Written by Martin Parsons
Brig. (Retd) Colin Tadier gave a fascinating talk on the island of Jersey from the perspective of a proud Jersey man who can trace his family back to the 14th century. As well as providing a potted history from Neolithic times to the present day he explained the intricate details of the Jersey Royal potato, which has to be grown on the island to be worthy of the name and the Jersey cow which is the second largest milk producing breed in the world behind the Holstein-Friesian.
The fact that between 1820-70 the island was a centre for a huge wooden shipbuilding industry was a surprise to many. It only came to an end with the advent of steam and metal hulls. Jersey also had links with Quebec. Initially the island was the largest Cod trader in Canada a business which created a trade triangle which included Belize where they purchased Mahogany for their ship building.
It was interesting to see how Jersey has reinvented itself over the centuries from Neolithic settlements to ships, flowers, and tourism. Once a popular destination in the 60s and 70s the latter declined as travellers were lured by the cheaper package tours to the sunnier climes of Spain and the Balearics. It is now a centre for offshore banking.
Colin gave an insight into the islands governance and legal system. The Island is a Peculiar, meaning that it’s the personal possession of the Crown.
Jersey has its own unwritten constitution based on Norman Law elements of which remain today. One of particular note is The Clameur de Haro… if someone feels they have been wronged with regards to their land and property s/he together with two witnesses confront the perpetrator, kneel and shout ‘Haro! Haro! Haro! A l’aide mon Prince! On me fait tort’ from that point on there is a legal injunction and the complaint has to be adjudicated by the courts. The Assembly of Jersey which makes the islands Laws, sanctioned by the Privy Council, is made up of 29 Deputies, 12 Parish Constables and 12 Senators as well as other non-voting officials.
Colin went on to give a detailed description of life during the occupation some of which was based on the eye-witness accounts of his parents who were children at the time. One little known fact was that the sailors in Jersey were instrumental in evacuating over 20,000 service personnel from St Malo after France fell. The island was bombed on 28th June 1940 when Heinkel bombers succeeded in destroying lorries containing potatoes on the quay thinking they were carrying munitions.
On the 30th June Jersey was invaded and 11,000 German troops occupied the islands. Hitler’s propaganda machine wanted to depict a positive picture of the occupation to show how pleasant life could be under the Nazis, but it failed and a darker side emerged. In September 1942 all non-Jerseymen were deported to France and 6000 slave labourers were brought in by the Todt organization to build ramparts and other defences.
After D-Day in 1944 the island was bypassed as the war centred on the French beaches and the advance into Germany. Both the islanders and the Germans were starving as supplies could not be brought in. It wasn’t until December 1944 that the SS VEGA arrived carrying red-cross parcels destined for the islanders only, not the Germans. Few dogs and cats were seen on the streets as the latter supplemented their meagre rations. The island was one of the last places in Europe to be liberated…9th May 1945 one day after VE Day Overall it was a most enjoyable, informative talk delivered with panache and humour. Mention should be made of Christine Tadier who read letters from King George VI and other documents.
