New chapter in Jersey's history

Friday 09 October 2015

The Island’s rich history has been brought to life with the help of some famous faces who were part of it.

Jersey: The Hidden Histories is a new piece of historical-based fiction by local writer Paul Darroch.

He’s penned a dozen episodes of history through the eyes of those who witnessed it –  from Charlie Chaplin and Sir Walter Raleigh to Karl Marx and Jersey girl Lillie Langtry.

Paul said: “The story opens in the magical summer of 1912, on the eve of the Great War, as the very first aeroplane ever seen in Jersey swoops in to land on St Aubin's Bay. Then as episode one opens, we plunge back to the very beginning of the Island's story, to join the primeval hunters striding across the icy tundra that still links the Jersey peninsula to France.”

Paul, a self-confessed history buff, says he was inspired by the landscape and legends of Jersey.

He said: “I was captivated by the incredible story of this Island through the centuries. The Second World War period is very well-covered, but there is so much more - from Charles II to Karl Marx to Charlie Chaplin, so many key figures in history have set foot on our little Island, and their stories are woven into ours.

“I am trying to write "immersive history" - lying on the borderline between creative writing and a traditional history book. This kind of history is designed to grab you emotionally, to plunge you into the daily reality of the past, to bring to life the richness of history as witnessed by those who lived through it.”

You can pick up a copy of Jersey: The Hidden Histories from a number of local retailers and Paul will be at Waterstones on Saturday 17 October from 11 am until 2 pm signing copies of the book.