Maritime history of the Channel Islands
The islands were separated from mainland Europe with rising sea levels in the Neolithic period; thereafter maritime activity commenced.
[4] The arrival of Christianity including Samson of Dol, Helier, Marcouf and Magloire shows the rise in regular shipping to and from the islands in the 6th century.
The era ended with the loss by King John in 1204 of French territories of Normandy, putting the islands in the front line of the wars between England and France[1]: 19 that would last for 700 years.
These invasions were all repulsed, but resulted in improvements to defences against seaborne attack as well as strengthening the island militias in Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney.
In gratitude, Edward IV issued Letters Patent exempting Jerseymen from all tolls, customs and subsidies payable to the Crown in England and granting commercial privileges to the Guernsey and Jersey men who had funded the fight.
The neutrality lasted another century, until William III of England abolished the privilege[7]: 89 due to privateering activity against Dutch ships.
Piracy in the islands mainly died when Sark was colonised by Hellier de Carteret in 1563 and they lost their last refuge.
[6]: 67 Some pirates still hid out in isolated English and French bays, others sailed up from the Barbary Coast, or even Turkey, ransoming valuable captives or keeping them as slaves.
During the War of the Three Kingdoms Jersey became a base for Royalist privateers between 1643 and 1651, most notably George Carteret who in late 1643 became Lieutenant Governor of the island.
It was not unknown at this time for poor island families to hand over their seven-year-old children to be shipped overseas to America to be sold or hired out, or to work as indentured apprentices, on the promise that they would be fed and clothed.
[1]: 418 Between 1760 and 1815 Great Britain was at war for 36 years, which affected the maritime trade, causing dangers and opening possibilities of profit.
A Guernsey merchant William Le Lacheur formed a company in the 1830s and operated ships, and set up a new trade with Costa Rica to bring their coffee to Europe.
Initially a number of fishing and private boats, then later smaller craft, made the perilous journey with over 200 escaping islanders.
[8]: 173 The capture of a Jersey boat resulted in an invasion of Granville by fishermen who destroyed equipment on the French fishing fleet.
The fishermen ignored the ban resulting in the Jersey Militia firing cannonballs at the fishing boats before arresting 100 men who were fined in court.
[6]: 117 This dramatic event would be followed by many future disputes over fishing rights especially around Minquiers which took until 1953 before the International Court of Justice confirmed that Jersey owned them.
[13] Knitting in the Islands as a trade had early origins, the quality was so good that Queen Elizabeth I wore Guernsey stockings.
Large quantities of wool being imported to the Islands from Southampton by special licence,[8]: 108 where a major cottage industry turned the product into desirable high value goods.
Barrels of dried cod, 1,000-2,000 quintals a year, each weighing roughly 50 kg, being exported by ship to the Caribbean or western Europe.
Jersey continued with the cod trade, in 1840 the Chamber of Commerce estimated the Island had 4,000 people and 8,000 tons of shipping employed in the industry.
[6]: 120 During the 19th century quarrying of granite for use in England became a valuable trade good from Guernsey, adding value by creating cobblestones for London streets, although after 1847 gravel was exported for macadamizing roads.
[4]: 63 In 1861 St Sampson's harbour saw 142,866 tons of stone loaded in 737 ships, it became very crowded and required piers to be rebuilt and repaired, by 1913, annual tonnage had risen to 453,947.
During the English Civil War 1642-1651 Jersey sided with the Royalists, the Lieutenant Governor, George Carteret authorised, in the name of the King, privateering to fund the cost of guarding the Island.
[1]: 99 His entrepreneurial views in capturing about 120 prizes for the loss of 12 privateers[1]: 103 were rewarded when Charles II granted him land in the Americas, part of which he renamed New Jersey.
[8]: 107 In the late 1690s privateering annoyed the Dutch who complained to William III, who was also Prince of Orange, and he suspended some of the Islanders rights, however in 1702, the monarch died and business resumed.
[6]: 89 Investors, mainly from the Islands and the South West of England,[1]: 160 would form a syndicate and put money up to buy a ship, equip it and run it, in exchange for a proportion of the proceeds the privateer acquired.
[1]: 348 The late 17th century saw smuggling take place on a large scale after the Privilege of Neutrality the islands had enjoyed for over 200 years was abolished by the British government who in August 1689 prohibited the importation of any goods from France.
[16] Guernsey warehouses were filled with brandy, wine, tea, rum and tobacco, all in high demand and taxed in England, to which fishermen came before returning to a quiet cove in somewhere like Devon or Cornwall to unload, if they could avoid the Revenue Officers.
[1]: 203 Anti smuggling laws and more vigilance by the HM Revenue and Customs officers resulted in a higher risk and a fall in business by 1810.
Tidal movements of up to twelve knots during equinoctial tides with a rise/fall of 12 metres,[19] a multitude of rocks and reefs have resulted in over 1,000 shipwrecks over the centuries.
