30th January 1935
Jersey Airways demands Guernsey monopoly
When the States of Guernsey started discussing plans for a new airport at La Villaize, which would take over from the island’s boggy landing strip at L’Eree, Jersey Airways spotted an opportunity.
Guernsey airport, which was strongly opposed across the island, was expected to cost around £100,000 to build (around £7m today). Jersey Airways, which had not long been in existence itself, offered to underwrite the full cost of the building works in return for an agreement that it would have exclusive rights to fly to and from the new facility for its first five years of operation.
It should perhaps be thankful that the States of Guernsey didn’t accept its offer as the airport wasn’t finished until a few months before the start of the Occupation. As a result, scheduled services were unable to use it until 1945. By that point Jersey Airways’ exclusive rights to operate from the base would have expired.
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Other events that occured in January
The genesis of the Société Jersiaise
- The Société Jersiaise is dedicated to preserving Jersey's culture. It had once argued that French should remain its official language.
- Read more…
Town militia arsenal is destroyed by fire
- A fire at St Helier's Militia arsenal destroyed the building eight years after a similar incident had almost destroyed Fort Regent.
- Read more…
83rd Regiment of Foot is founded
- Although established in Glasgow, the 83rd Regiment of Foot moved to the Channel Islands and fought in the Battle of Jersey.
- Read more…
Jersey registers its lowest ever temperature
- Jersey's daytime temperature dropped to well below freezing when it recorded its lowest ever temperature in January 1895.
- Read more…
