Manor tours have added a-Peel during Heritage Festival
LIFE in Guernsey during Occupation was brought alive at Sausmarez Manor, as part of a special tour.
Manor owner Peter de Sausmarez has put together the new tour, which looks at the building’s history from before and after the war, and how it escaped being requisitioned during the Occupation, as well as family diary entries from the era.
The event is part of the Guernsey Heritage Festival, which started at the end of March. This year’s festival theme is Occupation and Liberation.
‘We always try to take part in the Heritage Festival somehow,’ said Mr de Sausmarez.
The tour involved a look around the manor, with diary entries from the Occupation put into context by Mr de Sausmarez. It was rounded off with a warm helping of potato peel pie.
Among the people on the tour were Sandra Treleven and her 13-year-old son Sam, who are regular visitors to the island from Cornwall.
‘I have been coming over since I was a child and Sam did a project on the Occupation last year, so we knew quite a few dates, but this has helped put it more into context,’ said Ms Treleven.
‘We are really looking forward to seeing the [Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society] film.’
Ruth Hawker, nee Whales, 79, went on the tour with her daughter Jenny. She now lives in the UK, but was born and grew up in Guernsey.
‘I can remember some of the things he was talking about, like the Vega coming in,’ she said.
‘We were in a little barn on 8 May – it was the first time I heard a radio. I was six in 1945. It has been lovely to go on the tour.’
Stella Le Noury and Heather Clegg were also present: ‘We found it all very interesting,’ said Mrs Le Noury.
The Heritage Festival runs until 10 May, with more than 300 events taking place across the Bailiwick.
n For more on the festival visit www.visitguernsey.com/2018-heritage-festival.
