Blog Series

When Marc Yates’ Great Aunt bought him a Société membership when he was a teenager, she likely had no idea he would go onto Chair the very same Archaeology Section that she herself was involved in.

I went in search of photos I could share on the organisation’s social media platforms, but in the process, I ended up finding so much more: a renewed appreciation for my Island home of Jersey.

So, how exactly does the Island’s oldest heritage organisation stay true to its roots whilst keeping itself relevant in the modern day? That’s the question at the forefront of Société CEO Rebecca Bailhache’s mind.

The richness of Jersey’s history, culture, language, and environment is well-documented, but those who carry out this documentation and research are seldom thrust into the spotlight. Much of this vital work takes place behind closed doors, and a large portion of it behind the doors of the Société Jersiaise, the Island’s oldest heritage organisation.  

Martha MacDonald discusses Garden History with Section Chair, Pat Jackson.

Whenever I visit the Société Jersiaise, nestled behind a granite archway on Pier Road, I get the same feeling I get when walking into places like the British Library or the V&A. Although altogether more understated than those institutions, the immense knowledge and expertise housed within the Société’s walls is just as vast and spectacular.

Coinciding with the Société’s 150th anniversary year is another significant date for one of Jersey’s most notable architects and engineers, Adolphus Curry. The 29th of June would have been Curry’s 175th birthday, and all those years later, we are still trying to piece together more information about this “ingenious” man.