The
Bailiwick of Guernsey ( ;
) is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel
off the coast of Normandy.
As well as
the island of Guernsey itself, it also
includes Alderney
, Herm
, Jethou
, Brecqhou
, Burhou
, Lihou, Sark
and other
islets. Although the defence of all these islands
is the responsibility of the United Kingdom
, the Bailiwick of Guernsey is not part of the U.K.
but rather a separate possession of the Crown, comparable to the
Isle of
Man
. Guernsey is also not part of the European Union. The island of Guernsey
is divided into
10 parishes.
Together with the
Bailiwick of Jersey
, the
Bailiwick of Guernsey is included in the collective grouping known
as the Channel Islands.
Guernsey belongs to the
Common Travel
Area.
History
Rising sea
levels transformed Guernsey first into the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the emergent English Channel, then, around 6000 BC, into an island when it and other promontories were cut off
from continental
Europe.
At this time,
Neolithic farmers settled
the coasts and created the
dolmens and
menhirs that dot the islands. The island of
Guernsey contains three
sculpted
menhirs of great archaeological interest; the dolmen known as
L'Autel du Dehus also contains a
dolmen deity known as
Le Gardien du
Tombeau.
During their migration to
Brittany, the
Britons occupied the
Lenur Islands (former name of the
Channel Islands including
Sarnia or
Lisia
(Guernsey) and
Angia (Jersey).
It was formerly
thought that the island's original name was Sarnia, but
recent research indicates that may have been the Latin name for
Sark; although Sarnia remains the island's
traditional designation. Coming from the Kingdom of Gwent
, Saint Sampson (abbot
of Dol, in Brittany) is credited
with the introduction of Christianity
to Guernsey.
In 933 the islands, formerly under the control of the kingdom, then
Duchy of Brittany were annexed by
the
Duchy of Normandy. The island
of Guernsey and the other
Channel
Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of
Normandy.
In the islands,
Elizabeth II's
traditional title as
head of state is
Duke of Normandy.
During the
Middle Ages the island was
repeatedly attacked by French pirates and naval forces, especially
during the
Hundred Years War when
the island was occupied by the French on several occasions, the
first being in
1339.
In 1372
the island was invaded by Aragonese
mercenaries under the command of Owain Lawgoch (remembered as Yvon de
Galles), who was in the pay of the French king. Lawgoch
and his dark-haired mercenaries were later absorbed into Guernsey
legend as an invasion by
fairies from across
the sea.
During the
English Civil War, Guernsey sided
with Parliament, while Jersey remained
Royalist. Guernsey's decision was
mainly related to the higher proportion of
Calvinists and other Reformed churches, as well
as
Charles I's refusal to take
up the case of some Guernsey seamen who had been captured by the
Barbary corsairs.
The allegiance was
not total, however, there were a few Royalist uprisings in the
southwest of the island, while Castle Cornet
was occupied by the Governor, Sir Peter Osbourne,
and Royalist troops. Castle Cornet, which had been built to
protect Guernsey, was turned on by the town of St. Peter Port, who
constantly bombarded it. It was the last Royalist stronghold to
capitulate, in 1651.
During the wars with France and Spain during the
17th and
18th
centuries, Guernsey shipowners and sea captains exploited their
proximity to mainland Europe, applying for
Letters of Marque and turning their
merchantmen into
privateers.
The
19th century saw a dramatic
increase in prosperity of the island, due to its success in the
global maritime trade, and the rise of the stone industry.
One
notable Guernseyman, William Le
Lacheur, established the Costa Rican
coffee trade with Europe.
During
World War I approximately 3,000
island men served in the
British Expeditionary
Force. Of these, about 1,000 served in the
Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
regiment which was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in
1916.
The Bailiwick of Guernsey was
occupied by German troops
in
World War II. Before the occupation,
many Guernsey children were evacuated to England to live with
relatives or strangers during the war. Some children were never
re-united with their families.
Guernsey island, seen from 33,000 feet
above.
