JERSEY HISTORY

Battle of Jersey

(1781)

In 1773 France joined America in the War of Independence and Jersey renewed its privateering activities. Friction between the island and its huge neighbour mounted and in 1779 France once again attempted to conqueur Jersey. A more dramatic attempt, however, was launched in 1781 during the 'Battle of Jersey'.

Building of Fort Regent started

(1804)

In 1793 France declared war on England and many refugees of the French Revolution flooded into the island.

Napoleon regarded Jersey as a thorn in his side and began to amass an army of 20,000 troops and squadrons of the French fleet in St. Malo, ready for attack.

It had been decided, after the Battle of Jersey, that local defences should be improved and upon the arrival of the new Lieutenant-Governor, General Don, the high land above the town of St. Helier was compulsorily purchased and construction began on Fort Regent.

A network of round towers was already under construction all around the coast and General Don organised the building of roads across the island for rapid transport, introduced a signalling system and prepared his army for war.

First Steamship arrives in Jersey

(1823)

During the period after Napoleon's defeat, the shipbuilding industry in the island reached its height with orders also coming from firms in England. The arrival of the new technology of the steamship, however, rapidly brought this chapter of history to a close. Jersey merchants, with a practised eye at recognising opportunity in adversity, were so impressed with the arrival of a steamship in the islands, that in 1823 that they joined in a business venture to build one to service a route to and from Portsmouth.