Abraham Mourant

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Abraham Mourant
solicitor and book editor


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Abraham Mourant (1831-1878), the son of Jean Mourant and Anne Maria Filleul, became the island’s leading solicitor and an editor of Jersey books

Career

After working in an ecriviain's office he studied law at Rennes. On his return in 1857 he was appointed an ecrivain, and became the leading solicitor in the island. He was an ardent member of the Rose Party, a supporter of Pierre Le Sueur, and a frequent contributor to the Chronique and Nouvelle Chronique. In 1858 he published an edition of the anonymous Jersey classic, written in 1585, Les Chroniques de Jersey.

The only existing edition was one published by G S Syvret in Guernsey in 1837, based on an 18th century manuscript discovered in Sark. Mourant collated this with five Jersey manuscripts, and added an essay on the date and value of the work. In 1860 he edited a new edition of the 1771 Code of Laws for the Island of Jersey with an index showing which laws had been abrogated, which superseded, and which were still in force, and an appendix of new laws confirmed since 1771.

In 1861 he published his Biographie de Pierre Le Sueur. In 1863 he issued his fourth book, Rimes et Poesies Jersiaises, a well-chosen selection of verses by [[Sir Robert Marett], Henri Luce Manuel, Esther Le Hardy, Philippe Asplet and other dialect poets.

Public office

Meanwhile he took an active part in public life. He was Centenier of St Helier 1864—67, Deputy of Grouville 1872, and Constable of Grouville 1875. He had just been re-elected to this office in 1878 when he died on 20 June. In 1877 he had started the Jersiais, the second newspaper of that name, but it only lived a year.

He married Louisa Mary Syvret, but died without children.

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