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Channel Islands |  |
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Jersey Parishes & Islands |
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Information related to all of Jersey |
Jersey[Grose's 'The Antiquities of England and Wales', 1777]
Jersey lies about fifteen miles west of the coast of France, or the Cape of La Hague, and eighty four miles south of Portland, in Dorsetshire.
It is about twelve miles in length, and not above six broad, containing
about thirty-six square miles. The number of its inhabitants are twenty
thousand, having a division of twelve parishes, with only eight churches.
The chief towns are St. Helier, and St. Aubin; the former of which contains
about four hundred houses, and near two thousand inhabitants. The latter
has a fort and harbour well defended. The Chateau de I'Islet, or Queen Elizabeth's
Castle here, is reckoned the best fortifications belonging to Great Britain.
French is the language of the pulpit and bar, and it is generally spoken
both here and in the neighbouring islands.
It is finely watered, abounds with fish, fruit, and cattle; makes excellent
cyder, has great variety of sea-fowl, the best of honey, fine wool, remarkably
fine butter, but labours under a scarcity of corn and fuel, for the latter
of which they substitute vraic. Here are manufactured a pecular kind of
worsted stockings much esteemed; nor are they without mineral springs of
a purgative quality. Its intercourse with France, supplies it with wines,
brandy, etc. very easily, so that it has but little malt liquor. The partridges
here are remarkable for having red feet, and among its fish is a remarkable
sort called Ormer. They are governed by the Norman laws, the courts of judicature
in England having no jurisdiction over any of these Islands.
ENGLISH The British Press and Jersey Times Almanac 1862-1910 became The Royal Almanac 1911-1913. The Jersey Express Almanac 1866-1936. The Jersey Evening Post Almanac 1914-1974.
Lists of Island and Parish Officials, Ships, Sea Captains and Shipping
Companies. Advertising and Commercial Directories are incorporated from
1860s. From 1880s they also summarise the main news of the year. As a rule
of thumb, the earlier the edition, the less information they contain. Available
at the Société
Jersiaise and the
Jersey Library Reference Section and 
the Jersey Archive from 1864 -1997
(see below).
The Société Jersiaise. Lord Coutanche Library, Société Jersiaise, 7 Pier Road, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 4XW. This library has a substantial Family History section (open five and a half days a week) and the advantage of the census on microfilm for Jersey and Guernsey, an index of their Annual Bulletins from 1885 to date, which contain many family histories, complete runs of several local directories from circa 1835 and local newspapers from1797. They also have an old LDS IGI and their 1881 Census Index.
Since August 1998 they have had a presence on the Internet and are beginning to take genealogical enquiries by e-mail. More information at their Website.
The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive page
The CIFHS Research Room is now at the Jersey Archive. The collection is comparable to that of the Société as most of the indices were prepared by individuals who are members of both societies - however space is at a premium and there are no newspapers or microfilm readers. The Research Committee have arranged an e-mail facility for enquiries at cifhs@localdial.com.
Jersey Archive
Clarence Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4JY. Telephone 01534 833300. The Jersey
Archive collects and preserves the records of the States of Jersey, States
Committees and Departments, the Royal Court, H.E. Lieutenant-Governor, Parishes,
Churches, Businesses, Societies and individuals relating to the Island.
The Jersey Archive is open to the public Tuesday - Thursday, 9-1 and 2-5 with a late night Thursday till 7 on the last Thursday of the month. You do not have to make an appointment to visit the Jersey Archive to carry out research. The Archive is also able to answer postal, telephone and e-mail enquiries (archives@jerseyheritagetrust.org)
The Jersey Archive has all of the major family history sources available, including Census on Microfilm for Jersey and Guernsey, the 1881 Census for the British Isles, National Burial Index, original Church registers, transcriptions of Church registers, almanacs, rate lists, the CIFHS collection of indexes and family trees, original wills and testaments from 1660 and official States of Jersey records and Royal Court records. All records, which have been indexed by name, place and subject can be searched on the on-line catalogue, updated every three months.
The Jersey Library have the censuses on microfilm from 1841-1891 with some indices and many local newspapers, but are not geared up to accept genealogical enquires by post or e-mail. The larger number of microfilm readers however, mean less queuing if you are visiting in person. The Jersey Library, Halkett Place, St Helier JE2 4WG.
The Jersey Family History Centre of the L.D.S. Church (website suspended May 2001 during reorganisation), La Rue de La Vallée, St Mary, Jersey JE3 3DL. The Centre holds a very wide range of microfiche and film of the International Genealogical Index (IGI), the Census Returns (1841 and every 10 years to 1891) and the Indices of Births and Marriages in England and Wales from 1837 to 1983. The IGI covers Britain and many other countries of the world but is very thin on the Channel Islands. The 1992 Edition contains over 200,000,000 names. Many other records are available on request. Items that can be sent from Birmingham take about 6 weeks to arrive. Items from Salt Lake City can take approximately 3 months.
