Waterloo saw the end of Bonaparte and of the blockade of trade with Europe. None saw more benefit than the Channel Islanders and for the next half century they developed a lucrative, world-wide carrying trade which, together with Newfoundland cod, built fortunes in St Helier and St Peter Port for shipbuilders, shipowners and mariners. From about 1865 those trades declined … Guernsey diversified into stone quarrying, paving London with Guernsey granite, whilst Jersey developed the export of the new potato and tourism.
This significant contribution to the history of the islands, the author relies on many sources not previously analysed in depth to compare the impact of the expansion and later decline of maritime-related activities on their economies and populations of the two islands, highlighting the different approaches taken and the importance of the Chambers of Commerce. The final section of this book uses the 1851 census to analyse their respective employment patterns in the middle of that century of great economic and social change.
Though scholarly and detailed, Dr William's narrative is very readable and will appeal to all with an interest in the Channel Islands history--especially those with sailors, shipbuilders or quarry workers among their ancestors--as well as to a wider audience among maritime, economic and social historians, expanding and extending as it does the previous research, published in the very successful earlier book, A People at the Sea.
Contents:
List of Illustrations and Tables
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Part 1: The Channel Islands and Maritime Trade, 1815-1865
Part 2: The Decline of Channel Island Shipping, 1865-1900
Part 3: Population, Employment and Maritime Trade Jersey and Guernsey, 1821-1881
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Notes
Bibliography
Index
