Maillards Funeral Directors is looking for Jersey residents to help put together a book of memories from those who lived through the Occupation of Jersey between 1940-1945.
The initiative is to mark the 76th anniversary of the Liberation of Jersey and the funeral firm are looking for your personal stories, poems, anecdotes and memories from the early 1940s to be part of this book titled ‘Occupation Memories’.
The book will follow a set of themes and those wishing to send a submission may wish to choose one or several themes. This is not an exhaustive list, however, just something to prompt ideas. If members of the public have a particular incident or observation about the Occupation that does not fall into these categories Maillards Funeral Directors would still love to hear it.
- Your life before the war – How old were you when the Occupation started? Did you go to school? What occupations did your parents have?
- Evacuation stories – What do you recall of the evacuation from the Island?
- Life as an evacuee – Where were you sent? Was it a positive experience for you?
- Life under German rule – did you stay on the Island? What changed the most for you?
- Business during the war – Did your family run a business during the Occupation? How did life change for them?
- Landscapes and fortresses – Can you remember the construction of bunkers and gun turrets? Or anything about POW camps?
- Wartime food and drink – Making much out of little. What do you remember eating in particular and why? Can you remember any recipes?
- Liberation day memories – How did you celebrate?
- Life after the Occupation – What permanent affect did the Occupation have on your life?
There is no minimum or maximum word limit.
Mark Reynolds, owner of Maillards Funeral Directors said: “We are very proud to be sponsoring this project, with very kind support from Alpha Print. We have engaged local author, Penny Byrne, to put together the book and will be producing 1,500 copies. Of these, 1,000 copies will be donated to the local community.
“Any person whose submissions are chosen for the book will receive a free edition. The remaining 500 will be on sale to the public at hotspots during Liberation week. The book will be priced at £9.99. We are aiming to raise £5,000 through book sales for our first Celebrating Life initiative: ‘Maillards Make a Wish’ which will fund wishes for those over 60.”
Julian De La Cour, Managing Funeral Director, Maillards Funeral Directors “The Occupation Memories book forms part of the Maillards Celebrating Life initiative – that will see Maillards sponsor and support local people and causes. The initiative is designed to act as a beacon of positivity for all Islanders. We believe age is just a number and our aim is to make later life extraordinary.
“As funeral directors, we hear every day second hand accounts of how Islanders have lived extraordinary lives and had extraordinary experiences which, so often, live only in the memories of close friends and family.
“This book is an attempt to distil and preserve some of those important experiences in way which will work to educate and inform future generations.”
Members of the public wishing to submit information should do so by contacting Project Coordinator, Aaron Labey by phone (07797 836845) or by email. Alternatively, post their submission direct to Occupation Memories, Saint Lo, Union Road, Grouville, JE3 9ER with their name, address and contact telephone number.