During
the occupation, some people from Guernsey were deported by the
Germans to camps in the southwest of Germany
, notably to Biberach an der Riß
and interned in the Lindele Camp ("Lager
Lindele"). There was also a concentration camp built in
Alderney where forced labourers, predominantly from Eastern Europe, were kept. It was the
only concentration camp built on British soil and is commemorated
on memorials under the Alderney's name in French: 'Aurigny'.
Some
2,200 U.K. born islanders were also deported to prison camps in
Germany, notably Biberach an der Riß. Also deported was Ambrose (later Sir
Ambrose) Sherwill, who, as the President of the States Controlling
Committee, was
de facto head of the civilian population.
Sir Ambrose, who was Guernsey-born, had served in the
British Army during the
First World War and later became Bailiff of
Guernsey.
Certain laws were passed at the insistence of the occupying forces
; for example, a reward was offered to informants who reported
anyone for painting
"V-for Victory"
signs on walls and buildings, a practice that had become
popular among islanders who wished to express their loyalty to
Britain.
Tragically, two islanders of Jewish descent
were deported to Auschwitz
, never to return.
Guernsey was very heavily fortified during World War II by 4x
Russian 305mm guns made in 1911 out of all proportion to its
strategic value.
There are German defences visible all round
the coast and additions were made to Castle Cornet and a windmill. Hitler became obsessed with the idea that the Allies
would try to regain the islands at any price, and over 20% of the
material that went into the
Atlantic
Wall was committed to the Channel Islands. 47 000 sq m of
concrete were used on gun bases . Most of the German fortifications
remain intact; although the majority of them are on private
property, several are open to the public.
Politics
The deliberative assembly of the
The
States of Guernsey ( ) called the States of Deliberation ( ),
consists of 45 People's Deputies, elected from multi- or
single-member districts every four years.
There are also two
representatives from Alderney, a semi-autonomous dependency of the Bailiwick, but
Sark sends no representative. There are also two
non-voting members: H.M. Procureur (Attorney General) and H.M.
Comptroller (Solicitor General), both appointed by the Crown and
collectively known as the Law Officers of the Crown.
A Projet de Loi is the equivalent of a U.K. Bill or a French projet
de loi, and a Law is the equivalent of a U.K. Act of Parliament or
a French loi. A draft Law passed by the States can have no legal
effect until formally approved by Her Majesty in Council and
promulgated by means of an Order-in-Council. Laws are given the
Royal Sanction at regular meetings of the
Privy Council
in London, after which they are returned to the Islands for formal
registration at the Royal Court.
The States also make delegated legislation known as 'Ordinances
(Ordonnances)' and 'Orders (Ordres)' which do not require Royal
Assent. Commencement orders are usually in the form of
Ordinances.
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative of
the Crown. The
official residence of the Lieutenant
Governor is Government House.
Since 18 October 2005 the incumbent has been
Vice-Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon, born
in Southsea
, Portsmouth
, in 1946 and a serving naval officer
1965-2002. His last naval posting before retirement from the
Royal Navy was deputy
commander-in-chief of fleet.
Each parish is administered by a Douzaine. Douzeniers are elected
for a six year mandate, two Douzeniers being elected by
parishioners at a parish meeting in November each year. The senior
Douzenier is known as the Doyen (Dean). Two elected
Constables ( ) carry out the decisions of the
Douzaine, serving for between one and three years. The longest
serving Constable is known as the Senior Constable and his or her
colleague as the Junior Constable.
The legal system is Guernsey customary derived from
Norman French customary law, heavily influenced and
overlaid by
English common law,
justice being administered through a combination of the
Magistrates' Court and the
Royal Court. Members of Guerney's legal
profession are known as Advocates ( ), there being no distinction
between
solicitors and
barristers as in
England and Wales: Guernsey
Advocates fulfill both roles. The Royal Court of
Guernsey (French la Cour Royale de Guernesey) is made up of the
Bailiff (French le Bailli), who presides and determines issues of
law, and between twelve and sixteen Jurats (French Jures-Justiciers
de la Cour Royale), who determine issues of fact and are elected to
office by an electoral college known as the States of Election
(French les Etats d'Election).
