Channel Islands Specialists’ Society

Founded 1950

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New Members

We offer a warm welcome who have recently joined:

Tony Taylor of Chesterfield

Walter Hendry of Greenford

Adrian Greenway of Dunmow

Andrew Haynes of Wells

The Reverend Paul Miller of Ashford

Jersey Postal Rates 1969 – 2022

Gerald Marriner has compiled this useful list of postage rates within Jersey and to the UK. Many thanks, Gerald.

Jersey Postal Rates 1969-2022
DateLocal RateU.K. Rate DateLocal RateU.K. Rate
Oct-694d5d Apr-00£0.22£0.26
Feb-71£0.02£0.025 Apr-01£0.23£0.26
Jan-72£0.025£0.03 Jan-02£0.23£0.29
Jul-74£0.03£0.035 Apr-03£0.29£0.30
Jul-75£0.04£0.05 Apr-04£0.32£0.33
Jan-78£0.06£0.08 Apr-05£0.33£0.34
May-80£0.07£0.09 Apr-06£0.34£0.37
Apr-81£0.07£0.10 Jan-08£0.35£0.39
Apr-82£0.08£0.10 May-09£0.37£0.42
Jan-84£0.09£0.12 May-10£0.36 / £0.39£0.45
Apr-85£0.10£0.13 Jun-11£0.37 / £0.42£0.49
Apr-86£0.10£0.14 May-12£0.45£0.55
Apr-87£0.11£0.15 Apr-14£0.46£0.56
Apr-88£0.12£0.16 Apr-15£0.47£0.57
Mar-89£0.13£0.17 Apr-16£0.48£0.60
Jan-90£0.14£0.18 Apr-17£0.49£0.63
Jan-91£0.15£0.20 Apr-18£0.50£0.65
Jan-92£0.16£0.22 Apr-19£0.52£0.67
Jan-93£0.17£0.23 Mar-20£0.54£0.70
Jan-94£0.18£0.23 Apr-21£0.54£0.74
Jul-95£0.19£0.23 Apr-22£0.56£0.82
Mar-97£0.20£0.24 Compiled by Gerald Marriner
Mar-99£0.21£0.25 

Book Review – Guernsey Paper Money

A conversation with Steve Norman at Kenilworth brought to mind that we have never as far as I am aware published any information about Channel Islands bank notes, apart from a short item from Bob MacDonald in 1997. Bank notes are just as much a reflection of the times as are stamps, and given how much can be revealed about a subject from a book review, I am including a review of Steve’s book co-authored with Pam West Guernsey Paper Money  –  A Complete History which I hope will alert you to the interest in these little pieces of history. 

The banknotes of Guernsey have always been hugely popular with collectors. the series is small enough that a collection can be obtained with relative ease, but with enough depth that someone could spend a lifetime looking and never really run out of things to add. Furthermore, there are options for collection of military notes with the occupation issues during the Second World War; low and fancy number collectors love the later series with their many different cashiers and designs; and even collectors of 19th Century notes have options, with an amazing set of early notes issued on the island. It is therefore remarkable that no dedicated publication has ever existed dealing solely with the banknotes issued there. Until now that is. Pam West and Steve Norman have managed to produce a superb and very affordable 484-page paperback which includes as complete a catalogue as anyone could desire alongside a vast amount of history and other context.

The book is divided into several main sections. After several illuminating forewords and introductions, there is a very useful section titled “Guidance for Collectors,” which includes pages on subjects such as common abbreviations, pricing, grading and ideas for forming a collection.

Following this is a simply superb 60-page section with the title “Background Information.” This unassuming title does not do this section justice in any way. In black-and-white words (with lovely colour images) we have a lifetime of acquired knowledge about anything and everything related to  Guernsey paper money, in an easily digested format, Running roughly chronologically, we have discussions  on each of the companies who were involved in printing money on Guernsey, history of the early banking houses on the island, an illuminating essay on the transition from local money to sterling, sections on Guernsey during both world wars, lists of all signatories on the States notes and even a couple of pages on “The Expensive Appetite of Guernsey Mice” about the destruction registers for early notes, including many eaten by rodents. It is this section, along with the final 60 pages (more on that later), that really makes this book stand out for me. It elevates what would otherwise be a straightforward catalogue, into a genuinely interesting read. The information is interesting, accessible, and entirely relevant, with very little padding.