Published Guide: Marie-Louise Backhurst - "Family History in Jersey"(CIFHS Publications 1991).
Channel Islands Genealogy includes a surnames list compiled by John Fuller of the Channel Islands-related research interests of a number of Internet and CompuServe users and manyuseful links.
Books about the Channel Islands Part of Charles Picot's Pages - a book list of essential reading about the Islands.
A Glossary for the Historian of Jersey - C. N. Aubin (Jersey Archives
Service, 1997)
Published Guide: Balleine's Biographical Dictionary of Jersey (Staples Press 1948). First edition out of print but in many libraries worldwide including L.D.S. catalogue. 2nd Edition (with added illustrations) published La Haule Books 1996. Available to subscribers only, write to La Haule Books Ltd, West Lodge, La Route de la Haule, St Brelade, JERSEY JE3 8BD for catalogue. No e-mail yet.
The Société
Jersiaise have prepared a 2nd Biographical Dictionary covering prominent
Islanders who have died since 1948 and others that Balleine missed - edited
by Francis Corbet.
Prominent figures, such as members of the political dynasties of de Carteret, Le Hardy and Le Geyt also feature in the Dictionary of National Biography as do a few military men with Jersey backgrounds.
Each Parish Church has a surrounding graveyard. Some are in better condition than others.
Town:
Most of the St Helier Town Church
gravestones are now used as paving and are getting worn away rapidly. They
have been recorded and the index is in preparation.
After 1840 many new town cemetaries opened. Green Street MIs Index and Transcript available at the Library of the Société Jersiaise and the CIFHS Research Room. Mont-à-l'Abbé, Westmount, Surville (all Church of England) and Almorah Cemetaries (Non-Conformist, including Roman Catholic) are in the custody of Mr Robin Clapham, Superintendant of St Helier Cemeteries, Mont-à-l'Abbé Cemetery, St Helier, JERSEY JE2 3LE. He has ambitious plans to computerise his card index system of all the MIs and place it on the Internet but presently lacks funding. He will reply to postal enquiries.
Country Parishes Church of England
Trinity
MI list prepared - available at the Library
of the Société Jersiaise and the CIFHS
Research Room.
St Peter in progress and others planned for 1999/2000.
1953 Ron Davies Indices (incomplete and unchecked) part of St Saviour and St Brelade Parish Churchyards and all of St Mary - available only at the Library of the Société Jersiaise.
Details of Cemeteries of the following Churches are available at the
Jersey Archive:
St Lawrence, St Clement, St Brelade, St Helier, St Saviour.
Jersey is included in the Census for England and Wales - taken every 10 years from 1841-1891. All have been indexed.
1841 (typed index by surname) and 1861 (full alphabetical transcript) presently only available in Jersey at the Library of the Société Jersiaise and the CIFHS Research Room.
1851, 1871 and 1891 have been published - see
1881 available through the LDS Family History Centres worldwide,including our own The Jersey Family History Centre of the L.D.S. Church.
The 1891 Census Index is now out of print but plans are in progress to publish a working index on CD in 2000.
During the Napoleonic Wars a census was taken of all the men available
to defend the Island in the event of an invasion. More information at
Jersey Archive
holds the microfilm for the Channel Islands Censuses 1841-1891, including
a street index to all censuses, a copy of the 1881 British Isles census
and copies of the indexes and transcriptions produced by the CIFHS.
A copy of General Don's Militia Survey of 1806 & 1815 is held by the Jersey Archive and can be found by searching the OPAC. An index to General Don's Militia Survey produced by the CIFHS is also available at the Jersey Archive.
A copy of the 1901 Census will be available at the Jersey Archive from
the 2nd January 2002.
Charles Picot has put Joan Steven's Chronology of Jersey on his Website.
Jersey Archive
now holds the original baptism, marriage and burial registers for the following
churches:
R.J. Kerley, The Superintendent Registrar, 10 Royal Square, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 4WA. Office Hours 9.30 a.m.to 12.30 p.m. Schedule of charges at the Superintendant Registrar's Office.
Civil Registration Surname indices from 1842 are available on microfiche at the Library of the Société Jersiaise and the CIFHS Research Room at the Jersey Archive as there is limited access to the originals by appointment between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Monday to Friday. Ensure you telephone first (01534) 502335 as Jersey is once again in demand as a wedding destination!
