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.

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. 

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. 

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.