There are a small number of records from the late 16th century that specifically document Channel Island involvement in the Newfoundland fishery. Sometimes Norman vessels are assumed to be from the Channel Islands. This may or may not be true. As in southern England, there are a wide range of small ports in Normandy that participated in the fishery. Prior to about 1670, Jersey did not have a suitable port for its ships during the winter. The ship owners would store their vessels in the safer mainland harbour of St Malo. Similarly the Guernsey ships would use the Brehat Islands. St Malo was a major port of departure for the French fishing fleet. Ships from smaller ports, including Brehat could be fully equipped and possibly financed from this port. In the triangle trade St Malo was a better market for Spanish goods as well. Some ships ca 1650 seemed to be bringing iron from Bilbao to St Malo. There are indications that the Channel Islands served as a labour pool for the St Malo fleet beyond the scale of Jersey ships.
Until 1689 the Channel Islands maintained their neutrality which was recognized by both French and English. This meant, generally, they could select their trade opportunities advantageously.
In the frequent times of war it usually meant increased traffic funnelling through the islands around trade restrictions. This could be done with a nod from the crown or through the back door via smuggling.
I think it is likely that the Jersey merchants would depart with the Malouins when participating in the fishery. There would be added security, logistical, financing, and possibly marketing advantages. It seems there were commercial partnerships as well. Operating in such a manner, the Jersey ships might be difficult to differentiate on departure or while operating in the fishery. Since St Malo was in Brittany and the Channel Islands and some smaller ports were Norman, a mixed fleet of Norman and Breton vessels might actually be the combined St Malo fleet. Commercial connections were strong. The fishing industry was well-developed by 1628. The Malouin fleet alone had a hundred and twelve vessels working, which represented three thousand five hundred to four thousand fishermen.7
The St Malo fleet would split once it got to Newfoundland. One group headed south to the area around Plaisance, another to the Grand Banks and a third headed north to the French Shore. The Jerseymen seemed to have favoured Trinity Bay which would have placed them on the boundary area of the French Shore, buffering the English and French activities.
Looking at the Bristol port books in 1595 and 1600 there are a few St Malo voyages recorded. There seems to be a heavy representation of the Channel islands in both ships and captains bringing the cargo. The St Malo merchants seem to have preferred Channel island captains for voyages to Bristol and maybe England. They are said to have distrusted (maybe wisely) the English “infidels”. As St Malo boomed in the mid-17th century, it seems that the Channel Islanders were established as trusted middlemen.8
One of the first official notices of Jersey in connection with the Newfoundland fisheries was in 1589 when the West Coast merchants were prohibited from sending their cargoes of fish to France and were directed to send them to Jersey or Guernsey.9 The Channel Islands would play this intermediary role in many conflicts for a century. The practice would be modified into a smuggling conduit when the islands lost their neutrality in 1689. The trade would be two way with the French goods in demand being made available on the islands as well.
Le Messurier noted per Henry Harrisse’s history:
” in May, 1591, the fishermen of Guernsey, through one Colin, applied to the municipality of St. Malo for permission to fish in Newfoundland, but were refused.”10
The French consider this request by an English dependency to be further recognition of France’s rights in Newfoundland established by the visit of Jacques Cartier in 1534.
In 1601 Captain Nicholas Rowse of Jersey is recorded bringing horses from Cork to Bristol in the Mary of Jersey. Later that year John Rouse is recorded bringing wine to Bristol in the same ship. The Channel Island captains would be familiar with this part of the English coast. Coal was imported to Jersey from nearby Wales in the late 1500’s. Some Welsh port books survive and indicate regular traffic from 1557 to 1603.11 The surviving records seem to indicate about 10 shipments a year. Captains conducting this trade would likely have been well-suited to join the St Malo fleet. The owners would probably be adequately capitalized as well. Some names that appear will present themselves in the fishery later on. A sampling:
