ALDERNEY

LOCATION AND COMMUNICATION LINKS

Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands and is 8 miles(13km) from the coast of Normandy, France, and 59 miles (95m) from mainland Britain. Aurigny, the Alderney based airline, operates daily scheduled services which connect the island with Southampton, Guernsey, Jersey and mainland France through Dinard and Cherbourg. There are year round freight services to Guernsey and Weymouth.

GEOGRAPHY

Alderney is 3/2 miles (5.5km) long and 11/2 miles (2.5km) wide. The central part of the island is a plateaux varying in height from 250-296 ft (76-90m) with steep cliffs in the south, whilst in the north there are many beautiful sandy bays and beaches.

Geologically, Alderney is a continuation of the Cotentin peninsular of France with a greenish gray igneous rock called granodiorite in the west, and diorite in the central area. In the east the rock is a much more recent granite and sandstone.

The island enjoys a temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters. Snow and ice are seldom seen, but Channel gales do hit the island in the winter months.

POPULATION AND MAJOR CENTRES

The resident population is 2,152, the average age is on the high side as a large majority are retired residents from overseas. The only town of St Anne is situated in the centre of the island whilst there has been some modest recent development down near the harbour.

HISTORY

There is ample evidence of a Neolithic occupation of Alderney and stone implements, flints etc are exhibited in the Alderney Museum as also are Bronze

Age axes. Unfortunately many Megalithic tombs and dolmens on the island were destroyed by the building of Victorian Forts and 20th century German fortifications. In 1968 early Iron Age pottery was discovered together with potter’s tools of stone and bone. A Roman occupation of the island is evidenced by coins, tiles and other artifacts.

The island was annexed by Rollo, Duke of Normandy, in 911 A.D. but the first reference to Alderney occurs in a Charter of 1042 by which the island was granted by Duke William of Normandy to the monastery of Mont St. Michel. When Duke William conquered England in 1066 he became King of England and so attached the island for the first time to the English Crown. For the next three centuries the Bishop of Coutances retained a substantial part of the island whilst the remainder belonged to the Duke of Normandy. The close proximity of the Channel Islands to the French mainland inevitably exposed them to constant attacks during the frequent wars between England and France. In June 1940 the island community of 1,400 completely evacuated to the United Kingdom, just days before the German forces occupation. During 1946 about two-thirds returned to find their island homes in ruins. Massive German defence installations were everywhere and remain today.

GOVERNMENT

Alderney is a Crown possession, one of the island group of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The island, like its neighbours in the Channel Islands group, enjoys the privilege of having a degree of autonomy. Its laws are subject to the prior approval of Her Majesty’s Council. The United Kingdom Parliament has no direct control over the internal

affairs of the island. After the occupation external support and professional advice were needed in the areas of education, policing, health, welfare and airport administration.

The States of Guernsey agreed to administer these essential services, in return for Alderney being subject to internal taxation on a par with the Guernsey direct and indirect tax system, the funding accruing to the Guernsey Budget. In addition Guernsey would make an annual fixed grant towards those public services administered by Alderney, for example roads, harbours, etc.

The States of Alderney, the civil administration, is a democratically elected government, with a President who is also titular head, and 12 members. The former is an independent election for a term of four years. Members also serve for the same period. Elections are for six members every two years. As Alderney has a political association with Guernsey, two Alderney States members have seats in the States of Guernsey.

Justice is administered by the Court comprising six jurats and a Chairman all appointed by the Secretary of State for Home Affairs. Alderney’s laws are a strange blend of old Norman French and newer English law. Fortunately crime is rare on the island. Alderney has its own modern company law and the Register of Companies is maintained by the Clerk of the Court. All taxation is administered by Guernsey Tax Office with income tax levied at 20% but there is no capital gains tax, inheritance tax or VAT.

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

The massive British military presence in the nineteenth century and the evacuation of the population in anticipation of occupation by the German invading forces during the Second World War have diluted the Norman-Alderney indigenes and the local ‘patois’ has now almost completely disappeared. There is a flourishing music society, a very active art club and a recently established brass band. The island boasts a fine museum which is currently being extended partly to accommodate the relics being brought up by local divers from the Elizabethan wreck which was discovered recently.

ECONOMY

The Island’s economy is almost entirely based on tourism and tax income which is boosted by the many retired expatriate residents. There is a small fishing fleet.

SPORT AND LEISURE

Sporting facilities are very restricted on the island which has no public swimming pool, no athletics track and no sports hail, but in recent years the tennis club have built four all-weather courts, the football club have erected a new clubhouse and there is a beautifully scenic nine hole golf course. There is a very active shooting club which meets in one of the ruined Victorian forts, whilst a small badminton club copes with the restricted height, in the island hail. The squash club has one court and there is an active snooker club. The bowling green at the golf club has recently been extended to competition length. Other available sports include archery, boxing, fencing, cricket and karate. A half marathon is staged annually.

John D Waller (and George Baron)