Appeals lie from the Royal Court to the
Guernsey Court of Appeal and thereafter to the Judicial
Committee of the Privy Council
. ),.
Several European countries have consulate presence in the island.
The French Consulate is based at
Victor
Hugo's former residence at
Hauteville House. The
German
Honorary Consulate is based at local design and advertising
agency
Betley Whitehorne.
While Guernsey has complete autonomy over internal affairs and
certain external matters, the topic of complete independence from
the British Crown has been discussed widely and frequently, with
ideas ranging from Guernsey obtaining independence as a Dominion to
the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey uniting and forming an
independent Federal State within the Commonwealth, whereby both
islands retain their independence with regards to domestic affairs
but internationally, the islands would be regarded as one
state.
Geography
Map of the Bailiwick of Guernsey
.jpg/220px-Guernsey_landscape_2_(1993).jpg)
Guernsey coastal rocks
At , Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
have a total area of 30 square miles (78 km²) and a
coastline of about 30 miles (50 km). By itself, the island of
Guernsey has a total area of 25 square miles (63 km²).
Guernsey
is situated 30 statute miles (48 km) west of France's Normandy coast and 75 statute miles (121 km)
south of Weymouth,
England
and lies in the Gulf of St Malo
. Lihou, a
tidal island, is attached to Guernsey by a
causeway at low tide. The terrain is mostly
level with low hills in southwest.
Elevation varies across the bailiwick from sea level to 375 feet
(114 m) at Le Moulin on Sark. The highest point in mainland
Guernsey is Hautnez (363 ft; 110 m), in Alderney at Le
Rond But (306 ft; 93 m), in Jethou (248 ft;
75.6 m) and Herm (322 ft; 98 m). Natural resources
include cropland.
Guernsey itself contains two main geographical regions, the
Haut Pas, a high southern plateau, and the
Bas
Pas, a low-lying and sandy northern region. In general terms,
the
Haut Pas is the more rural of the two, and the
Bas
Pas is more residential and industrialised.
There is
a large,
deepwater harbour
at St Peter
Port
. The
Casquets, a
group of islets, are notable for the
lighthouse facility constructed there.
Climate
The climate is temperate with mild winters and cool sunnier
summers. The hottest months are August and September where
temperatures are generally around 20 °C (68 °F). On
average, the coldest month is February with an average weekly mean
air temperature of 6°C. Average weekly mean air temperature reaches
16°C in August. Snow rarely falls and is unlikely to settle, but is
most likely to fall in February. The temperature rarely drops below
freezing, although strong wind-chill from Arctic winds can
sometimes make it feel like it. The rainiest months are December
(average 108 mm), November (average 98 mm) and January
(average 89 mm). July is on average the sunniest month with
250 hours recorded sunshine; December the least with 50 hours
recorded sunshine. 50% of the days are overcast.
Parishes
The island of Guernsey is divided into ten parishes and each of the
smaller islands of Alderney and Sark also constitutes a parish
(Saint Anne and Saint Peter, respectively).
|
|
 Map of the parishes of Guernsey.
|
Economy
Unlike many countries, Guernsey has not delegated money-creation to
the central bank and has instead issued
interest-free money from 1822 to 1836,
stimulating the growth of economy after Napoleon's wars without
creating public debt and without increasing taxes. There is
evidence that introducing fiat money (either via a central bank or
without one) "stimulates the growth of the economy" in the long
term. Also gold and silver coin remained money in Guernsey in the
period 1822 to 1836 - and indeed long after.
Financial services, such as
banking,
fund management, and
insurance, account for about 32% of total income.
