A journal by Peter Hargreaves
The general election to be held on 22 June 2022 (five twos!) will be quite different from those which have gone before. The position described below is complicated and changing. It shows how complicated ( & undemocratic?) Island elections can be. Themes which may explain what is happening: Uncontested elections are undemocratic. The incomplete … Continue reading Parishes, Parties and the General Election in Grouville
On a neap (7.3m) tide on Monday 22 March with six companions, I made my first trip this year to the Écréhous, the reef 10 km North-East of Jersey and 15km from the French coast. See the Strava record of the trip below. A couple of things stand out. < First how close the reef … Continue reading On a Maritime Borderland; Overnight on Les Écréhous
The Dirouilles are the smallest and least visited of the three reefs north of Jersey. The largest the Écréhous are 10km to its north east, the Paternosters 4km north of Sorel. The Dirouilles are 8km off Jersey’s NE corner, approximately two-thirds of the way from the Paternosters to the Écréhous. In Jersey Place Names [1] … Continue reading Paddling to the Dirouilles; the site of an unrecognised Megalithic Alignment?
This post is focused on roads and road names. However it starts with an update on parish boundary stones. The post on Parish Iconography in Trinity Part One mentioned boundary stones between Trinity and St Saviour. A book style stone dated 1888 marks the boundary on La Rue de la Boucterie. The stone records the … Continue reading Parish Iconography; Trinity Part Two
This post is focused on roads and road names in St Saviour. I photographed 33 road name signs in St Saviour, not all the roads in the Parish. Eight out of the 33 signs do not have St Saviour iconography. They have black lettering on a white ground edged in black, the former standard throughout Jersey … Continue reading Parish Iconography; St Saviour
Trinity is outstanding, not only for some great parish boundary stones, but also for five vingtaine boundary stones, treasure indeed! Both parish and vingtaine boundary stones were required by law in 1799 where roads cross from one parish into another or from one vingtaine to another. This remains current law under Article 15 of the … Continue reading Parish Iconography; Trinity Part One
This post is focused on roads and road names in St Martin. Choosing pictures is difficult as almost everywhere in St Martin there are nice examples with interesting stories, including Jersey’s longest road names. The parish crests for St Martin le Vieux and St Martin de Grouville are supposedly derived from the arms of St … Continue reading Parish Iconography; St Martin
This post is focused on roads and road names in St Clement. We immediately encounter a difference. In Grouville the design of parish road names is all the same, red lettering on a white ground edged in red and bearing the parish crest and the parish name “Grouville”. That you are in Grouville is clear. … Continue reading Parish Iconography; St Clement
The two Posts so far on Parish Iconography have been concerned with road names and what they say about local history. This post explores other iconography in the landscape, reminding you that you are in Grouville. Following General Don’s improvements to the road system, mile stones were set up, marking the number of miles from … Continue reading Parish Iconography; Grouville Part Three
Of Books, Bikes & Islands 