For this photoshoot, as a class we went to listen to a mini lecture at the SJ photo archive learning all about the archives and some history about photographers on the island.
We then went on a tour around st helier harbour with an old sea captain called Sir Captain Nibbs. who told us all about the history of the harbour and the fishermen from back in the day who were involved in the Jersey cod trades.
To finish off we then went for another walk around the harbour on the other side and took more photos of the boats and interesting areas in which represented the fishing trade then and now.
Photoshoot contact sheet
Evaluation
Here I have taken a good range of images which represent different parts of the harbour. There are photos of the older boats and some of the newer modern boats. I have images of Captain Nibbs with his official captain hat on whilst giving us a presentational speech about the harbour and the work that did and still goes on now.
Saint Helier harbour is the main harbour of Jersey through its occupation of most of St Helier down the south coast. This harbour is operated by Ports of Jersey, the operative government company. Here, there are 3 marinas for private yachts on pontoons and drying harbours for commercial shipping, with facilities including a dock for lift-on/lift-off cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off ferry berths and a tanker berth.
Definition: a berth is a designated area where a vessel may be moored, typically for unloading and loading, assigned by an authority – in this example, Ports of Jersey.
The harbour gains its name from the 6th-century ascetic hermit from Belgium, Helier (Helierius).
The Old Harbour:
Map of St Helier in 1790. One little pier is visible in red which is the Old Harbour, also know as the French and English harbour.
This area got its name as the Old Harbour, also known as the English and French harbour, with berths for over 500 motorboats and sailing yachts used for leisurely purposes, resulting in them being able to dry out on the mud below during low tide. Down here is where South pier and, the abandoned pub, La Folie Inn, are and have become an area in which marine engineers are working for South Pier Marina and St Helier Yacht club.
Back in 1790, this was only a small jetty at the side of the island where ships coming into the island could go.
Construction:
The 19th century is when the harbour was properly constructed. This only occurred after the Chamber of Commerce was denied by the States Assembly to build a new harbour, therefore they took it into their own hands to upgrade it in 1790. This consisted of a new breakwater of which its purpose was to shelter the jetty’s and harbour.
This led onto the merchants constructing the roads now known as Commercial Buildings and Le Quai des Marchands in 1814 in order to connect the harbours to the island to make them more accessible. After this, construction was concluded on the Esplanade and its sea wall:
An extensive expansion of shipping around 1837 led the States of Jersey to order the construction of two new piers named Victoria pier and Albert pier.
The Main Harbour:
19th century
This harbour is home to the deep water berths necessary for commercial vessels along Victoria Quay, where fish wholesalers of Fresh fish Company and Aquamarine fisheries is, and New North Quay.
The Main harbour today
Elizabeth Harbour:
Here is where high-speed craft and traditional ferries to Poole,Guernsey and Saint-Malo alongside foot passenger ferries to Granville, Barneville-Carteret and Sark use the implemented ferry terminal, two roll-on/roll-off berths and trailer park for shipping containers.
Out of all of these, The La Collette Yacht Basin is the only one which provides non-tidal, 24-hour access to the sea, leading it to be home to Jersey’s commercial fishing community.
Development of the harbour:
Map of St Helier in 1790. One little pier is visible in red which is the Old Harbour, also know as the French and English harbour.1834 Le Gros MapAntique map by John Bartholomew & Co.1898The Marina today
I took 260+ images on this first photoshoot of varying angles of the piers and surrounding buildings. Each of the old structures has its own history relating to the islands Marine history.
I started at no 9 Pier Road which has become the jersey museum. the land in front is all reclaimed and stretches all around to the waterfront.
Contact Sheet and Selection
I split these photographs into 2 sections:
Section 1:
Section 2:
These photographs show modern trade and the roles involved. There is lots of machinery and all goods are centralised in warehouses and held in large metal crates. This is largely different to trade from the past where trade occurred much more privately and personally. Modern trade is also much more standardised. Every worker wears hivis and helmets for safety and easy identification.
What was the involvement of Jersey mariners in the Canadian cod-fisheries and the Transatlantic carrying trade?
It was said that the waters in New found land were some of the best waters to fish in for the cod that they wanted to sell across the world, this drew fishermen to the north of the continent and around 1600 English fishing captains still reported shoals. By the beginning of the 16th century Basque fishermen were travelling to the region to fish and by 1580 around 10,000 European fishermen were making the transatlantic voyage to the area each year to fish.
Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?
The harbour at St Helier was concentrated around La Folie in the English and French harbours. At low waters there was a landing stage at La Collette, to which passengers were ferried in small boats and picked up by waiting carriages and horse drawn omnibuses.
A concerted effort to build harbours did not take off until the late 17th century, when work began on building a pier on the islet on which St Aubin’s fort stands. During the 18th century St Aubin’s harbour proper was constructed and work began on developing St Helier as a port, although the capital had to wait until the 19th century before it really began to develop as a port.
It was during the early 19th century that stone piers were built at La Rocque, Bouley Bay, Rozel and Gorey, to accommodate the oyster boats. The harbour at Gorey also took passenger traffic from Normandy.
What type of goods did Jersey merchants exchange for cod-fish?
They exchanged things like rum and tobacco and sugar, molasses and plantation goods with the cod that they caught. They exchanged their cod with places in the Mediterranean such as Portugal and Spain. They also traded with the West Indies, Honduras and Brazil, where they traded things such as Mahogony and coffee
To what extend, has the island of Jersey benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain and the legacies of colonialism based on a slave plantation economy during the first Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)?
The move of Jersey’s allegiance from the Dukes of Normandy to the Kings of England became formalised with the Treaty of Paris in 1259, under which the English Crown gave up its claim to France, other than Gascony. In 1294 England lost Gascony to France leaving the Channel Islands as the only remaining “French” possession of the English Crown.
Since prehistoric to modern time the sea has been Jersey’s connection to the outside world. As an island we are surrounded by water and it is through maritime routes that people travel to and from Jersey to set up families and form new connections. For Jersey, it’s ports and piers hold symbolic and obvious practical significance. They facilitate trade and communication, and as an islands economy grows beyond the means by which it can support itself, they come to symbolise survival and possibility.
Stories of the sea, such as voyages, encounters and even shipwrecks holds mythological and romantic notions in the imagination of humans. Artists, writers, poets and filmmakers have for centuries been inspired by the sea and it’s many secrets.
Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa.1818–19. Oil on canvas.
The Channel Islands are a group of islands off the coast of France. The largest island is Jersey, followed by Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and a number of smaller islands, islets and rocky outcrops. The islands were separated from mainland Europe with rising sea levels in the Neolithic period; thereafter maritime activity commenced. As Jersey is extremely close to France and England this is why Jersey’s origin language is Jèrriais (the Island’s old Norman-French language). There are many Viking words to do with farming (especially ploughing and harvesting) and fishing, ships and the sea. For example:
bete, bait, beita
dranet, draw-net, dragnet
flie, a limpet, flie
greer, to rig, greidi
haler, to haul, hala
crabe, a crab, krabbi
mauve, a seagull, mar
Needing to trade, the islanders were innovative. Over time they built up skills, earning money and investing capital in maritime businesses.
What was the involvement of Jersey mariners in the Canadian cod-fisheries and the Transatlantic carrying trade?
In the 1700’s many fishermen from the Channel islands would voyage from Jersey all the way to Canada and they had set up lucrative trade routes between Canada, Europe and America, establishing bases on the Gaspe Coast where they could salt and prepare the cod. These fisherman would travel all this way to the Gaspe, because the American and Canadian coast were swarming with fish, which meant that these fisherman could catch a very large number of fish all year round, which they could then sell all over the world.
Many channel island fishermen made this voyage and set up business here and sold fish all over the world. Many of these fishermen saw Canada as a move to prosperity and business success and an escape from problems back home to a new land of opportunity. The Jersey communities fitted in well in Gaspe, and despite the fact they were a minority, speaking Jersey-French in their communities and businesses, they were the economic giants of the area. It was financial problems back home, as well as the disappearance of the cod trade, that eventually led to the dwindling of the Jersey fishing community in Quebec.
Map of Canada Atlantic Provinces
Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?
Building harbours did not take place until the late 17th century, when work began on building a pier on the islet on which St Aubin’s fort stands. St Aubin’s harbour proper was constructed during the 18th century and work began on developing St Helier as a port.
Stone piers were built during the 19th century at La Rocque, Bouley Bay, Rozel and Gorey, to accommodate the oyster boats. The harbour at Gorey also took passenger traffic from Normandy.
The primary purpose of these harbours was the movement of cargoes and not people. If someone wanted the leave the island they had to strike up deals with the master of the vessel or hire a boat to take you to wherever you wanted to go, but this was very expensive.
