Guernsey gets a new flag
Guernsey cut off from outside world + Aurigny founded
Channel Islands cut off from the outside world
The Channel Islands were cut off from the outside world this week in 1877 due to a break in the sole telegraph cable connecting them to the mainland. This event had a significant impact on the communication infrastructure of the islands, forcing them to revert to the steam packet mail service for a period of six weeks until the cable was repaired.
The repair process was time consuming, with the fault being fixed and services finally restored on Sunday 7th April, six weeks after the initial disconnection. The repair work had been carried out by the ship International, which located the break in the cable 25 miles off Guernsey's coast and proceeded with the necessary repairs.
Aurigny founded
Aurigny Air Services was founded this week in 1968 by Alderney resident Sir Derrick Bailey. The airline was established in response to British United Airways dropping its Alderney to Guernsey service, which raised concerns about Alderney being cut off. The name "Aurigny" is derived from the Norman word for Alderney.
The airline's first commercial flight took off on 1st March of the same year, and the service carried 45,000 passengers between the islands in its first 12 months of operation. Over the years, Aurigny expanded its destinations, becoming a vital part of everyday life within the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
The airline has a rich history of forward-thinking initiatives, such as being the world's first airline to ban smoking on its services in 1977. In 2003, Aurigny was nationalised by the States of Guernsey to secure its services after British Airways decided to drop its route between Guernsey and London Gatwick. Despite its origins in Alderney, the airline is now known as "Guernsey’s Airline."
Guernsey gets its own flag
Guernsey officially adopted its own flag to differentiate itself from England this week in 1985, as the previous flag, the Cross of St George, was causing confusion, particularly at sporting events.
The new flag retained the Cross of St George but overlaid it with the gold cross of William the Conqueror, representing Guernsey's Norman roots and its link to the English and French thrones.
The flag was granted a Royal Warrant by the Queen on the same day it was adopted and was flown for the first time on May 9, 1985, the 40th anniversary of Guernsey's liberation.
Guernsey’s concrete poet born
Dom Sylvester Houédard was born in Guernsey this week in 1924, was a Benedictine monk known for his work in concrete poetry. He was ordained as a priest at the Benedictine Abbey of Prinknash, Gloucestershire.
Houédard's notable contributions include the creation of concrete poetry using his Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter. Concrete poetry is a form of poetry in which the layout is as important as the words themselves.
His work earned him recognition and followers, including Yoko Ono. Houédard's artistic and poetic endeavours led to a retrospective of his work at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum in London in 1971. He passed away on January 15, 1992, leaving behind a legacy in the world of concrete poetry and art.
Guernsey Railway Company runs its first services
The Guernsey Railway Company, born out of the Guernsey Steam Tramway, commenced its first services this week in 1892. It operated the second electric street tram in the British Isles, using overhead wires to deliver an electric current. The company initially leased the line from Siemens, which had electrified it, and later expanded its fleet.
Due to the lack of public mains electricity on the island, the company generated its own power using a steam boiler. However, despite its initial popularity, the railway company eventually faced competition from motor-powered buses, which provided more flexible services at lower costs. This led to the decline of the railway company, and its services were discontinued on 9th June 1934. The tracks were lifted shortly after, marking the end of the Guernsey Railway Company's operations.
HMS Guernsey launched
The Royal Navy launched the HMS Guernsey, which was the last of four ships with the same name, this week in 1977. Built by Hall, Russell and Company in Aberdeen, HMS Guernsey was an Island Class vessel, 59m long and 11m wide, with a draft of 4.3m. It had a displacement of 1,000 tons when empty and a top speed of 16 knots. The ship's range between refuelling was 12,500 miles at 11 knots.
After the Royal Navy no longer had use for the HMS Guernsey, it was sold to Bangladesh along with other ships, and was renamed BNS Sangu. It went into service under that name on 3rd October 2004. The ship had a crew of around 100.
The name HMS Guernsey has been popular within the Royal Navy, with several ships being launched under that name in different years.
First Methodist minister arrives in Guernsey
Jean de Quetteville, Guernsey's first Methodist minister, arrived in St Peter Port and founded the Methodist movement on the island this week in 1786. He had been born in St Martin’s, Jersey, in May 1761, and his influence was enormous. He became a preacher in 1791, wrote hymns, and travelled throughout the islands, contributing to the establishment of 14 Methodist churches in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
His legacy lives on, and he is well remembered by the Methodist Church in Guernsey and beyond, having been given the title Apostle to the Channel Islands. Jean de Quetteville died in Guernsey on 1 February 1843, and his remains were interred in St Peter Port cemetery, opposite the Priaulx Library.
In 2009, Methodist Homes for the Aged purchased a plot and built Maison de Quetteville, which provides care for people in Guernsey living with dementia.