Guernsey Airport appoints dead man as boss
PLUS: Sark is star of Channel 4 drama + Puffin's Pla(i)ce debuts on Channel Television
Sark stars in Channel 4 drama
This week in 1986, Channel 4 broadcast the first episode of a four-part television adaptation of the short novel "Mr Pye" by Mervyn Peake. The novel is set on Sark, where Peake lived for several years and the story revolves around the character Mr Pye and his attempts to convert the island to God. Pye was played by Derek Jacobi and the first episode received positive reviews.
The series cost around £350,000 per episode and was part of Channel 4's £40 million drama season. While making it, the crew faced challenges adapting to Sark's rules, such as transporting equipment by bike and using unusual methods for tracking shots, like a 2CV pulled by a horse.
Dead man appointed to run Guernsey Airport
Flight Lieutenant FA Swoffer, a former RAF member and author of "Learning to Fly," was appointed to run Guernsey Airport this week in 1939. Swoffer had survived a plane crash in 1916, following which he was mistakenly pronounced dead and taken to a mortuary before a nurse discovered he was alive.
The airport, which opened in May 1939, had four grass runways and initially hosted flights to London, Southampton, and Shoreham. Shortly after opening, control of the airport passed to the RAF Coastal Command due to the looming war.
Puffin’s Pla(i)ce debuts on ITV
The first-ever broadcast of Puffin's Pla(i)ce went out across the Channel Islands this week in 1963. This children's program was centred around a birthday slot and was broadcast on the local ITV station, Channel Television. The show was co-presented by Oscar Puffin, a puppet who became famous in both bailiwicks.
Despite changes in station ownership, Puffin's Pla(i)ce continued airing until 15th September 2013 when it was moved to the web. Oscar Puffin, with his full title being Oscar Grosnez Corbiere Claud Puffin, remains a local celebrity and occasionally appears in locally-produced programs. Puffin’s Pla(i)ce was the only dedicated children's show produced by Channel Television.
Guernsey’s entire police force arrested
Guernsey’s entire police force was arrested this week in 1942 when two officers were caught stealing from German stores during the occupation. Following the initial arrests, all their colleagues were also rounded up, and while most were released on the same day, further investigations by the Germans led to trials for several officers. Some were convicted of stealing from German supplies or civilian stocks and were imprisoned in France or Germany.
The Chief Officer of Guernsey Police, Albert Lamy, described the challenges faced by the force during this period. The incident resulted in depleted service numbers, and some members suffered injuries during their imprisonment. The new Chief of Police was later arrested for handling stolen goods, leading to further disruptions within the force.
Guernsey’s new steamer
The paddle steamer Isle of Guernsey was delivered to its new owners, the Southern Railway Company, this week in 1930. Built by William Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton, it had been launched on 17 December 1929. The ship had a capacity of 1,400 passengers, with 800 in first class and 600 in second class. It featured innovative amenities such as portable cabins on the promenade deck during winter and tea lounges in the summer. The vessel was recognised for its high safety standards, including advanced wireless communication capabilities.
The ship, equipped with two propellers driven by a steam turbine, was commissioned for the Southampton to Guernsey route. However, its service was interrupted by wartime duties during World War II. It served as a hospital ship during the war, participating in missions including the evacuation of Dunkirk and supporting D-Day operations in France.
After nearly 25 years of service ferrying passengers between the mainland and the Channel Islands, the Isle of Guernsey was retired and eventually scrapped in 1961.
Guernsey’s first governor
Guernsey’s first governor was appointed this week in 1486. King Henry VII had originally appointed both Edmund Weston and Thomas de St Martin jointly to oversee the island but, by March 1486, he decided that leaving it in the hands of just one governor was probably a better idea after all, and the job went to Edmund Weston.
Aged around 50 (nobody knows for sure) he was born in Lincolnshire. Yet, Weston wasn’t much more powerful than the present day governor. The States already existed to represent the people, and even the pope had some sway on the Channel Islands, having declared fifteen years earlier that they were to remain neutral in times of war.
School moves mooted
The heads of Guernsey's five secondary schools recommended scrapping the Eleven-plus exam this week in 2016 as part of a move to merge the island's senior schools into a single unit spread across multiple sites. This decision was supported by primary school heads and eventually led to the end of the Eleven-plus exam later that year. The exam, introduced in 1944, was criticised for its class bias and the stress it imposed on students.