- Wartime scrapbook goes online
- It shows how the news was delivered to Islanders when the Germans occupied Jersey
- See extracts from the scrapbook below
A WARTIME scrapbook has been put online to show how the news was delivered to Islanders when the Germans occupied Jersey.
The 197-page volume contains hundreds of cuttings of articles from the Evening Post – the former name of this newspaper – published between July 1940 and June 1945.
The book, called the William Brown Ledger, was recently donated to the Channel Islands Occupation Society by Mr Brown’s son, Roger, who still lives in the Island.
It begins with a message from the paper about Britain’s decision to leave the Channel Islands undefended in 1940 and ends five years later with cuttings from a special Liberation Day picture supplement that also covered the subsequent visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The book can be viewed for free here
CIOS archivist Colin Isherwood said: ‘The book covers the very, very early days of the decision to evacuate, the first bombings, rationing and on to the Liberation and all sorts in between.
‘It was put together by Mr Brown, who was a policeman during the Occupation, and his son contacted me to ask if we would like it for the society.
‘It contains quite a few order papers and proclamations from the Occupation as well.’
According to Mr Isherwood, Mr Brown was summoned by the German authorities who asked him why he was documenting the news in a scrap book.
That order was signed by Baron Von Aufsess – the German’s chief administrator for the Channel Islands – who kept and published a diary of his time in Jersey.
Ultimately, the occupying forces allowed Mr Brown to continue documenting the news.
Mr Isherwood added: ‘The whole story behind the paperwork is superb. The book is in beautiful condition and has been well looked after.
‘The Germans allowed Mr Brown to keep his book after he said it was just a record of public information.
‘It’s an unusual piece. I’ve seen diaries, but not a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings.’
The original scrapbook is due to be displayed at St Mary’s Parish Hall when the CIOS hold a week-long event to show their collections between 4 and 10 May.
The first cutting in the scrapbook is a small news story and message from the JEP about Britain’s decision not to defend the Channel Islands.
It said: ‘A decision of the most vital importance to the Island was taken today by the British Cabinet and announced to the States of Jersey this afternoon by His Excellency the Lieut-Governor.
‘This Island is not to be defended; it is to be completely demilitarised and declared an undefended zone.
‘The reasons governing this decision are the concern of His Majesty’s Government, and we may rest assured that the most profound attention was given to every aspect before it was decided to take this step.
‘We believe there to be no reason at all for panic; the government of the Island will go on, and everything will be done to ensure the smooth working of the administration. Keep calm, obey the regulations issued by the authorities and carry on, as far as it is possible, with one’s ordinary business.
‘We believe we can offer no sounder or saner advice.’