The majority of the book is the catalogue section, which is organised strictly chronologically. As such, the first approximately 160 pages are devoted to extremely early notes dating from around 1800, until the start of the Second World War, when emergency issues were first needed. the notes in this section range from extremely rare to entirely unobtainable. Many of the images are of unique items, and many others are only known in museums and archives. Others are known to have been issued but none are thought to have survived. Most of us will not use this section widely, but the thoroughness of it is extremely impressive, and just to see images of these incredible notes feels like a privilege. There are in-depth histories for each of the issuing institutions, and where possible note issuance is listed in detail. In many cases we have been given the individual print runs, and it is remarkable how many notes remain unredeemed. This really highlights the level of research that Steve Norman has been able to do on the subject and if anyone is in doubt that this book is the absolute last word on Guernsey Paper Money, this section on the earlier banks would put their mind at rest!

Amongst the most popular of the Guernsey notes are those  used during the German occupation of the island from 1941 until 1945 (first and last note issue dates). This small series is incredibly collectable, and this book breaks each issue down to prefix and print run level. I suspect there will be collectors out there who will suddenly discover they have a genuinely rare prefix they were never even aware of. This is even more true for the post-war issues of 1945-66, for which there are literally hundreds of prefixes and print runs, a significant proportion of which have never been seen.

As the notes begin to edge closer to the present day, the book assumes a more familiar aspect. The usual style of Pam West’s catalogues is used, with the notes broken down chronologically by cashier’s signature, then denomination and date. This makes the book incredibly user-friendly, and it rarely takes more than a few seconds to find exactly what you need.

The final 60 pages of the catalogue deal with a wide range of notes and financial ephemera that do not fit with the main States issues. This section really stands out, with postal orders, Herm coupons, German military issues and 1970s promissory notes all thoroughly explored. Of particular interest is an illuminating essay on the subject of the Bank of England £1 notes with “Withdrawn from Circulation” overprints which are now so popular with collectors.

Throughout the catalogue, prices are listed in one, two or three different grades depending on the rarity of the item. Earlier notes are often simply listed as “RARE”, which is not unreasonable since many of them are effectively priceless and often unique. Prices for expensive items tend to draw on auction records, and seem a reasonable guide. The later, more obtainable issues are often a little overpriced for the lower grades, but the prices for uncirculated notes are quite accurate, particularly for notes graded by Third Party Graders.

In summary, this book is essential to all collectors of Guernsey notes and indeed anyone with an interest in the Channel Islands or indeed the banknotes of the UK. The combination of decades of research by Steve Norman and the superb production value Pam West brings to everything she publishes has ensured that Guernsey Paper Money is nothing short of a triumph. The reviewer would argue that all that remains now is that Pam West to find a co-author for the final remaining part of the British Islands which remains without a modern catalogue-Jersey.

Guernsey Paper Money can be ordered directly from the publisher Pam West at http: www.britishnotes.co.uk

The Coloured Double Arc Datestamp of Jersey

Further to Alan Moorcroft’s article in les Iles Normandes, March 2021, Vol.40 No.1, I would like to add the following background and detail.

Firstly, and as far as I am aware, this is the first reference to these date stamps for some very considerable time. The only other reference I can find is now 70 years old!

The CISS Bulletin of October 1951 suggested “the colours occurred as a result of a red ink pad being used, and then later a yellow one which was subsequently filled up with red and black ink – thus leading to the variety of colours of this particular date stamp.”