10 May 1580 Bonaventure of G’sey John Vavor (Beauvoir)
6 Aug 1580 Minion of Jersey John Balhashe (Bailhache)
20 Dec 1580 Dragon of Swansey John Nicholl (Nicolle?)
1 Jan 1587 Good Hope of Jersey Rychard Cartred (De Carteret)
12 Aug 1587 Lyon of Jersey John Merkett (Marrett)
8 Mar 1588 Gabriell of Guernsey Jasper Olyver (Olivier)
1 Jun 1588 Stare of Jersey George Butler (Le Boutilier)
11 Sep 1588 Mynion of Jersey Philip Javeryng (Janvrin)
24 Jun 1588 Bona Spira of Jersey John Gyllam (Guillaume)
18 Apr 1589 Bonaventure of Jarzey John Fylynk (Filleul)
19 Feb 1595 Jonat (Jonas) of Jersey Peter Le Brock
17 May 1595 Elizabeth of Jersey Nicholaus Ballyhashe (Bailhache)
20 Feb 1600 Prymrose of Jersey Peter Jamveringe (Janvrin)
31 Mar 1600 Marye of Jersey Andrew Ffeliander (Filiander)
17 Jun 1600 Michell of Jersey Thomas Tamveringe (d’Auvergne)
23 Apr 1601 Flowerdeluce of Jersey Peterus Servere (Sebirel)
30 Jun 1603 Amitie of Jersey Petrus Zeale (Seale)
A few of these ships (3-4/year)and captains appear with others in the Bristol port books as well:
23/01/1595 Jonas of Jersey Peter Brocke from St Mallos
23/01/1595 Seaflower of Jersey George Buttler from St Mallos
11/08/1595 Minion of Jersey John Rouse from St Malos
13/08/1595 Margarett of Jersey Nicholas Maistor (Le Maistre) from St Malos
06/11/1600 Elizabeth of Jersey John Balhatch from Cadiz
30/12/1600 Recompence of St Malo Brian le Dean from Cadiz
29/12/1600 The John of St Malo, Phillipp LeSeuer from San Lúcar
02/01/1601 Grene Crosse of St-Malo John Bezen (Bisson??) from Cadiz
11/02/1601 Marie of Jersey John Roose from Cadiz
14/08/1601 Marie of Jersey Nicholas Rowse from Corke
The trade with Southampton from the Channel Islands would have been much stronger than with Bristol. Channel Island names appear in the surviving port books of the 1400’s. The 1428 entry of John DuMaresq captaining the ship Mary of Guernsey for owner William Nicolle seems like it could have been from any century. Fourteen families including the de Havilands were granted beneficial trading rights to Hampshire and Dorset and commercial ties seem broader than that alone would indicate.
In January 1594 the Governor of Guernsey Thomas Leighton writes to a Mr Carey, concerning Newfoundland:
“I receiv’d your Letter by Mr Pawlet &c. These are to let you understande, that at the Request of Denise Rousse, I have granted him Lycence to take certaine Mariners out of the Island of Guernsey, to go on voyage with him to Newfounde Land for fishe. And also, at the earnest intreatice of my good friend Mr John Hopton of Southampton, have given leave for Ten Men and two Boys more to go the same Voyage, with Isaiah Berney, Merchant. Therefore, I pray you lett them pass, if they be willinge.”11
John Bailhache Sr. of Jersey was part owner of The Hope of Southampton. He sent it to Newfoundland in 1631.13 In 1636 Andrew Nichols of Jersey, master and part owner of The Peter was in some trouble for importing whalebone contrary to the Greenland Company monopoly. The cargo was from Abraham Herault in Jersey to John Herault of Southampton.14
Rosemary E. Ommer noted that after a ship voyaged to Newfoundland “ In 1587, the Royal Court dealt with a dispute over cargo of Newfoundland cod, and in 1591 John Guillaume was fined 300 crowns because he sold his Newfoundland fish in St Malo.”15 The activity of the Jerseymen in Newfoundland would likely have been increasing as it had been a focus of Sir Walter Raleigh during his governorship (1601-1603) of Jersey. Sir Walter Raleigh obtained a “grant of application” in Newfoundland, and induced seamen from Jersey to start a fishery on his grant near St John’s. Saunders, the Jersey historian, believed that this grant was at Ferryland (Forillon to the French). As Governor Raleigh not only encouraged trade with Newfoundland, but also with Virginia, New England States and Caribbean Islands. Jersey seamen braved the ocean to bring back cod fish and oil, skins, furs, sugar, tobacco, etc. Jerripedia lists the following three families as “master traders” at this time: d’Auvergne (St Ouen), Lempriere (St Helier), Le Breton (Lily Langtry branch).
