21st August 1918

Jèrriais author Philippe Le Sueur Mourant dies

Born in St Saviour in 1848, Mourant wasn’t always destined to be a writer. After moving to Newfoundland, he worked as a farmer until he returned to Jersey in 1880 and began work on a series of stories, in letter form, which were published in the newspaper La Nouvelle Chronique de Jersey. The letters were supposedly written by a former Centenier called Bram Bilo.

Advertisements carried by La Nouvelle Chronique de Jersey advertise “Bram Bilo and his wife Nancy in Paris are selling a brochure at the office of the New Chronicle, priced three sous, or four sous by post. Their impressions of the journey, arrival at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs, visit to the Palais de l’Elysee and the Exposition and, in last place, the unfortunate adventure of Bram, alone, at the Follies Begeres. The brochure is illustrated with a portrait representing Bram and Nancy getting themselves ready before going out on the invitation of M Carnot. It is also for sale by M Jouis, Marchand de Journaux, King Street.”