With regard to the post office script noted in Alan’s article as “Venetian Red, Chrome Yellow and Sweat Oil”, I would add that venetian red is a red earth obtained exclusively from the Verona region of Italy. Used since antiquity by artists, it is a natural, bright, deep red when saturated. Chrome yellow was first introduced as a pigment in the early nineteenth century. It provided a bright, opaque yellow on the artists’ palette. However, it suffered a flaw in its original form — it darkened upon exposure to light. This may explain why during the ‘Yellow period’ of this date stamp that the colours appear more orange in some instances. Sweet oil (not sweat oil) – was used to mix the powders above to create the inks. Sweet oil is in fact a form of olive oil.

From covers in my collection I note the earliest use of the red colour as 28 July 1849 used until 16 September 1851.

Two covers are known with the code letter ‘C’ revered, one for 18 January 1851 and the other 21 January 1851 (shown below).

The blue period is known 21 September 1851 until 1 December 1852 and then the Yellow / Orange period 9 December 1852 to 30 June 1854.

From 9 August 1854 the date stamp comes in various forms of grey, grey-green, grey-black and dirty-green right through to 19th December 1857.

Then for a short period (16 February to 6 July 1857) the colour becomes much bluer, before finally becoming blue-black and black – 13 July 1857, with my latest example being 6 April 1858.

The duplex date stamp replaced the double arc, the earliest recorded example dated 3 May 1858.

Obviously from the above it can be noted that there are a few gaps in the change from one colour to another. Can members help bridge the gap?

To my mind Alan Moorcroft’s hypothesis is almost certainly correct, although one or two anomalies exist. A cover from the ‘red period’ between the Islands (part shown below) shows a distinct ‘black’ colour to part of the arc – maybe this example was used with a black ink pad with the residual red from previous use coming part through.

Likewise, a double arc for 7 March 1853. This appears to be coloured grey and yet comes from the ‘yellow / orange period’. I have covers with both sides of the arc shown below, and these are clearly in the correct colour for the period. Again, was a ‘rogue’ black ink pad used?

Finally, the code letters used are suggested as A, B and C. However, shown below is a double arc with what appears to be a ‘D’ code, although unfortunately this is heavily over struck by the receiving date stamp. A and C are both common, but B appears to be very scarce – do any members know why and what do the code letters signify anyway?

A 1d Black on cover to Sark, 1840

of mine.

It is a wrapper with an almost four margin Penny Black which was sent from London to Sark. On the back it has London datestamp NO 3 1840 code ‘T’.

It is probably one of the earliest recorded pieces of mail into Sark bearing a Penny Black.

Do any of our members have an earlier item?

Letter Forwarding Agent J Bonamy and Co

A New Discovery by Luc Content

Luc Content has sent us a scan of his recent find of a letter from Lorient via St Malo to Guernsey from Pierre Frédérick Dobrée in Lorient (a port on the south Brittany coast, via Saint-Malo, to his Father, Thomas Dobrée, a trader on Guernsey, via the forwarding agent La Duré in St Malo. According to the tariff of 1759, the letter was correctly charged 7 sols (Lorient to Rennes 33 lieus; Rennes to St Malo 16 lieus = 49 lieus and therefore charged correctly for a letter travelling 40 to 60 lieus).

The reverse also shows another “7” charge mark, after the word Postage which was presumably added on Guernsey.

Of interest to the history of forwarding agents on or dealing with the Channel Islands is that the addressee was Mons Thomas Dobrée, Negt (Merchant, broker, or agent). In his book Letter Forwarding Agents of Great Britain handling Channel Islands letters 1673 – 1855 (2011), David Gurney writes:

“This cover therefore puts “one” date to Thomas Dobrée’s period of trading in Guernsey as 1775, and is at least a start to dating his activities”.

A search by David Winnie using AI has revealed the following information:

The Dobrée connection

Thomas Dobrée(1719–1785) was one of the most important Guernsey merchants of the period. His family’s network spanned:

  • St Malo
  • Nantes
  • Lisbon
  • London
  • The West Indies

The Dobrée correspondence is known to survive in various archives, and letters to him often show:

  • early forwarding marks
  • merchant-to-merchant routing instructions
  • pre-adhesive postal arrangements before the British Post Office had any formal control over Channel Islands inbound mail.

