125 years of 'the first draft of history'

Every day, islanders revisit old Guernsey Press stories, in back copies, online for some more recent stories, or at the Priaulx Library. Much of what we know about Guernsey in the 20th century, certainly the early days of the century, is through the pages of the Guernsey Press.

So it is a privilege for us to start our extensive coverage of 125 years of the Guernsey Press in today’s edition, looking back at some of the greatest stories, photographs and people that we have featured over those decades.

We will carry a slightly different look over the next few months, with a front page logo which appeared in the original newspaper of 1897 and looks as if it was intended to incorporate all elements of island life at the time.

The company has come a long way since Guernseyman Gervaise Peek, probably the island’s leading commercial operator of his day, teamed up with Jerseyman Percy Amy and Englishman Alfred Hodges, to launch the Guernsey Press into a busy market from Le Pollet in St Peter Port, Guernsey’s Fleet Street of its day.

We continued to grow as then-Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland, who had previously been chairman of the Guernsey Press Company, opened our new offices in 2005 with an inspirational speech.

‘You should bear in mind what was said by Phil Graham, publisher of the Washington Post in the 1950s and 60s, who once described journalism as “the first draft of history”,’ Sir Geoffrey said.

‘Remember that historians will often turn to what has been published in the Guernsey Press. You have a duty to us all and to future generations to ensure that what is provided is truthful, fair and relevant.’

Both day by day and in this look back at some of the most significant moments of island life since July 1897, we seek to remain true to Sir Geoffrey’s exhortation of 2005: ‘Do continue to maintain a lively interest in people, places and events.’

That is the essence of the Guernsey Press, back in 1897 and still today.