Campaign to save part of the island’s quarrying heritage

A CAMPAIGN is under way to try to save an old crane that is a survivor from the island’s granite quarrying industry.

Charlie Gabriel alongside the rusting remains of a quarry crane at Longue Hougue which he and others would like to save as a reminder of Guernsey’s quarrying past. (Pictures by Peter Frankland, 28951875)

Quarrying was the major industry in Guernsey in the 19th century and at its peak there were more than 250 working quarries, the majority of which were in St Sampson’s and the Vale.

Charlie Gabriel first spotted the surviving crane languishing at the side of the Longue Hougue quarry near the Bridge when he was doing deliveries.

He said it was an important piece of heritage that reflected a bygone era and it was in danger of toppling into the water.

‘I thought it was such a shame to see it just left there rotting away when that is a key link to Guernsey’s history, all the granite cottages, and the harbour, and the island infrastructure.

‘The people working in the quarry did very hard work, they were lifting the granite up in the cradle.

‘It’s a tripod shape, the main arm is made of wood, sadly it’s rusting away and there’s ivy growing all over it, but the basic structure is still there and I think it could be put somewhere on the island where it could be an attraction with a description next it and photographs explaining to people what it’s all about.’

Guernsey Water uses Longue Hougue as a storage reservoir, so it is believed that by default the crane now belongs to the States.

Angie McClinton has been researching the history of Guernsey quarrying because her grandfathers, who were both Queripels, worked in the industry.

She has photographs passed down from her late mum which show one of grandfathers at work in what is believed to be Les Vardes quarry.

Now living in Scotland, Mrs McClinton said her roots remained embedded in the island, and she was excited to hear about the crane.

‘As far as Guernsey’s past industry, it carries much heritage, can teach children what life was like then and how hard the labour

was compared to now; how simplistic machinery was, the forerunners of some of the high technology machinery we have today, and so on.

‘Sometimes we need to know about the past to make a better future.

This picture provided by Angie McClinton shows one of her grandfathers at work in the floor of a quarry, she believes Les Vardes, with a crane similar to the one at Longue Hougue alongside them.

‘Our lives are built on what our relatives worked at, how their character and life was shaped by their employment, how it shaped ours growing up in their environment, how it has affected and possibly still affects present and future generations.

‘If my little project does nothing more than saves a Blondin or raises awareness of how rich the quarry industry was, yet how hard the work was too, and how it has been incorporated into many a building, harbour, a seawall, slipway, possibly even the cobbles that could be found in St Peter Port, then I’ll be happy.’

The desire at this stage is to raise awareness of the crane – thought to be the last known surviving one from that era – and turn it into a permanent learning feature.