The annual release of records in the Jersey Heritage archive have this year shone a light on some of the behaviour of more than a century ago which shows nothing much has changed when it comes to teenagers!
More than 140 new records have just been opened to the public for the first time.
The records have been off-limits for periods of 30, 75 and 100 years and include an Honorary Police register from the Parish of Trinity, Jersey General Hospital admission register for 1917, minutes of the Public Asylum Committee and correspondence from the Bailiff’s Chambers during the Second World War.
The Honorary Police Register from the Parish of Trinity includes details of arrests made by the Centenier between the years 1899 – 1917. Among the incidents, on 26th April 1900 4 young men were in trouble.
Jean Choupeau aged 18, George Francis Querée aged 16, Aubin Dory Cabot aged 17 and Frederick Le Riche aged 16, all from the Parish of Trinity, were accused of “interrupting the public peace by exposing their persons whilst swimming without costumes and of having played football on the beach at Bouley Bay with no clothes but their shirts.”
The report went on to state: “This was in the presence of a number of young ladies invited to a picnic at Bouley Bay by Miss Lydia Doris Royce. The boys are also accused of harassing the girls whilst they were at their picnic, playing football on the public road and using obscene language in front of the young ladies. The four boys are sentenced by the Court to pay a 30 shillings fine or spend 4 days in prison.”
Linda Romeril, Archives and Collections Director at Jersey Heritage said: “Once again Jersey Heritage is able to open many more fascinating documents to the public. These records help us tell the stories of our Island and the people who lived here.”
You can find out more about the archive release and the work of Jersey Heritage here.
