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
Bullet dug out of barman after shooting
- A picnic turned to disaster when a barman was shot twice in the face at Jersey's St Brelade's, resulting in a court case.
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Man pleads guilty to party shooting
- A Jersey man pleaded guilty to shooting two people at a party he was hosting in April 1965.
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Occupation prisoner Paul Desire Gourdan is born
- Paul Gourdan was one of the many islanders who was transported to mainland Europe to serve a prison sentence during the Occupation.
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Jersey Airport welcomes first private plane
- The first private plane to land at Jersey Airport completed its 275-mile crossing from the mainland in 1946.
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