Tourism,
manufacturing, and
horticulture, mainly
tomatoes and cut flowers, especially
freesias, have been declining. Light tax and death
duties make Guernsey a popular
offshore
finance centre for
Private
equity funds. However, while Guernsey is not a member of the
European Union, the EU is forcing
Guernsey to comply more and more with its rules . As with other
offshore centres, Guernsey is also coming under increasing pressure
from bigger nations to change its way of doing business in many
ways. Guernsey is currently changing the way its tax system works
in order to remain OECD and EU compliant. From 1 January 2008 it
will operate a Zero-Ten corporate tax system where most companies
will pay 0% corporate tax and a limited number of specific banking
activities will be taxed at 10%. As a result it is confronting what
it terms a financial "black hole" of forty-five million pounds or
more according to some estimates which it aims to fill through
economic growth and indirect taxation. Guernsey now has the
official
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code
GG and the official
ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code
GGY;
market data
vendors, such as
Reuters, will report
products related to Guernsey using the alpha-3 code.
Guernsey also has a thriving non-finance industry. It is home to
Specsavers Optical Group, which manages
the largest optical chain in the UK and Ireland and also operates
in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Australia and Spain. Healthspan
also has its headquarters in Guernsey
Guernsey issues its own
sterling
coinage and
banknotes. UK coinage and (English,
Scottish and Northern Irish faced) banknotes also circulate freely
and interchangeably.Public services, such as electricity, water,
and postal services have been commercialised by the States and are
now operated by companies wholly owned by the States of Guernsey.
Guernsey Telecoms which provided telecommunications was sold by the
States to
Cable & Wireless.
Newtel was the first alternative telecommunications company on the
island and now provides a wide range of residential and business
telecommunication services as well as high specification data
centres. Wave Telecom, (owned by Jersey Telecom) also provides some
telecommunications excluding local loop services. Gas is supplied
by an independent private company. Both the
Guernsey Post postal boxes (since 1969) and
the telephone boxes (since 2002) are painted blue, but otherwise
are identical to their British counterparts, the red
pillar box and
red
telephone box.
Transport
Ports and
harbours exist at St Peter
Port and St
Sampson's. There are two paved airports in the
Bailiwick (Guernsey
Airport
and Alderney Airport
), and 3 miles (5 km) of railways in Alderney.The
States of
Guernsey wholly own their own airline
Aurigny Air Services. The decision to
purchase the airline was made to protect important airlinks to and
from the island and the sale was completed on 15 May 2003.
The
Guernsey
Railway
, which was virtually an electric tramway, and which
began working on 20 February 1892, was abandoned on 9 June
1934. It replaced an earlier transport system which was
worked by steam, and was named the Guernsey Steam Tramway. The
latter began service on 6 June 1879 with six locomotives.
This
leaves Alderney as the only Channel Island with a working
railway
.
Demographics
The population is 65,726, as of 2008. The median age for males is
41 years and for females is 43 years. The population growth rate is
0.228% with 8.57 births/1,000 population, 10.09 deaths/1,000
population, and 3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population. The life
expectancy is 77.64 years for males and 83.76 years for females.
1.4 children are born per woman. Ethnic groups consist of
British and
Norman-French descent,
Portuguese, Latvian and South African.For
immigration and nationality purposes it is UK law, and not Guernsey
law which applies (technically the Immigration Act 1971, extended
to Guernsey by Order-in-Council). Guernsey may not apply different
immigration controls to the UK and EEA nationals free movement
rights to enter the territory of the British Islands and remain
apply also in Guernsey, although there are de facto restrictions on
occupation of housing by everyone.
The housing market is split between local market properties and a
small number of open market properties. Anyone may live in an open
market property, but local market properties can only be lived in
by those who qualify - either through being born in Guernsey (to
local parents), by obtaining a housing licence, or by virtue of
sharing a property with someone who does qualify.
Housing licences are for fixed periods, and are usually only valid
for as long as the individual remains employed by a specified
Guernsey employer.
These restrictions apply equally regardless of whether the property
is owned or rented, and only applies to occupation of the property.
Thus a person whose housing licence expires may continue to own a
Guernsey property, but will no longer be able to live in it.
There are a number of routes to qualifying as a "local" for housing
purposes. Generally it is sufficient to be born to at least one
Guernsey parent, and to live in the island for ten years in a
twenty year period. Once "local" status has been achieved it
remains in place for life. Even a lengthy period of residence
outside Guernsey does not invalidate "local" housing status. More
details may be obtained from the States Housing Control
Department.
