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100 years ago last month, election fever hit St Helier when the first contested Constable’s election for 14 years took place, resulting in record numbers turning out to exercise their right to vote.
A few weeks beforehand, on Saturday, 31 May 1924, the States had voted for a new Police Magistrate.
Judge Vaudin had resigned and so it was up to the Assembly to elect a successor. Once the votes were counted, the Constable of St Helier, John Edward Pinel, was declared the winner.
Pictured: Advertisement asking people to Vote for Ferguson in the Evening Post. (Jersey Heritage)
It was announced that he was to be sworn in the following Thursday and that he would leave his office as Father of the Parish, thus triggering a by-election.
Conversation turned to who would succeed Pinel. Two names emerged from the pack. They were Deputy John Thomas Ferguson and Charles J Le Quesne, who both received deputations from parishioners asking them to stand.
Le Quesne was a builder, President of the Building Trades Federation and had been a regular at Parish meetings for a quarter of a century.
Pictured: Advertisement asking people to vote for Le Quesne. (Jersey Heritage)
Ferguson had been returned as a Deputy for St Helier six years previously and had been a teacher before taking over his stepfather’s building firm. He had also served as President of the Jersey Mechanics’ Institute for 25 years.
The deputation for Le Quesne met at Beresford Cafe and declared him the man for the job. The Rev E J Gallichan chaired the meeting and said that in Le Quesne they had a man “who was popular, kind-hearted, tactful and strong”.
Mr W N Poingdestre said that “for years many of the electors had wanted a business man to rule them, and in Mr Le Quesne they had a candidate who had given proof of his business capacity. If he conducted the affairs of the town as he had done his business, there would not be any complaints”.
Pictured: John Edwin Pinel, the former Constable whose resignation led to the election. (Jersey Heritage)
Meanwhile, over 200 electors gathered to encourage Deputy Ferguson to be a candidate. They met at the Cercle St Thomas and greeted him with great enthusiasm.
The chair of the meeting, Andrew Renouf, said the Deputy “was intellectual, straightforward and honest to the last word. He was quite sure that there was nobody better fitted to fill the post of Constable of St Helier than Mr Ferguson was”.
Their campaigns began in earnest after 19 June – less than three weeks later – was set for the election.
Pictured: John Thomas Ferguson. (Jersey Heritage)
An article appeared in the Evening Post on 7 June commenting that posters for candidates for Constable had started to appear around Town, including a number for Deputy Ferguson that had covered up those of his opponent. The newspaper hoped this wouldn’t be a habit and that the election would be run “on straight lines”.
The Chairman of Ferguson’s committee wrote to the newspaper the following day to assure voters that if this had taken place, it was without the knowledge of Deputy Ferguson and his team.
The nominations meeting took place at the Town Hall on 11 June. The Evening Post gave a clue to the respective popularity of the candidates by reporting that Le Quesne received warm applause when he reached the stage but Ferguson’s applause was “deafening, and there were cries of “Good Old Fergie” and hearty cheers”.
Pictured: Letter sent by the Chef de Police to announce the candidates for Constable for the election taking place on 19 June 1924. (Jersey Heritage)
It’s notable that the nomination for Ferguson included the names of C A Cole, née Orviss and Mary M Pellier, née Hughes – women electors who were able to vote in a Constable’s election for the first time.
It was to be the first election to be held on a Thursday since a half-day holiday on that day had been inaugurated. It was to take place from 11am-7pm at the Halkett Place Market. Both candidates said they believed the election was going to be close.
Ferguson paid for advertisements in the newspaper declaring himself ‘The People’s Candidate’. Evidently this upset some of Le Quesne’s supporters, with one writing to the Evening Post to say: “The People’s Candidate!!! The Popular Candidate!!! The Friend of the Workers!!! Cheap popularity is easily attained. Christening oneself “The People’s Candidate” is no novelty.
The question is: What is your past record?” He went on to say that for over 30 years, Le Quesne had been one of the largest employers of labour in Jersey, treating everyone with respect and consideration.
Election day was a grand affair. The Evening Post said that “St Helier today caught some of its old time election fever”. The sun was out, bunting was put up and there were scores of cars in the streets.
Le Quesne even engaged the Jersey Musical Union to play on his behalf, although not everyone was a fan. In fact, their presence encouraged one passer-by to say they would vote against whoever had organised it, describing the band as “awfully out of tune”.
Female voters were also mentioned: “The number of lady voters has been high and many of these were voting for the first time. The officials had a busy time explaining to these ladies how and how not to vote, but a number of spoiled papers are expected.”
The headline of the newspaper the following day told the story of the election: “A Record Poll, Deputy Ferguson’s Great Victory, Unprecedented Scenes in St Helier.”
It declared: “All records were broken at yesterday’s election for Constable in St Helier. The number who recorded their vote, the majority for Mr Ferguson, the great crowds in the town, and the remarkable enthusiasm eclipsed anything witnessed for many years in St Helier.”
As the day wore on the scene became busier, with roads “practically impassable” in a “remarkable” scene. At 8.40pm, the Returning Officer, Jurat Le Cornu, announced the final numbers who voted as 2,538, with Ferguson receiving 1,647 of those, a majority of 775.
Loud cheers broke out and the Constable-elect made his way, with difficulty, from his committee room to the Royal Square to address an enthusiastic crowd from the balcony of the United Club.
Pictured: Few of Halkett Place taking in the Market where the election took place and the street which was packed with spectators. (Jersey Heritage)
He declared it “the most eventful day in my life” and that “what had touched him most deeply was the fact that amongst the electors who had supported him were many of his old boys whom he had trained as their schoolmaster and also men who had been in his employ”.
He thanked his opponent, calling for cheers for him, and asked for his cooperation going forward when conducting parish business.
Le Quesne conceded defeat gracefully saying: “Fate had been against him, but he was not down-hearted, and what they asked of him he was willing to do. He would cooperate with Mr Ferguson to carry on the affairs of the parish.” He finished by calling for cheers for the new Constable.
Ferguson and his committee left the Square, taking a tour of the Town before proceeding to the Jersey Mechanic’ Institute, where members had gathered in the roadway to greet them.
People followed him into the Institute with some not able to gain admission because it was too packed. The night was closed with the crowd singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow”, before he returned to his home at 22, Great Union Road.
This story was told as part of a series in collaboration with Jersey Heritage. To uncover more stories like this, visit Jersey Archive or search its online catalogue HERE.
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