From A People of the Sea: “By the mid-seventeenth century, Jersey alone was sending at least ten vessels each year to Newfoundland. According to Dumaresq ‘the Islanders addicted themselves to fishing’. At one time he claimed as many as twenty vessels from Jersey were engaged in the fishery. The number of Guernsey vessels sent to the fishery seems to have been less.”16
Oral history has the Martins of Jersey/Guernsey trading from Newfoundland about 1550 or earlier. The following record indicates that the Le Marchants, connected by marriage, were trading very early: H. W. Le Messurier recorded this:
“Thomas Le Merchant, agent in Spain of James De Beauvoir, .– later traded on his own account with Newfoundland, for on June 6, 1608, the Royal Court of Guernsey granted him permission to transport out of the Island, as provision for his ship–aux parties de Terre Neuve–ten thousand biscuits, provided that, should during the following summer, the harvest prove poor and the necessity of the island require it, he should supply 80 quarters of wheat, local measure, of good quality, to be sold to the Islanders at the current prive of 12 sous sterling per quarter.’17
In the 1601 Bristol port books James De Beauvoir of Guernsey was also shown as the merchant receiving lead shipped on the Mary of Jersey. He also sent goods to Bristol on the Seaflower and Minion in 1595.
An interesting incident in 1622 relates to the ship Mary of St Malo. The ship was taken while returning from Canada by a Huguenot privateer from La Rochelle and brought into Plymouth.18 The ship was falsely entered in the customs by Gabriel Valea of Rochelle who claimed he had purchased it. Officers of the Admiralty apparently mistreated the French captain and crew and embezzled the proceeds on the sale of the cargo and ship. The complaint had been submitted by Thomas Martin and other merchants of St Malo. I think it is possible that this merchant is from the Guernsey family and joint ownership of vessels with the St Malo merchants would indicate very strong commercial ties. The St Malo merchants may have picked a Channel islander to represent their cause. Much earlier, in 1613, a judgment from Guernsey against Noel Lihou was decided in favour of a Thomas Martin and partners by Monsieur Thomas Andros.19
Jersey/St Malo Ships Taken in Trinity Harbour – 1649
Most of the material in the next two sections is available due to the volunteers at Marinelives.com and Colin Greenstreet. I have paraphrased portions of their transcriptions of the Admiralty Court records. 27
It seems, in Trinity Harbour, a group of Jersey/St Malo fishermen were seized and 2 ships(?) and the equipment, dried cod and oil taken as prizes in July 1649. Two parliamentarian privateers, The James – Captain Johnson and The Careful Luke – Captain Godson, took an opportunity to attack 5 fishing vessels. The Pelican, The Guift, The George, The Esperance and The Amity had made the trip from St Malo in the spring and had been fishing and preparing their catch. Claims were brought before the Admiralty Court as St Malo was outside the Civil war which had been raging in England. The ships had coquets (documents) from St Malo customs which should have dissuaded the attackers.
William Peters of Jersey aged 24 years, late master of The Pelican was deposed:
“and saith that at the time of the said seizure there was salt and victualls aboard the said shipp, together with halfe a dozen muskets, some powder match and bullet, and noe merchandizes or moneys or other goods saving about a dozen and half of Jersey stockings, and that there were lying ashore to be dried about 24 or 25 thousand fish, and there were alsoe ashore six hogsheads of oile, which fish and oile were fished and taken for accompt of Malthurin Le Montays/Montais, John Couteur, and Edward Vautier merchants of Jersey and owners of the said vessel. Ammunition and provisions, and the said fish and oile after the said seizure were againe put aboard the said shipp and brought away by the said Captaine Johnson and Captaine Godson.”
In 1658 Philippe the son of Mathurin le Montays is baptised. Mathurin married Elizabeth LeCouteur daughter of Jacques and Esther of St Owen in 1650.
He described the intended itinerary:
“the said vessell went last out on the said voyage from Saint Malo’s in March last, but this deponent and some of his company were hired at Jersey, and saith the said ship was to have retourned from Newfound land to Bilbao and there to have discharged her ffish and oile and to have taken aboard such lading as the said merchants should give order for and retourne therewith to Saint Malo’s or Jersey as the said merchants should order”.
Thomas Vincent of Jersey, aged 28, on the Pelican, also provided a deposition. Philip Brideau of Jersey sailor on The Guift aged 22 yeares deposed concerning that ship. He said the owner was a Jersey merchant named (William?) Seaward? (of St Brelade). A Pierre Brideaux married a Francoise Vincent in St Ouen parish possibly indicating family connection between the two deponnets.
