Saturday, October 13, 2018

Who deserves to be remembered?

This is the time of year when Jersey's memorials - mostly to those who died in war - receive a deal of public attention.

But how is it decided which events or individuals should be "remembered" at all in public places?

As I keep posting here, the events of 28 September 1769 - Jersey Reform Day and all that - have no plaque, statue or street name although it is supposedly an "official" date in the Jersey calendar.
The Piratical Bailiff George de Carteret has a statue and pub in St Peter whilst war-time Bailiff Lord Coutanche warrants a small bronze bust that serves as a resting place for pigeons in the Royal Square and he can oversee the Peirson pub,  the statue of King George II and the "V" sign in the square..

But what of more recent heroes or people of "significance"?

Cyril Le Marquand "the founder of the Jersey finance sector" is currently remembered with a Soviet style inscription on the States office building opposite the Cenotaph. But this building is planned to be demolished soon. Shall Cyril have a replacement statue erected in his honour? Would he want one?


He was a "political leader" of course and founder of the Progressive Party after the Occupation and was elected with 10 others of that party to the States in 1948.

On the other hand Norman Le Brocq,  was also elected to the States and founded a political party of the left in opposition to Cyril's after the Occupation.
Norman  has no memorial on land that I know of and once  described the "finance sector as a "parasitic activity."
But does he deserve a memorial now?

Jersey cows have their own bronze memorial in St Helier and various other sculptures are scattered about the Island and Geraint Jennings has described the history of some of these in the past.

Most places have their military heroes mounted on horses cast in bronze and Jersey has produced plenty of warriors - but is the whole memorial thing just an historic dinosaur now in the 21st century?

I am not proposing to answer my own questions but attach this interview link with Cyril Le Marquand which is interesting in the context of Jersey politics and government today. Whether it or he or his views are relevant today are matters to be considered elsewhere.

https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Cyril_Le_Marquand_interview


1 comment:

  1. As the creator of the Wiki article on Norman Le Brocq whom I hugely admired, I think he should be remembered in some memorial somehow.

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