A 1775 letter to Dobrée from St Malo would fit perfectly into his commercial activities — especially in the grain, wine, and general provisioning trades.

Having looked at other covers in my collection (Ed), I also find covers addressed to another Thomas Dobrée in Nantes in 1776 (two letters), and 1793, 1813, 1819, 1820 and 1831 (ex-Valparaiso, Chile). Presumably this is the original Thomas’ grandson.          

I have noted covers addressed to PJ Dobrée dated 1776 (two covers) and 1793.

The two lines after the word Gurnesey read Recommandée à Monser La Duré à St Malo. The term Recommandée probably does not equate to registration as such but rather to the term “entrusted to”.

The forwarding agent in St Malo, La Duré, is another most interesting name. While not widely documented in standard postal literature, the name does appear in:

  • St Malo merchant directories of the mid–late 18th century
  • shipping manifests where La Duré (sometimes LaDuré or LaDuré) appears as a commissionaire or négociant
  • forwarding endorsements on a handful of surviving letters from St Malo to Jersey and Guernsey in the 1760s–1780s

Forwarding agents in St Malo typically:

  • arranged carriage on small coastal vessels
  • paid port fees and handled customs formalities
  • ensured letters were placed aboard a ship with a reliable skipper
  • sometimes acted as bankers or brokers for Channel Islands merchants

Harry Dobrée; based in Guernsey (1794 -1815)

William Dobrée; based in London

Samuel Bonamy Dobrée came from a long line of merchants descended from a Huguenot refugee family from Vire, Normandy, who fled the Religious Wars of the 1550s, and was based for many years in Guernsey. Jean Dobrée, who died in 1800, had been a Jurat, a lay magistrate on the Channel Islands, serving in the Royal Court of Guernsey. He had commanded the Corps of Militia Artillery.

Harry Dobrée (1771-1851) had lived at the family home Beau Séjour, also known as Beauregard. In 1812, Harry managed a fund to send money to Guernsey prisoners in France during the war with Britain. He was also a Jurat and a Colonel in the Militia. Dobrée descendants did return to France in the Eighteenth Century, and Nantes has a large museum founded by the legacy of Thomas Dobrée (1810-1895) and named after him. ( Thank you to The Huguenot Society for this information).

Samuel’s Father, Peter Bonmay Dobrée, was the son of Peter Dobrée (1722-1808) and Rachel née Bonamy (1722-1798). Peter Bonamy (1760-1843) left Guernsey and married Elizabeth Costeker (1766-1855) in Ashford, Kent, on 25 November 1786. Samuel was born in London on 6 August 1792 and was baptised soon after on 4 September at St Magnus the Martyr, in the City of London. His siblings include Elizabeth Harriett (1787-1833), Peter Henry (1789-1818), James Bonamy (1790-1868), Sophia (1794-1870), John Horne (1801-1879) and Amelia Sarah (1808-1895).

The 1841 census shows Samuel 45, warehouseman. He is listed with his family: Peter Dobrée 80, warehouseman, Elizabeth 70, James 50 and John 40, both also warehousemen, Amelia 30, of independent means, one porter and three female servants. They were living at Grace Church Street, St Leonard, East Cheap, Middlesex.

By 1851, Samuel had made his way to Folkestone and was residing with Daniel White and family at Upper Sandgate Road. Samuel B Dobrée, visitor, unmarried, aged 64, Gentleman.

The 1861 census shows Samuel B Dobrée, unmarried, aged 68, fundholder, lodging at a house in Bouverie Square.

The electoral register shows that by 1868 Samuel was living at Bouverie Place and the 1871 census also shows: Number 6 Bouverie Place Folkestone. Samuel B Dobrée 78, private income, born London.

On 20 January 1876, at home, 6 Bouverie Place, Samuel died aged 83. He was buried in Section 17 Plot 327 on 26 January.

