16th April 1859
First Jersey Royals are exported to London
Jersey new potatoes only found fame on the mainland after the first shipment went on sale in Covent Garden on 16 April 1859. They were an immediate hit, and three further shipments were sent before the end of the season, plus a fourth to Swansea. That was just the start of their success. Less than 10 years later, Jersey was exporting more than 4000 tons of potatoes to the mainland, and demand has been strong ever since.
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Other events that occured in April
Jersey Eastern Railway Company is registered
- The Jersey Eastern Railway Company was registered on 6 April 1873 and immediately began construction of the line between St Helier and St Catherine’s.
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Man tried on priest porn charges
- When pornographic pictures of a Jersey priest started circulating, a man with whom he'd had a long running feud was the natural suspect.
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States votes to buy land to build Jersey Airport
- Prior to the opening of Jersey Airport, all aircraft serving the island took off from and landed on the beach.
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Jersey tries to abolish church pews sale
- Your seat in church once said a great deal about your social standing, so many wanted to bequeath their pews to offspring when they died.
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