Royal Court of Jersey subdivisions
Cour de Câtel - Criminal Proceedings from 1504.
Cour d'Heritage - Real property and Inheritance Proceedings from1506.
Cour de Samedi - From 1535, any business left over from either of
the above and Civil cases.
Cour de Billet - Petty Debts from 1648 to the 1950s.
Décrets - Bankruptcy Proceedings from 1616 to 1900.
Land Registry - Founded in 1602 to record land transactions which
were previously arranged verbally after Church Services and known as "ouie
de paroisse" (in the hearing of the parish). Contracts record the
names of the purchaser and vendor and often their fathers' names; the location
within the fief and parish; neighbours' property and roads abutting the
land in question; the date and purchase price.
Common Terms/Contracts found in the Land Registry
Rentes were loans repayable in kind (the produce of the land) and were
considered permanent, passing from one generation to the next, before absolute
ownership of property developed. Wheat rentes were the most common, cash
rentes gradually developed in the 18th Century. Hypotecs are modern
mortgages. Partages are the division of property between heirs. The
oldest son receiving the préciput (the largest share). Often
the remaining sons and daughters would sell their share of the land back
to the principal heir.
WARNING: The Land Registry ceased operations during the Civil War period,
therefore leaving a gap in the records from 1642-1660.
Notes: These records are in French.
Filmed by the L.D.S. and available to order from their Family History Centre network as Microfilm Register of contracts or land registry. Cour Royale (Jersey). 461 microfilms; 35 mm. Too many to list, Index (Table) is on: 0394648 to 0394708; 0431307 to 0431308 and 20 0431318. Land registry is on remainder.
All Royal Court Records original volumes and microfilms are now held
by the Jersey Archive
including:
Ecclesiastical Court records on microfiche from 1557-1568 available
at the Jersey Archive.
Historical Descriptions of the Channel Islands from Grose's The Antiquities of England and Wales, published in 1777 .
Many older Channel Islands houses have dated stones including the initials of the owners - these are in the process of being located, identified and indexed at the Jersey Datestones Project.
Given that space is limited on a small Island, Jersey folk have spread all over the world including, of course, Great Britain. They have travelled to America since early times - hence New Jersey! Notable families now established abroad include the Poindexters of America. Fishing the Newfoundland Banks for cod led to many enclaves being set up at the Gaspé in Canada. See also John Sullivan's Newfoundland and the Jersey Crisis of 1886. Many Jersey surnames can be found in any Australian or New Zealand telephone book.
Heritage Books are the publishers of Marion Turk's Quiet Adventurers Series which are due to be reprinted in January 1999 (two books about American and Canadian families with Channel Islands roots).
The Jersey Family History Forum: A Beginners Guide compiled jointly by all the local Research Centres.
Revised URL for John Fuller's Channel Islands Genealogy includes a surnames list compiled by John Fuller of the Channel Islands-related research interests of a number of Internet and CompuServe users and many useful links.
Research in the Channel Islands FAQs (FrequentlyAsked Questions). Civil Registration Details, Research Libraries and Family History Societies plus FAQs Links Page.
Channel Islands Family History: Reading the Records
Useful articles in CIFHS Journals: A List of Lists and Their Locations No. 73 (Feb 1997) pp. 280-283 and Indexing Jersey's Records: A Progress Report No. 76 (October 1997) pp.363-366.
Tutelles - guardianships. Procurations - powers of attorney. These records are in French and are only available at the Public Registry in Jersey.
Payne's Armorial of Jersey was published in 1859. Contains many family trees and origin legends as well as Coats of Arms. Copies are held by all of Jersey's Libraries and the LDS. Not as accurate as it could have been, the publisher relied on submissions from the families represented, who paid to appear.
The Jersey Heritage Trust Index Page (for Jersey Museum details)
The 'text book' history of Jersey is G.R. Balleine's History of Jersey,
revised by Marguerite Syvret and Joan Stevens in the 1970s and reprinted
in 1998 by the Société
Jersiaise with a new chapter by Colin Powell. Published by
Lé Jèrriais by Geraint Jennings (The History of Jersey Norman-French)
The Jersey Archive
holds the original of the 1795 Richmond map and copies of the Godfray
map, ordnance survey maps and aerial photographs.
The Jersey Merchant Seamen's Benefit Society. 19th Century Seamen's records page which includes links to other relevant sites.
Jersey has always had its own organised defence force, which eventually became the Royal Jersey Militia. Service was compulsory for all able bodied men from age 16 to 60. It was based on a parochial system until the 19th Century when four main Regiments were created - the Town, West, North and East Regiments, there was also a limited amount of artillery and cavalry. During the Napoleonic Wars a census was taken of all the men available to defend the Island in the event of an invasion. More information at General Don's Militia Survey of 1815.