Although
Guernsey's inhabitants are full British citizens, an endorsement
restricting the right of establishment in other European Union
states is placed in the passport of British citizens connected
solely with the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Those who have a parent or grandparent born in the
United Kingdom itself (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland), or who have lived in the United Kingdom for 5 years, are
not subject to this restriction.
Emergency services
Education
Guernsey adopts mainly England's
National
Curriculum, including the use of the
GCSE
and
A Level system, in terms of
content and structure of teaching. Children are allocated a primary
school on a basis of catchment area, or are allowed to attend
either of two Catholic primary schools.
In terms of
admissions however the island continues to use the 11 plus exam to decide on whether a child should
receive education at the Grammar School
, or receive state funded places at the independent
schools Elizabeth
College for boys, and The Ladies College
for girls or Blanchelande Girls College for
Roman Catholics. Parents have
the choice to send children to independent schools as fee payers.
For
children who are not selected for the Grammar School or colleges,
they attend the secondary schools of La Mare de
Carteret School
, Les Beaucamps School, or St Sampson's
High.
The Education Department is currently part way through an ambitious
programme of re-building its secondary schools. So far the
Department has completed the building of La Rondin special needs
school, the Sixth Form Centre at the Grammar School and the first
phase of the new College of FE - a purpose-built performing arts
centre. The contstruction of St. Sampsons High was completed summer
2008 and admitted its first students in September 2008.
In the past, students could leave school at the end of the term in
which they turned 14, if they so wished: a letter was required to
be sent to the Education department to confirm this. However, this
option was undertaken by relatively few students, the majority
choosing to complete their GCSEs and then either begin employment
or continue their education. From 2008 onwards, the school leaving
age was raised to the last Friday in June in the year a pupil turns
16, in line with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This means
students will be between 15 and 10 months and 16 and 10 months
before being able to leave.
In 2001 along with planned redevelopment of secondary schools the
then Education Council tried unsuccessfully to abolish this system.
Nevertheless there is now a planned redevelopment of state schools
across the island, however most of the plan is subjected to
securing state funding.
Post
GCSE students have a choice of
transferring to the state run The Grammar School and Sixth Form
Centre, or to the independent colleges for academic AS/A Levels.
They also have the option to study vocational subjects at the
island's Guernsey College of Further Education.
There are no established universities on the island. Students who
attend university in the United Kingdom receive state support
towards both maintenance and tuition fees. Recently however, the
States of Guernsey Education Department has proposed the
introduction of student loans for middle and upper income earners
due to the black hole deficit in state spending in 2008. This has
been met with much opposition by local politicians, families and
students who argue that it will deter future students from going
and returning from university, due to very high housing and living
costs in Guernsey. The department argues that it had no choice but
to introduce them. The decision was first deferred to 2009, however
upon the election of new deputies in the 2008 April elections, the
decision is now deferred until 2011.
Culture
English is the language in general use by the majority of the
population, while Guernesiais, the
Norman language of the island, is currently
spoken fluently by only about 2% of the population (according to
2001 census). However, 14% of the population claim some
understanding of the language.
Sercquais is spoken
by a few people on the island of Sark and Auregnais was spoken on the island of Alderney until it became extinct in the early twentieth
century. Until the early twentieth century French was the
only official language of the Bailiwick, and all deeds for the sale
and purchase of real estate in Guernsey were written in French
until 1971 . Family and place names reflect this linguistic
heritage.
Georges Métivier,
considered by some to be the island's national poet, wrote in
Guernesiais. The loss of the island's language and the
anglicisation of its culture, which began in the nineteenth century
and proceeded inexorably for a century, accelerated sharply when
the majority of the island's school children were evacuated to the
U.K. for five years during the German occupation of
1940-1945.
Victor Hugo wrote some of his best-known
works while in exile in Guernsey, including
Les Misérables.