Jersey ships traded their cod fish all over the globe, mainly with the Caribbean, West Indies and other British colonies. They traded with different countries for the different goods that they had lots of or grew/ made there. Jersey’s maritime economy dominated island life and many merchants were engaged in the Atlantic trade, referred to as the ‘merchant triangle’ with commodities of manufactured goods and agricultural products exchanged in different outposts in the British Empire and other European colonies in the Caribbean, South America and Mediterranean.
Merchant Triangle- Triangular trade or triangle trade is trade between three ports or regions.
A diagram of where they traded the cod fish and what they traded it with.
What type of goods did Jersey merchants exchange for cod-fish?
Jersey merchants exchanged cod-fish for many types of goods. For example:
Rum
Tobacco
Sugar
Plantation goods
Coffee
Cotton
Malasses
Has the island of Jersey benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain and the legacies of colonialism based on a slave plantation economy during the first Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)?
The beginnings of Jerseys finance industry, which is the islands main source of employment and income, was rooted in plantations and enslavement. The wealth generated from the use of enslaved people is what the foundations are built on.
Josué Mauger’s great nephew inherited his wealth and built No 9 Pier Road (Jersey Museum). The Jersey Museum shows deep ties to our history and great generational wealth built off the back of slavery which has continued to benefit the island since. In 1968 the building was stated as being ‘the finest possible example of a prosperous merchant’s town house’ while simultaneously being the ‘most pretentious family mansions in St Helier.’
In the late 18th century and early 19th century it marks one of the richest periods in Jersey where many local families made substantial fortunes through cod fishing on the Newfoundland banks. Due to the large amount of incoming cash, Jersey established its first banks. These banks differed slightly to English ones and with unique benefits allowed the Finance Industry to thrive.
Jersey were given the freedom to decide their own laws from Britain, so they do not have to follow Britain’s laws, and tax laws. This benefitted Jersey and the Finance Industry, because they now have a lot lower tax than Britain.
Jersey has also benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain, because it allowed Jersey to trade with British colonies and territory, which was the biggest in the world at this point. Jersey could travel to British ports, so they could trade and they would not have to pay taxes, whereas every other country would.
A camera obscura (camera obscuras; from Latin camera obscūra ‘dark chamber’) is the natural occurrence where in a blacked out room with only a pinhole of natural light, the outside view reflects inside and upside down – like a projected image. The physics behind it is, the rays of light travel in a straight line and change when reflected and partly absorbed by an object. Similar to how, our eyes observe the world upside down but our brain flips it the right way round for us to see it how we do. Camera obscuras with a lens in the opening have been used since the 16th century. They then became popular ways to draw and paint. In the first half of the 19th century, this was developed to be the photographic camera.
Nicephore Niepce & Heliography
The term, heliography, derives from helios (Greek), meaning “sun”, and graphein, “writing”). It is the photographic process invented, and named by Joseph Nicephore Niepce around 1822 which he used to make the earliest known surviving photograph from nature, View from the Window at Le Gras (1826 or 1827). This method consisted of dissolving light-sensitive bitumen in oil of lavender and applying a thin coat over a polished pewter plate. He inserted the plate into a camera obscura and positioned it near a window. After it had been sat, exposed to sunlight for days, the plate yielded an impression of the courtyard, outbuildings, and trees outside.
Louis Daguerre & Daguerreotype
Louis Daguerre was a French artist and photographer who became known for his invention of the daguerreotype. This is a process of photography which is done with a silver-plated copper plate that had to be cleaned and polished until it looked like a mirror. After that, the plate was sensitized in a closed box over iodine up until it took on a yellow-rose appearance. The plate, held in a lightproof holder, was then transferred to the camera. After exposure to light, the plate was developed over hot mercury until an image appeared. To fix the image, the plate was immersed in a solution of sodium thiosulfate or salt and then toned with gold chloride.
Henry Fox Talbot & Calotype
Henry Fox Talbot invented the calotype in the 19th century, this way of photographing images is done by Iodising a sheet of writing paper by applying solutions of silver nitrate and potassium iodide to the paper’s surface under candlelight before washing and drying. Then, Sensitise the same surface using a “gallo-nitrate of silver” solution. You would then dry the paper and load it into a camera obscura, exposing it to light. After, remove the paper and brush it with the same sensitising solution to develop the image. Lastly, rinse the negative with water, wash it with a solution of potassium bromide, and rinse it again before laying it out to dry.