Probate is dated 17 February 1876, proved at Canterbury by John Dobrée Norwood (Son of Elizabeth Harriett) of Ashford, Solicitor, the nephew of one of the executors. Effects under £4,000. A cousin of Samuel’s, a former merchant, Bonamy Dobrée (1794-1863) was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England (1857-1859) rising to Governor later in 1859 until 1861. He is listed as a claimant in relation to slavery compensation for estates worked by enslaved people in British Guiana. His Father, also Samuel (1759-1827), brother of Peter Bonmay Dobrée was head of the house of Dobrée and Sons

Variations on LL Channel Islands Postcards

A series of around two dozen cards featuring views of Guernsey and printed in blue appeared between 1920 and 1922 bearing the additional inscription on the front “Specially produced for the Guernsey Press Co. Ltd”. These were notable for having a white border on all sides. See examples  below and on the previous page.

“Delivered by the Hotel’s Care” – A New Find

The postcard above shows a fine example of the Grand Hotel de la Pomme D’Or, Jersey cachet in violet. This is a cachet from one of the four maisons Françaises in Jersey that catered primarily for the French clientele.

In the book “Delivered by the Hotel’s Care” by Roger Harris, he states  “A highly significant observation was that the cachets were only on cards addressed to France; there were none on cards addressed to England”.

Posted in Jersey in 1910, this postcard is addressed to Mrs E. J. Kendall in England, using the rural three‑part format typical of the period: farm/locality – nearest village – nearest market town. The name Cold Harbour refers not to a hamlet or village but to a recognised farm locality between Blyton and Northorpe in the Gainsborough postal district, though seldom named in census returns. Such addresses relied on the rural postman’s detailed knowledge of his walk rather than formal street naming. The card illustrates the effectiveness of early 20th Century postal delivery to isolated agricultural communities, where a simple locality name was sufficient for accurate routing and final delivery

The postcard’s journey would have been:

  • Jersey – Southampton or Weymouth (depending on the sailing)
  • Forwarded to Gainsborough Head Post Office
  • Sent to Blyton sub post office
  • Handed to the rural postman serving the Northorpe/Blyton route

Delivered to Cold Harbour (the Farm/locality   

Two Stories

There are two stories regarding the following postcard

The first is its message which starts ‘Alice has developed mumps’ and goes on to say that the family will not be coming to Guernsey as planned the following day because of that.  The second story is the postcard itself, unusual in that it was sent Express Delivery.  This item went at Service II, which meant it was carried through the normal mail but then when reaching the despatch office had to be sent out immediately and not wait for the next postal round; the rate for this was 3d per mile, paid for with two Jubilee issue stamps and denoted by the red Express label at the bottom left.

But the story does not end there.  The postcard was despatched from Derby at 10.15am on the morning of 27th December 1900, a Thursday, as evidenced by three Derby/242 duplex cancels.  There was obviously a problem with the initial delivery as at the top left is written ‘N.A. / 7.35am’; this presumably means ‘No Answer’ when the messenger called early in the morning.  The postcard was probably taken back to the Post Office, where the two vertical blue lines and the rare Money Order Office (M.O.O.) handstamp dated 29th December were applied.  The postcard was probably delivered later in the day.

What a Difference a Day Makes

I recently acquired a couple of covers to add to my start of the Occupation of Jersey which I showed at the last weekend meeting.

The first (Fig 1 above) was posted 3pm on the 27 June 1940 to County Cork arriving on 1 July 1940 (Dun Maon Mhuighe arrival handstamp) which probably left Jersey on the morning of the 28 June on the Isle of Sark steam ferry, the last major boat to leave before the Germans bombed the harbour at 6.45pm on the 28 June. The ferry went to Guernsey where it returned fire on the German bombers that evening before arriving at Southampton later that night. Captain Hervy H Golding was awarded the OBE for bravery for his efforts. The second cover (Fig 2 below) posted 11.45pm 28 June was too late held by the Post office opened and resealed using scarce Post office seal also manuscript “no postal service” scarce boxed undelivered for reason stated hand stamp  and returned to sender on the 2nd of July 1940 the second day of the Occupation. 

The third cover (Fig 3) posted to Grouville on 1 July 1940, 11 hours after Jersey was occupied and the normal local postal service was resumed. 

 Shows that a difference a day makes!