His home in St. Peter
Port
, Hauteville House, is now a museum administered by
the city of Paris
. In
1866, he published a novel set in the island,
Travailleurs de
la Mer (
Toilers of the Sea),
which he dedicated to the island of Guernsey.
The best-known novel by a Guernseyman is
The Book of Ebenezer Le
Page, by
GB Edwards
which, in addition to being a critically-acclaimed work of
literature, also contains a wealth of insights into life in
Guernsey during the twentieth century.
Henry Watson Fowler moved to
Guernsey in 1903 where he and his brother
Francis George Fowler composed
The King's English and the
Concise Oxford Dictionary,
and much of
Modern English
Usage.
The national animals of the island of Guernsey are the
donkey and the
Guernsey
cow.
The traditional explanation for the donkey
(âne in French and Guernésiais) is the steepness of St
Peter Port streets that necessitated beasts of burden for transport
(in contrast to the flat terrain of the rival capital of St. Helier
in Jersey), although
it is also used in reference to Guernsey inhabitants'
stubbornness.
The Guernsey cow is a more internationally famous icon of the
island. As well as being prized for its rich creamy milk, which is
claimed by some to hold health benefits over milk from other breeds
[1488], Guernsey cattle are increasingly being raised
for their beef, which has a distinctive flavour and rich yellow
fat. Although the number of individual islanders raising these
cattle for private supply has diminished significantly since the
1960s, Guernsey steers can still be occasionally seen grazing on
L'Ancresse common.
There is also a breed of goat known as the
Golden Guernsey, which is distinguished by
its golden-coloured coat. At the end of
World War II, the Golden Guernsey was almost
extinct, due to
interbreeding with
other varieties on the island. The resurrection of this breed is
largely credited to the work of a single woman, Miss Miriam
Milbourne. Although no longer considered in a 'critical' status,
the breed remains on the "Watch List" of the
Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Guernsey people are traditionally nicknamed
donkeys or
ânes, especially by Jersey
people (who in turn are nicknamed
crapauds –
toads). Inhabitants of each of the parishes of
Guernsey also have traditional nicknames, although these have
generally dropped out of use among the English-speaking population.
The traditional nicknames are:
| Parish |
Guernésiais |
English Translation |
| St Peter Port |
Cllichards |
(spitters) |
| St Sampson's |
Rôines |
(frogs) |
| Vale |
Hann'taons |
(cockchafers) |
| Castel |
Ânes-pur-sàng |
(pure-blooded-donkeys) |
| St Saviour's |
Fouormillaons |
(ants) |
| St Pierre du Bois |
Etcherbaots |
(beetles) |
| Forest |
Bourdons |
(bumblebees) |
| St Martin's |
Cravants |
(ray fish) |
| St Andrew's |
Les croinchaons |
(the siftings) |
| Torteval |
Ânes à pids d'ch'fa |
(donkeys with horses' hooves) |
The
Guernsey Lily Nerine
sarniensis (
Sarnia is the traditional name of the
island of Guernsey in
Latin) is also used as a
symbol of the island.
A local delicacy is the
ormer (
Haliotis
tuberculata), a variety of abalone harvested from the beach at
low spring tides, although strict laws control their
harvesting.
Of the many traditional Guernsey recipes, the most renowned is a
stew called
Guernsey Bean Jar. It
is a centuries-old stew that is still popular with Islanders,
particularly at the annual '
Viaer
Marchi' festival, where it served as one of the main
events.
Guernsey Gâche is a special
bread made with raisins, sultanas and mixed peel.
In July 2006
smoking in enclosed public
places was banned, a law put in place to protect workers' right
to a healthy working environment.
Sport
The island's traditional colour (e.g. for sporting events) is
green.
Guernsey participates in the bi-annual
Island Games, which it hosted in 1987 and 2003.
Guernsey participates in its own right in the
Commonwealth Games.
In sporting events in which Guernsey does not have international
representation, when the British
Home
Nations are competing separately, islanders that do have high
athletic skill may choose to compete for any of the Home Nations –
there are, however, restrictions on subsequent transfers to
represent another Home Nation. The football player
Matt Le Tissier for example, could have
played for the
Scotland
national football team but ended up playing for
England.
