No 19 Royal Square

Historic Jersey buildings 19 Royal Square 1900 Index of all house profiles If you own this property, have ancestors who lived here, or can provide any further information and photographs, please contact us through editorial@jerripedia.org

This is believed to be the earliest surviving photograph of No 19

Property name

19 Royal Square

Location

Royal Square, St Helier

Type of property

Former town house owned in the 18th and early 19th century by the Hemery family and home to one of Jersey's 19th century newspapers. The building was given to the Jersey Chamber of Commerce in 1821 and became its headquarters, although it retained accommodation at 6 Royal Square in the 1880s. ^[1]Part of the building was rented by the printing and newspaper - Chronique de Jersey - publishing business of the Perrot family, and rooms on the upper floors were rented as living accommodation. There were also a drapery here in 1837. Pictures on this page show that the Perrot business was variously named Perrotl and Ahier's Printing Establishment, Perrot's Printing Establishment and Perrot Brothers Printing Establishment. It is believed that this is the correct sequence

Families and organisations associated with the property

Census returns

• 1851 - John Le Ber (56), auctioneer born in Alderney, his wife Ann (52), four daughters Jane Lydia (26) milliner; Harriet (25), domestic duties; Mary Ann (22), stationer’s apprentice; Louisa (20) draper’s apprentice
• 1861 - Chronique de Jersey: George Perrot (23) employing 11 men and four boys; wife Mary (24) ^[2]
• 1871 - Frederick Le Gresley (21), printer and compositor
• 1881 - George Perrot (43) printer and editor employing 16, wife Mary (45), three sons, three daughters ^[3]
• 1901 - Frederick Le Gresley (52) printer’s foreman, wife Ann (52); Louisa (22), draper’s assistant; Daisy (17); Frederick (15) grocer’s apprentice; Harold (12); William (7)

This photograph is very interesting because it shows the south-east corner of the square before the States Chamber was built. The picture has been dated 1875, but it was probably taken at least a decade earlier. The States acquired the buildings to the left of the Royal Court from 1843 to 1859, but did not build the States Chamber until the 1870s. It can be seen that the road (now known as Royal Court Road) turned right towards Hill Street and that the upper part of Halkett Place did not exist. This area was known as Morier Lane at the time, and the turning to the left has the appearance of being a very narrow lane. No sooner had the States acquired the last buildings in this row than it was decided to widen the street, and the properties were offered for sale, with the condition that the buyer demolished them

Almanac listings

• 1837 - A commercial directory wrongly shows Peter Perrot, printer at No 18, instead of 19; trading at No 19 were De La Taste and Wright, drapers and tailors
• 1874-1880 - George Frebout Perrot ^[4]
• 1880 - Chronique de Jersey
• 1890 - F J Le Maistre
• 1915-1940 - P Le Masurier and Co
• 1950-1990 - Galsworthy and Stone (1950 only); Chamber of Commerce
• 1955-1970 - Norwich Union Insurance
• 1975 - R A Rossborough
• 1980 - Lombard Banking
• 1990 - Healey and Baker
• 2018 - Liberation Group

Historic Environment Record entry

Building of 18th century origins, former Chamber of Commerce from 1821. Shown on the Richmond Map of 1795.

Corner property, one of a pair ^[5] defining the eastern boundary of Royal Square. Three-bay, four-storey.

The classical arrangement of the ground floor for the Chamber of Commerce is largely obliterated by the awnings for use by the adjoining pub. Interior includes a fine and unusual example of an early 19th century staircase running the height of the four-storey building.

Notes and references

1. ↑ It is not clear how much of No 19 the Chamber occupied, or when from. The organisation was first not listed here in almanacs until 1950. A further article suggests that, although the building was gifted to the Chamber in 1821, it was not until 1835 that they used any part of it, although their website states that it was their headquarters from 1821
2. ↑ Wrongly shown in the census as No 20
3. ↑ Wrongly shown in the census as No 18
4. ↑ Son of newspaper founder Pierre Perrot
5. ↑ This suggests that the buildings are a matching pair. The adjoining No 18 was built at least a century earlier than No 19 and they have no architectural similarities