the Wehrmacht as the Quartermaster's Stores. In January of 1944 fire broke out here causing major damage, and destroying an estimated 2000 German military uniforms.





















Continue a little further up King Street and you'll reach Woolworths, the well known UK retailer. This was used as a depot for the German force's wine and spirit supplies.

Next door to Woolworths, on the corner of King Street and Halkett Place, is Burtons, a menswear shop belonging to the major UK chain. The lower floor of the shop was the 'German Forces Bookstore'. The upper floor was 'The Baliff's Enquiry and News Office'. This is where letters and packages recieved through the Red Cross organisation would be sorted.

Wander down Halkett Place for a minute or two, and on the corner by Beresford Street you'll see Specsavers. This was 'The Textile And Footwear Exchange'...which I assume did exactly as it said on the sign!

Carry on strolling out toward the Northern edge of St. Helier, and eventually you'll come across Springfield Stadium, site of the island's main football pitch. This was used as a parking area for Tanks (mainly captured French Renault Char B's)...a thought I'm sure would give today's groundsman nightmares.




















Running past one of Springfield's side entrances is St. Marks Road, in St. Marks Lane (at the bottom of this road) the first garage on the left-hand side was used as a store for Pak 40 anti-tank guns.

A stroll along the lane will bring you into Stopford Road. Midway down this road is the unmistakeable structure of the Masonic Temple, base of the island's Freemasons. This was a store for confiscated radios.

The German military also comandeered many of St.Helier's hotels:

Aberfeldy Hotel, Old St. Johns Road - 319th Engineer Battalion HQ.
Chelsea Hotel, Gloster Street - Used as Prison overflow.
Gloster Hotel, Gloster Terrace - 582nd Infantry Regiment HQ.
Grand Hotel, West Park - 14th Fortess Engineers HQ.
Mayfair Hotel, St. Saviours Road - NCO's Club.
Merton Hotel, Belvedere Hill - VD clinic, then Luftwaffe Hospital.
Metropole Hotel, Roseville Street - German Military Headquarters
Ocean Hotel, Westmount - Billet for gun crews from Batterie Endrass.
Pomme D'Or Hotel, Weighbridge- German Naval HQ.
Portland Hotel, Midvale Road - Organisation Todt HQ.
Ritz Hotel, Colomberie - Garrison Commander's HQ, then troop billet.
Royal Hotel, David Place - Troop billet.
Silvertide Guest House, Havre Des Pas - Secret Field Police HQ.

On the outskirts of St. Helier can be found more civillian buildings used by the German military, aswell as the locations of two prison camps, and a number of tunnels and gun batteries....but if I start going into that territory this is soon going to turn from being a blog into a website....