A handful of other Militia Lists have been printed in the Annual Bulletins of the Société Jersiaise most notably St Saviour and St Peter in the 17th Centuries.The Library of the Société Jersiaise has a collection of original Militia Commissions and the Jersey Museum Service are responsible for the R.J.M. Museum at Elizabeth Castle, St Helier.
A British Garrison was nearly always present in Jersey. Lists have been prepared, which begin around the end of the 17th Century in the collection of the Library of the Société Jersiaise. One at Alderney and The British Army makes reference to many that could also be found in Jersey.
Jersey was Occupied by the German Army during most of WW II (1941-1945) see Brian Ahier Read's A Jersey Schoolboy Remembers the Occupation and the Jersey Archive site about the surviving Registration Cards and photographs from 1941.
The Jersey Archive
holds all Royal Jersey Militia Nominal Rolls, Royal Jersey Militia Pay Lists,
Royal Jersey Militia Pay & Mess Rolls and Royal Jersey Militia Attestation
Forms from 1929-1940.
The original Garrison registers from1784 to 1817 are also held by the Jersey Archive
A function of the Royal Court of Jersey but no indices exist, with the exception of many of the Huguenot arrivals fleeing from religious persecution in France in the 17th Century. Lists in the Annual Bulletins of the Société Jersiaise.
ENGLISH The British Press and Jersey Times 1862-1910 now being filmed and the Jersey Evening Post 1914 to date at the Jersey Library Reference Section.
The Jersey Archive
holds the admission registers for the Jersey Home for Girls/Jersey Female
Orphans Home from 1862 - 1959 and the Jersey Home for Boys/Jersey Industrial
School from 1867 - 1984 (Please note there are 100 year closures on the
admission registers).
The States of Jersey Home Page.
The Library of the Société Jersiaise contains printed volumes of Ordres du Conseil 1536-1867 . They include confirmations from the Privy Council (and/or the reigning Monarch) of Death Sentences, Transportation Orders and new Laws etc.
As the repository for all of the States of Jersey records, the Jersey Archive holds
States Department records, the original Ordres du Conseil, Acts of Parliaments
adopted in Jersey and States of Jersey Minutes. The Jersey Archive also
holds the Lieutenant-Governor's Archives and the Bailiff's Archives (specifically
from the German Occupation).
The Jersey General Hospital acted in this capacity but suffered two calamitous fires in the 18th and 19th Centuries, destroying most of the records. There are a few odd items at the Library of the Société Jersiaise.
The Jersey Archive
holds the original Minute Books of the Comité des Pauvres, Hospital
Committee Minute Books. Also the Jersey General Hospital Admission Registers
1839-1841 and1879-1948, Pensions to the Poor of St Helier, 1864-1898 and
a Baptism Register at the General Hospital, 1938-1978 are held.
See also Church Records for surviving Chapel Baptisms.
See Geoff Wright's Channel Islands Shipping Pages.
The Jersey Archive
holds all wills and testaments of movable property held by the Judicial
Greffe from 1660 - 1948 and they can be consulted individually, All wills
and testaments have been catalogued and are indexed under name on the Jersey
Archive catalogue. The Wills and Testaments 1948-1960 are held at the Jersey
Archive and can be searched under name,
Revised Link to Victoria College.
The Pupils Register from 19th Century is at the Library
of the Société Jersiaise.
The Jersey Archive
holds school log books and admission registers for 30 schools and also
registers of the appointment of teachers (1888 - 1927 and 1970 -1975),
and apprenticeship registers (1919-1950).
Social Life in Jersey in the Early 17th Century by G.R. Balleine.
The Channel Islands FHS PO Box 507, St Helier, Jersey JE4 5TN. Information, Officers of the Society, Subscriptions, Programme of Events, CIFHS Publications - Current and Forthcoming, Links. CIFHS Journals - Contents List 1996-2001.
Our Research Room is at theJersey
Archive - see Archives and Libraries.
Société Jersiaise 7 Pier Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4XW. Local and Natural History Learned Society. They now have a Bookshop online for local publications.
Printed Rate Lists (Liste du Rât) 1858 to date, Islandwide by Parish and Vingtaine (Parish Division), are available at the Library of the Société Jersiaise. They contain all of Jersey's landowners but not necessarily their tenants before the 20th Century. The CIFHS Research Room have a small sample plus a photocopy of a special Liste du Rât of 1736 which was an Islandwide levy on property owners to pay for a ship to protect St Helier Harbour.
The Jersey Archive
holds Liste du Rât 1877 to 1970.
Last updated: November 20th 2001.
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