William Vibert of Jersey aged 33, master of the Esperanza was also deposed. He had been similarly pillaged. He was working for the account of Jacques Lempriere and Gilles Du Pin, both of St Malo. David LeBreton, son of Thomas Le Breton and Esther Bandinel would marry Marie Du Pin daughter of Gilles. Thomas Lempriere, son of Jacques would marry Elizabeth Le Breton, David’s sister. Thomas Lempriere would setup in St Brelade where his in-laws operated at Jersey’s main harbour, St Aubin. Thomas Lempriere’s son also named Jacques would become the headline Captain of that generation.
Vibert’s fish were destined for Cadiz and Bilbao. Thomas Le Riche of Jersey, a 24 year old sailor on the same ship the also gave a deposition.
Nicholas Bichard aged 30 of Saint Lawrence, Jersey master of The George testified as well:
“after the seizure there were put aboard her 130,000 driefish and 21 hogsheads of oile which fish and oile had bin taken by the said shipps company before the said seizure and the said fish was laid a drying ashore when the seizure was soe made, and saith the said fish and oile were taken for accompt of and belonged unto ffrancis le Galle a ffrench man living in Saint Mallo in ffrance and his partners living in Jersey, who were the Proprietors thereof.”
The ship “was set out from Saint Malos in her last voyage, whence shee came last the 24th day of March last past which hee knoweth because hee went out then master of her, and saith hee was hired at Saint Malo’s, and that the said shipp was to goe from Newfound land and discharge her lading of fish and oile at Bilbo in Spaine and there to take in her lading of iron for Saint Malo aforesaid”
Symeon Le Sibirel also testified and may have been an owner according to one account. He outlined the history of Jacques Lampiere. In his deposition he indicated that Lampiere was accustomed to sending a group of ships in which he had an interest to fish co-operatively in Newfoundland. In Jersey this probably meant that the owners and captains probably had some family connections. The small number of surnames makes it difficult to separate the various lines. Jacques Lempriere’s grandmother was a Sarre, possibly Rachel. Symeon Le Sibirel’s mother was Judith Sarre. Symeon married Susanne LeBailly. A LeBailly would sign a petition of Newfoundland merchants in 1717.
Nicholas Bichard was a master of The George. William Seward Jr, son of the owner of The Guift, would marry Jeanne Bichard in 1687. The owner of The Pelican, Edouarde Vautier was married to Laurence Bichard. The Bichards had history as mariners. Jean Bichard was master and owner of a barque in St Aubin in 1583. Nicolas Bichard was captain of the Lyon in 1595 and Thomas Bichard was a master ca 1635.
27. http://www.marinelives.org/wiki/HCA_13/64
The Lemprieres in the early to mid 17th century
The Lampieres were possibly the 2nd most influential family in Jersey after the De Carterets. It looks like they were a dynasty that spanned centuries in the Newfoundland fishery as well. A branch would also settle in Portugal to handle that end of the trade. The family had interests in multiple vessels in the 1600’s and would be even more active in the 1700’s as noted in Keith Matthews name files .28
Jerripedia (online) lists the branch from St John’s/St Helier as one of the 3 leading mercantile families ca 1600. This would likely be the time of Thomas Lampiere of St Helier.
The Le Seberil family also seems to have been active at that time with a Captain Peter Le Sebirel being recorded at Bristol in 1601. In 1650, Symon Le Seberil, a 46 year old Jersey expat exile in France provided substantial information on the Lempriere family before the Admiralty Court. Symon had been living in St Malo and nearby Plower (Plouër-sur-Rance). Plouër, upriver from St Malo, had a Huguenot community and church. Le Seberil had known Jacques Lampiere for about 20 years and saw him now and then at the Huguenot church in Plouër.
The deposition states that Jacques Lempriere had left Jersey during the troubles of the English Civil War. His family supported the Parliamentarians and was on the wrong side of the rival De Carteret family who had taken control for the Royalists:
From the “Island of Jersey for the parliament of England the said James Lamprier to this deponents knowledge did sett out and imploy a man of warre on the behalfe of the said Parliament and their adherents against all that apposed them att his owne propper and particular costs and Charges. All which hee saith hee did out of the heights of his affection to them and theire cause, and by the consent and approbation of the said Colonell Lydcott. And soe much this deponent saith is publiquely and notoriously knowne in and through all the said Island.”
