On this day in 1981

Many consider The Book of Ebenezer Le Page to be the most authentic work of fiction about Guernsey life, and indeed a great work of fiction in its own right. Yet, it all the publishers to whom its author, Gerald Basil Edwards, submitted it rejected it outright. It was only published in 1981, five years after Edwards’ death.

Edwards had wanted to call the book Sarnia Cherie. Its current title was originally its sub-title, but the two were switched by the publisher. It was also supposed to be the first volume of a trilogy. Sadly, parts two and three were never written.

Local language in a local landscape

Written in Guernsey English, it tells the life story of Ebenezer Le Page. It follows him from birth in the Vale in the late 1800s, through the occupation to his death in the early 1960s. He works as a fisherman and tomato grower throughout, and only leaves the island once. That was when he travelled to Jersey to watch a Muratti football match (which Guernsey won).

Ebenezer’s love for Liza Queripel runs through the book. Even though they never marry, and long periods can pass between them seeing each other – sometimes years at a time – it is a constant, as is his friendship with Jim. Their friendship is only ever platonic, and Jim loses his life in the war, but his feeling are as strong – maybe stronger – as those he has for Liza.

Historical roots

Ebenezer stays on the island throughout the German occupation. Author Edwards includes significant historical details to illustrate his points, despite not having been on the island himself during the war. He talks at length about the cruelty of the occupying forces, as well as the dwindling food supply in its closing months.

The book is rambling, and structured so that it appears to be what Ebenezer himself has written as he approaches old age. An inscription in the front declares it to be “The Property of Neville Falla”.

Falla is Ebenezer’s son-in-law. The fictional gifting of the book mirrors Edwards’ own real-life. He signed over ownership of the novel to cultural historian Edward Chaney two years before the his death. It was Chaney who eventually succeeded in getting it published.

 

...and on this day in 1982

Guernsey got its first radio station in 1982. BBC Radio Guernsey, which opened on 16th March, had just four staff. It broadcast for one hour a day from studios at Commerce House, and covered Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm.

Being an exclusively AM (medium wave) station meant it could only broadcast in mono, but that changed three years later when it switched to full stereo on FM. This was unusual, as the BBC’s earliest local radio stations had each launched exclusively on FM, and only later adopted AM. The policy was a way to promote FM, which then was still quite new, with the later adoption of AM reflecting the fact that as the more popular band it might increase the audience.

Opening broadcast

The station was opened by the Bailiff, John Loveridge, and the first voice heard on air was producer Peter Rouse. Appropriately enough, the first record played was Cliff Richard’s Wired for Sound.

BBC Radio Jersey had gone on air the day before Guernsey – Monday 15 March. Even this, though, was far from the first to go live. BBC Radio Leicester was the trail-blazer, launching on 8 November 1967.

BBC Radio Guernsey today

The station is now based on Bulwer Avenue, in a building it shares with ITV. It still broadcasts on both AM and FM (1116AM and 93.2FM), as well as on digital radio and the Internet. The amount of original local programming has increased from one hour a day to an average of ten and a half. At other times, it carries regional programmes broadcast in the mainland’s south west and, overnight, BBC Radio 5 Live. This is a common pattern across the BBC’s network of local stations, all of which come together to a greater or lesser degree outside of peak hours.

In 1992 it was joined by local commercial station Island FM. Quay FM, on Alderney, launched full time in 2015.