27th January 1831

Jerriais poet Jean Dorey is born

Jean Dorey was one of the most prolific writers working in the Jèrriais language, which he wrote alongside French and English. He was born in St Helier and worked as a journalist for the Jersey Independent, Jersey Chronicle, La Phare de la Loire and I’Imprimerie de L’International. However, he is better remembered for his poetry, much of which was humorous and some of which would have been immediately familiar to Jersey locals, as it dealt with island matters and poked fun at Guernsey.

He published under various names and initials, mixing his given name, John Dorey, with the pseudonym Jean des Ruettes and either JD or JDR. He died on 13 August 1872.