In October, Jersey Tour Guide and Société Jersiaise member Sue Gorin led a group of 12 visitors on her evocative tour, Love Letters & Correspondence, organised by the National Trust for Jersey.
The Georgian era, though postage was costly, blossomed into a golden age of correspondence—a time when written words bridged hearts and homes across great distances. Beginning at 16 New Street, Sue guided her group through the imagined footsteps of Louisa, a Georgian-era letter writer making her way to the Post Office on Hue Street—and ultimately to the Lord Coutanche Library at the Société Jersiaise.
Here, visitors were welcomed by the Librarian, who shared a selection of original 18th- and early 19th-century letters, alongside beautifully preserved Victorian greeting cards, from the collections at the Société Jersiaise. These fragile documents offered a glimpse into the hopes, affections, and everyday lives of those who once put pen to paper in Jersey’s past.
For some, it was their first visit to the Société Jersiaise, and they were delighted to discover such a rich resource for exploring the Island’s heritage—a place where history truly comes alive through its written words.
If you would also like to explore the Lord Coutanche Library and its fascinating collections, we invite you to contact us at library@societe.je
Valérie Noël, Librarian
