Guernsey Life & Times: The Priaulx Library podcast

July 2023

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0100

In this July edition, Jim and Steve talk to Chief Librarian Sue Laker with a preview of the annual Summer Exhibition now on display in the library gardens, tour guide Simon De La Rue about tour guiding and the value of the library to preparing his tours, and Alex Bates about his new film 'Born of Water' set in Guernsey in the medieval period. And in the first of our new Guernsey Icons series - Jim also talks to Mark Guppy, whose father created the iconic Original Guernseyman, Stone de Croze.

May 2023

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we continue our series on the Guernsey Farmhouse with architect, Andrew Dyke; JP Fallaize talks about researching and exploring the shipwrecks around our shores; for Book of the Month we talk to Jag Sherbourne about her new book “Clouds in my Guernsey Sky”; and we round off our series on Guernsey Surnames by looking at surnames derived from the father’s name.

April 2023

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0100

In this episode we talk to Architectural historian, Andrew Dyke about the Guernsey farmhouse, with particular reference to the Les Caches, the National Trust’s farmhouse in the Forest; Jim tells the story of his great-great-great-great-grandfather, Lucas Houguez, lighthouse keeper of Les Casquets; Steve takes another look at Guernsey Surnames – with a particular focus on local names derived from nicknames; and in Book of the Month, we talk to Mari Jones of Cambridge University about her “Glossary of the Norman Language in the Channel Islands” and “Sark Sayings”.

March 2023

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this month's episode, we feature a preview of the upcoming Guernsey Literary Festival with Festival Director, Claire Allen; we talk to Nik van Leuven, Chairman of Council of the Priaulx Library about the role of the Council and the future of the library; we take our regular look at Guernsey surnames; and we pay a tribute to local historian and library regular David Kreckeler with JP Fallaize.

February 2023

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In the first episode of 2023, Jim and Steve talk to Senior Librarian, Judith Finnamore, about what has been going on in the library when it was closed in January, as well as hearing all about the first Priaulx After Dark event in October. We talk to Damien Saunders about a 350-year old shipwreck, Vierge du Bon Port, which has never been found; attend the opening of an exhibition commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Market Buildings in St Peter Port; continue our look at the origins of Guernsey Surnames - and talk to Marco Tersigni and Simon Hamon about their forthcoming book comparing photographs of the Occupation to the present day.

September 2022

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0100

In this episode we talk to Edward Chaney about The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, we take a look at the Priaulx Library’s summer exhibition celebrating 125 years of the Guernsey Press, Marianne Palmer Smith whose father worked at the Priaulx Library during the 1960s tells us some stories of the goings-on and Peter Stuart continues his history of the quarrying industry. Book of the Month is A Directory of Huguenot Refugees in the Channel Islands by Robert Nash – and in our continuing look at Guernsey’s surnames, we review the ten most common local surnames and their origins.

June 2022

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 21:00:00 +0100

In our June episode, we talk to Yan Marquis about the Guernesiais poet, Denys Corbet, to Tilly Fisken about the story behind Potter's Corner, Peter Stewart continues his history of the quarrying industry, Dinah Bott chooses Darryl Ogier's 'Reformation and Society in Guernsey' as Book of the Month, Sue Laker and Alan Solway tell us about the library's Newspaper Digitisation project and we continue our regular series on Guernsey Surnames.

Occupation and Liberation - May 2022

Wed, 18 May 2022 09:00:00 +0100

In our first episode, hosts Jim Delbridge and Steve Foote start their quest to explore Guernsey's history and heritage. Since it's Liberation Day this month, there is a German Occupation theme to many of the topics. Malcolm Sarre shares his memories of the day before Liberation Day. Chief Librarian, Sue Laker talks about the Guernsey Underground News Service, its link with the Priaulx Library, and the GUNS news sheet featured in the current British Library exhibition "Breaking the News". Book of the Month is The People's Messenger: the Occupation Diary of Louis Guillemette - José Day and Ken Tough talk about the diary and the challenges of publishing it 77 years after it was written. We talk to Peter Stewart about the history of quarrying in Guernsey - starting at Les Vardes Quarry. And we start exploring the story behind Guernsey Surnames - the first of what will become a regular feature.