Robert Cornelius & self-portraiture
In 1839, Robert Cornelius used makeshift camera, with a lens made from an opera glass to take the earliest extant self-portrait, daguerreotype photograph. He had decided that the daylight was adequate to expose the prepared metal plate within the camera and take a photograph of himself. To do this, it required him posing for 10-15 minutes without moving.
Julia Margaret Cameron & Pictorialism
Julia Margaret Cameron was an English photographer who’s main focus was portraits in the 19th century. She is known for her soft-focus close-ups of famous Victorians as well as her illustrative images which depicted characters of Christianity, mythology and literature. The start of her photography journey was when she was 48, after her daughter gave her a sliding-box camera.
The term pictorialism is an approach to photography that emphasizes beauty of subject matter, tonality, and composition rather than the documentation of reality, which is what Cameron’s images are.
Henry Mullins & Carte-de-Visite
The term, ‘Carte de visite’ translates from the French as ‘visiting card’ or ‘calling card’. These were album prints which were usually portraits and were then mounted on thick card to stop the image being creased. Henry Mullins was the most prolific Jersey Photographer in the 19th century. He is known for his portrait photographs of islanders between 1848 and 1873, in his studio in the Royal Square, St. Helier.
Here are some images of St Helier Harbour, in the 18th, 19th and 20th Century.
History of the Development of St Helier Harbour
It has been a popular misconception for some time that Jersey had no harbour at all until a jetty was built at St Aubin’s Fort in 1670 and that it was not until 30 years later that a small Chamber took it into their own hands and paid to upgrade the harbour in 1790.
The St Helier marina was opened in 1981 with nearly 400 berths; it is normally open for visiting yachts. The Elizabeth marina opened in 1998with nearly 600 berths, most of which are for residents. Both these marinas have gates, so access is restricted to three hours either side of high tide. At least the boats in these marinas can remain afloat. The Old harbour still dries out at low water, as do the French and English harbours. La Collette yacht basin is a deep water, all-tide marina, again mostly reserved for residents.
Researching Jersey’s Maritime History Within Context of the Canadian Cod-Fisheries and the Transatlantic Carrying Trade.
What was the involvement of Jersey mariners in the Canadian cod-fisheries and the Transatlantic carrying trade?
By the beginning of the 16th-century Basque fishermen were travelling to the region to fish and, by 1580, around 10,000 European fishermen were making the transatlantic voyage to the area each year to fish for cod.
It was easy to fish in the open sea for cod at any time of year, but fishing inshore was far more difficult. It was here that the Channel Island fishermen made their biggest catches.
It was cod fishing in North American waters that became the dominant industry in Jersey. As this activity began to become viable so this attracted interest from Jersey. It is possible that initially the interest was from people from Jersey crewing French boats operating from St Malo, but it was not long before some of the more entrepreneurial Jersey merchants, based in St Aubin, began fishing in North American waters in their own right.
Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?
As the land was heavily wooded, the easiest way to travel was on water; and because we know that the neolithic farmers settled Jersey when it had once more become an island, it is safe to assume that they had the skill to make some form of boat. In addition to this we know that they were also able to sail and navigate between the island and Armorica and over what is now the English Channel to the mainland.
Two neolithic passage graves in Brittany, Petit Mont and Mane-Lud in Morbihan, have what may be carvings representing ships on them.
What type of goods did Jersey merchants exchange for cod-fish?
Jersey cod-merchants also exported cod-fish to British colonies in the West Indies, Caribbean and later Brazil too in exchange for plantation goods, such as:
Sugar
Molasses
Rum
Cotton
Coffee
Tobacco which it brought to markets in America, Europe and the UK (inc. Jersey). Within that context Jersey benefitted from the profits made in the British Empire build on a capitalist model of a slave-based economy.
To what extend, has the island of Jersey benefitted from its constitutional relationship with Britain and the legacies of colonialism based on a slave plantation economy during the first Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)?
Jersey ships were allowed to go to any ports to trade, without paying any dues, they benefitted from this more than other British colonies. This took place from 1204, the freedom to decide on our own laws, and lower taxes, which improves finances. This was due to an agreement with the UK.
With this trade connection, some of the most common Jersey structures to end up involved with the slave trade were boats.