The Guernsey Football Association runs Guernsey football. The top
tier of Guernsey football is the Sure Mobile Priaulx league where
there are 7 teams (Belgrave Wanderers, Northerners, Sylvans, St
Martin's, Rovers,
Rangers and
Vale Recreation). The champions in 2006-07 were Northerners. The
second tier is the Jackson league which is a mixture of top league
players, lower players and youth players. The third tier is the
Railway League, featuring three extra teams, Alderney, Guernsey
Police and Port City.
The Corbet Football Field donated by Jurat Wilfred Corbet OBE in
1932 has fostered the sport greatly over the years. Although more
recently the island has upgraded to a larger, better quality
stadium, in Foote's Lane.
Approximately 200 people play table tennis on a regular basis
across four senior and two junior leagues. The GTTA centre, located
next to the Hougue du Pommier, is equipped with 12 match tables, 6
training tables, a bar and a small café area. Guernsey regularly
sends teams to represent the island in UK and world
tournaments.
Guernsey also has one of the oldest softball associations in the
world. The Guernsey Softball Association was formally established
in 1936, it is now one of the oldest and longest running softball
associations to be found. Affiliated to the International Softball
Federation (ISF) the GSA has both fast & slow pitch leagues
with over 300 members is a very popular island sport.
[1489]
Guernsey was declared an affiliate member by the
International Cricket Council
(ICC) in 2005 and an associate member in 2008.
Guernsey also enjoys various motor sports. In season, regular races
take place on the sands on Vazon beach on the west coast. Le Val
des Terres, a steeply winding road rising south from St Peter Port
to Fort George, is often the focus of both local and international
hill-climb races. In addition, the 2005,
2006, and 2007 World Touring Car Champion
Andy Priaulx is a Guernseyman.
The
racecourse on
L'Ancresse Common was re-established in 2004, and
races are held on most May day
Bank
Holidays, with competitors from Guernsey as well as Jersey,
France and the UK participating.
Sea Angling around Guernsey and the other islands in the Bailiwick
from shore or boat is a popular past time for both locals and
visitors with the Bailiwick boasting 12 UK records.
Guernsey
Notable Guernsey people
Gallery
Image:Little_chapel,_Guernsey_(1993).jpg|The Little Chapel, Les
Vauxbelets, GuernseyImage:Little chapel (inside), Guernsey
(1993).jpg|Little chapel interiorImage:Fountain Bordage signs St
Peter Port Guernsey.jpg|Fountain Bordage signs St Peter Port
GuernseyImage:Guernésiais BBC sticker.jpg|Guernésiais BBC
stickerImage:Fête d'la Maïr Guernesy.jpg|Festival of the Sea (in
Guernésiais)Image:Victoria Tower St Peter Port
Guernsey.jpg|
Victoria
Tower Image:Guqe2marina.jpg|QE2 Marina, St. Peter
PortImage:Guernsey_small.PNG|Relief map of Guernsey from SRTM
data
See also
References
-
http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandCrowndependencies/ChannelIslands.aspx
- Portrait of the Channel Islands, Lemprière, London
1970 ISBN 0709115415
- http://nvo.ng.ru/history/2009-04-24/14_canons.html
- http://www.healthspan.co.uk/aboutus.aspx
- http://www.visitguernsey.com/aboutguernsey/
- Notes on the Railway taken from The Railway Magazine,
September 1934 edition
- http://www.ambulance.org.gg/
-
http://www.gov.gg/ccm/navigation/home-department/fire-service/
- http://www.guernseyharbours.gov.gg/seaSafety.htm
- "Golden Guernsey" Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Retrieved 10 October 2007.
- Dictiounnaire Angllais-Guernésiais
- Good Food Guernsey - The Ormer
- BBC photo of Guernsey Stadium
- http://icc.cricket.org/icc-news/content/story/220287.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernsey_%28Fishing%29
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