“And saith hee is a man that for such his extraordinary affection to the Parliament of England and their proceedings had his estate confiscated and lost at Jersey at the beginning of the late warres in England. and was himselfe proclaimed traytor there, and after that had his wife and family banished from thence.”
“the said James Lamprier for theise 7 yeares last past or thereabouts hath every yeare constantly used to sett out one or more shipps or his part therein from Saint Mallos to Newfound land”.
Jacques Lampriere (son of Thomas) has been the owner of one third share of the ship Amity “whereof Thomas Lamprier was late Master”, since about 1642. His share in the ship had been bought from Thomas LeBreton and John LeMaistre of Jersey. His ownership further included “ her Tackle apparell and furniture and alsoe that a third part of her ladeing of fish oyles and other goods and provisions abord her and ashore att Newfound Land”. James Le Febure, aged 22 sailor of Jersey, testified that Thomas LeBreton had maintained a share in the ship and saw it depart. Possibly LeMaistre maintained an interest as well. Jean LeMaistre and his wife Magdoleine Guille were godparents to Thomas LeBreton’s son Jacques in 1642.
The Shepherds of Harbour Grace seem to have a later connection to the LeFebures. An interesting Bouton baptism lists Elizabeth Le Breton, wife of Thomas Lempriere grandfather of the child, as a godparent in St Helier in 1686. This Thomas may be Jacques’ son by a first wife. Marital ties between two families supporting business partnerships were normal. A Shepherd daughter would marry into the Bouton Family.
“that the said Lampriers copartners (LeBreton and LeMaistre?) in the said ship the Amity doe live the Island of Jersey, but also sometimes stay in St Malloe to take order about the setting foreth of the said ship each man providing for his owne pt therein”
Le Seberil personally observed the preparation of the ship and “in or about the moneth of Aprill last past (1649?) the said James Lamprier did furnishe and sett out his said one third part of the said ship the Amity on a trading voyage from the Port of Saint Mallo to Newfoundland to catch fish and to carry the same for Bilbao and there to dispose thereof and soe to returne againe for Saint Malo with the proceed of such goods for his owne propeer Accompt”
“saith hee hath heard that the said ship since her last departure from Saint Malo came and arrived at Newfound Land and there her Master and Companie made a great store of fish and oyles which were seized upon together with the said ship by Captaine Godson.”
“hee was present when the said Mr Lamprier bought and gave earnest money for his said parte in the said ship the Esperance to the said Jaques Oliver about Xmas last was a twelve moneths & likewise afterwards paid some part of the money agreed”
“hee was present and sawe the said James Lamprier pay moneyes to one Mr da Parae? and agree for provisions which were used about the setting of his said parte of the said ship to sett upon this last goeing for Newfoundland. And saith that the said Vibert upon the said Lampreer sold 1 quarter parte of his said halfe in the said shippe the Esperance of Jersey …….ymediately before the goeing out to Newfoundland upon this present voyage in which she was seized”
“that the other halfe Owner of the said ship the Esperance, Mr da Ring? by name liveth in St Maloe in ffrance and hath soe done ever since he first knowe him which hee saith bin by the tyme of 3 or 4 yeares or thereabouts”
“by the space of theise two yeares last past or thereabouts the said James Lamprier was and att this present ought to bee the true and lawfull owner and proprietor of one quarter and one halfe quarter parte of the shipp the Esperance and of her Tackle apparell and Furniture as allsoe of such part of her ladeing of fishe and oyles and other provisions as were on bord her when shee was seized and taken by Captaine Johnson in Newfoundland.”
“this deponent being present when hee bought one halfe part of the said ship but hath since that sould one quartertr of his halfe to the said Vibert? being present when hee bought the same which said half part hee soe did buy of one Jaques Olivier of Gurnsey about 2 yeares since this deponent being at the bargaine makeing and seeing of the Earnest penny by them the said Lamprier.”
“And saith that in or about the moneth of Aprill last past the said James Lamprier did furnish
and sett out his said part in the said ship from Saint Mallos to Newfound land for a fishing voyage as is arlate and soe from thence she was to have proceeded and carryed her ladeing to Bilbao and was at length from thence to returne again to Saint Mallos for his propper use and Accompt. that being a voyage usually undertaken and performed from Saint Malloes”
Newfoundland Family Histories 