One boat mentioned in the report is the Speedwell, commandeered by Sir George Carteret’s son, James Carteret (who also owned a plantation in California).
The Speedwell left London 1663, and picked up 302 enslaved people at Offra, Benin. By March 1664 it had sold 155 men, 105 women and 22 boys to plantations in Barbados and St Kitts.
Another ship was the Defiance, owned by Peter (Pierre) and Thomas Mallet of Jersey and Parry.
The Defiance sailed under Captain John Kimber, a man who earlier had been tried and acquitted by William Wilberforce having been accused of causing the death of an enslaved girl by inflicting injuries because she refused to dance naked.
In 1797 it sailed from the Gold Coast with 409 enslaved people and arrived in Barbados with 408.
Saint Helier Harbour is the main harbour on the channel island of Jersey. It is on the south coast of the island, occupying most of the coast of the main town of St Helier . It is operated by Ports of Jersey, a company wholly owned by the Government of Jersey.
A Short History Of The Development Of St Helier Harbour
Early beginnings
Since its first settlement, St. Helier, the capital of Jersey, has had a strong marine history. Soon after the Normans occupied the island in the tenth century, the strategic significance of St. Helier’s natural harbour was acknowledged. However, major port developments did not start until the 17th century.
The French & English Harbours
The construction of French and English Harbours in 1700 marked a significant development in marine infrastructure. Both of these harbors, featured on early maps and illustrations, are some of the oldest constructions solely for maritime purposes on the island. For more than one hundred years, they acted as the primary harbor for the larger ships of Jersey, enabling trade and maritime business between Jersey and the mainland.
Enlargement in the 18th Century
As maritime commerce expanded, the constraints of the current harbors were revealed. Construction of the North Pier began in 1790 to support the growing maritime activity. This advancement was essential for increasing the port’s capabilities and safeguarding ships from turbulent waters. It took more than 30 years to finish building the North Pier, which was completed in 1821.
19th and Early 20th Century Developments
During the 19th century, St. Helier Harbour continued to be enhanced with the building of more piers, quays, and the integration of modern shipping amenities. The port became a crucial center for commerce, sightseeing, and ferry services, linking Jersey with other harbors in the Channel Islands and continental Europe.
The Second World War
Throughout World War II, Jersey was taken over by German troops, resulting in major alterations to the harbor’s activities and structures. Post-war reconstruction aimed at renovating and updating the docks to bolster the expanding post-war economy.
Modern Era
During the second half of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, St. Helier Harbour has experienced ongoing modernization. The upgrades involve creating new ferry terminals, upgrading cruise ship docking facilities, and improving recreational areas for leisure activities. Presently, St. Helier Harbour is an important connection for both trade seafaring and tourist activities, playing a crucial role in Jersey’s economic infrastructure.
Etymology
Saint Helier Harbour is dedicated to Helier, a 6th-century hermit from Belgium known for his ascetic practices. His martyrdom is commonly believed to have taken place in the year AD 555. The annual municipal and ecumenical pilgrimage to the Hermitage falls on 16 July, which is his feast day. If you are interested, you can find more information here regarding the expansion of St Helier.
The Elizabeth Harbour
The Elizabeth Harbour includes a ferry terminal, two roll-on/roll-off ferry berths, and a trailer park for shipping containers, all managed by Elizabeth Harbour. High-speed vessels use them to travel to Poole, Guernsey, and Saint-Malo, while traditional ferries are used to reach Saint-Malo, Guernsey, and Portsmouth, and foot passenger ferries provide service to Granville, Barneville-Carteret, and Sark.
Main harbour
The main port offers deep water docks for commercial ships next to Victoria Quay and New North Quay. Victoria Quay is home to fish wholesalers like Fresh Fish Company and Aquamar Fisheries. Albert Pier has transformed from a ferry terminal into new docks for big boats and yachts. Check out the latest news on this subject and don’t forget to browse through ED.EM.04 – Victoria and Albert: on the Piers, a photo-zine created by the SJ Photo-archive.
These are some edits and photos I took of abandoned buildings inspired by Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre.
I took these photographers inspired by Michael Marten.
Just like Michael Marten I took three photoshoots in the same place but different angle. I like the way it all connected in some way, all three images into one.
Michael Marten took images when low tide and high tide, I found it very interesting so I decided to do the same. I went to frigate beach and took some images of low tide and high tide. When it was low/high tide they would be a sunrise/sunset which made the photoshoot a bit more alive.
