Britain’s Sunny Channel Islands
By “Awake!” correspondent in the British Isles
JERSEY and Guernsey—what do these names mean to you? Sweaters? Yes, these are the names of some of the finest knitted garments with their distinctive patterns and designs. Dairy cattle? Yes, again, for these animals are highly prized for the richness of their milk. But Jersey and Guernsey are really the names of two small islands in the English Channel that are part of a group known as the Channel Islands.
These islands are just off the French Normandy coast, so that from them on a clear day you can see the French coastline. Alderney, one of the group’s main islands, is only eight miles (13 km) off France’s Cherbourg peninsula. England, on the other hand, is about 60 miles (96 km) to the north. The islands have a combined area of 75 square miles (195 sq km), with a population of about 130,000.
The French Link
Since the Channel Islands are practically on the doorstep of France, how is it that they belong to Britain? The islanders’ answer is: ‘England never conquered us. We conquered England!’ There is an interesting bit of history behind this.
Originally, the islands were a part of the Duchy of Normandy in France. In 1066, Duke William “The Conqueror” crossed the English Channel, took England, and united the two realms under himself as King William I of England. That was the Norman Conquest.
Some 150 years later, English King John lost sovereignty over Normandy but held the Channel Islands. As a reward for their loyalty, he granted the islanders a constitution amounting to self-government, which has continued until this day.
Even so, the close proximity of the islands to France has naturally left an indelible mark. Although English is the everyday tongue, the legal language of the islands is French. If you were to venture into the narrow streets to explore the shops, or visit outlying areas, you would notice that many of the islanders still speak a patois, or dialect, akin to the original Norman-French.
Lure of the Sea
From the early time of the Vikings, the sea has played an important role in moulding the character of both the islands and their people. The Jersey coastline sees one of the largest tide movements in the world—a rise of as much as 40 feet (12 m) during spring tides. The resulting treacherous currents make sailing in the surrounding waters a hazardous business. Storms also sweep up the English Channel; fog and mist can prevail even in calmer weather.
In spite of all of this, or perhaps because of it, the inhabitants of these islands have always been excellent mariners and keen traders. First they traded with France and England. Eventually they sought fresh markets in Spain and Portugal, and then they ventured much farther afield. After the discovery of the Americas, many islanders regularly set sail in the spring for the opposite shore of the Atlantic and returned home in time for the autumn harvest and ploughing.
Not all trade, however, was clearly aboveboard. Smuggling and privateering provided the finance for many of the islands’ fine old houses that are greatly treasured today.
Attesting to the far reaches of the islanders is a plaque in a cemetery at Gaspé, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in Canada. It reads: “They came on the sea from the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Beside the sea they built homes, churches and schools, and from the sea they lived and by the sea they rest.”
Evidence of the Channel islander’s travels can be seen in still other parts of North America. Guernsey County, Ohio, has a direct link with the original Guernsey settlers. Better known, however, is New Jersey. Sir George Carteret, governor of Jersey, was given all the land between the Hudson and Delaware rivers in America by King Charles II as a reward for his support during the English civil war. Sir George, quite naturally, liked the name New Jersey, which has stuck till this day.
Life on the Islands
The commodities that have firmly established “jersey” and “guernsey” in the English language are the knitted pullovers by those names. Knitting was at one time a major industry on the islands. Their knitwear was highly valued throughout Europe. The islanders became so engrossed in their newfound source of wealth that getting in the harvest became a serious problem on Jersey. A law had to be passed to prohibit the menfolk from knitting during the harvest season.
The people—men, women, and children—would even take their knitting to church. The noise from the clicking needles was so bad that it was almost impossible for the preacher to be heard. It took an Order of the States (local parliament) to put an end to such “scandalous” behaviour.
The two excellent breeds of dairy cattle, Jersey and Guernsey, have been exported and are raised in many countries of the world. To preserve the purity of the breed, no other cattle are allowed on the islands; even cows that have been shipped abroad are not allowed to return. The reddish-brown or dark-fawn Jersey, though smaller than the Guernsey, claims the distinction of producing milk with the highest butterfat content of all cattle. On the other hand, the white-patched, fawn-colored Guernseys produce more milk than Jerseys. So, understandably, the competition is keen.
The sunny islands also produce an abundance of tomatoes, vegetables, and flowers. Early spring orchids from Guernsey are a popular gift in England. In fact, Guernsey is often referred to as the island of glasshouses. As you approach the island from the air, the reason becomes apparent as the sun’s reflection flashes from greenhouses scattered all over the island. Another crop is vraic, seaweed growing abundantly in the warm waters around the islands. It is gathered and dried for use mainly as fertilizer. Not to be forgotten is the ormer, a shellfish delicacy found locally.
During the second world war, the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles occupied by Nazi forces. Recognizing the cost in men and material of defending the islands, the British government evacuated all who wished to leave. The island of Alderney became a German prisoner-of-war camp. Aside from causing severe privations, the war generally passed the other islands by.
Bible Truth Grows Quickly
Seeds of Bible truth were sown here back in 1925 when Zephaniah and Ethel Widdell arrived from England with their bicycles to organize a regular program of Bible studies. As a direct result of their work, congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses were soon formed in both Jersey and Guernsey.
Although the work of the Witnesses was banned during World War II, Bible studies continued to flourish, and meetings were held quietly and regularly, with just over 20 persons attending. When the islands were liberated, over 80 Witnesses were active in the preaching work throughout the islands—a fourfold increase. Now, there are over 350. In the intervening years, many islanders have become full-time evangelizers, including three missionaries, graduates from the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, currently serving in Africa.
Friends Forever
If you ever have the happy experience of visiting the Channel Islands, the memory will long remain with you. Warm, sunny weather and quiet sandy beaches are irresistible attractions, to be sure. But instead of the conveniences of modern life in Jersey’s St. Helier or Guernsey’s St. Peter Port, you may choose to visit the ancient tombs and other artifacts of history on the islands—a veritable treasure house from man’s earliest times. Most of all, you will enjoy the relaxed way of life of the kind and hospitable island folk. And once you get to know them, you will be sure of a warm welcome whenever you return to these sunny Channel Islands.
[Maps on page 17]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
ENGLAND
English Channel
Channel Islands
FRANCE
Alderney Is.
Guernsey Is.
Sark Is.
Jersey Is.
[Picture on page 19]
St. Peter Port, Guernsey Island
[Credit Line]
J. Tesson/H. Armstrong Roberts