8th May 1947
Jersey hosts UK’s first post-war Grand Prix
British driver Reg Parnell won the 1947 Jersey International Road Race, considered to be the first Grand Prix race held in the United Kingdom following the Second World War. Like the second-placed driver, Frenchman Louis Chiron, he was driving a Maserati. There had been much speculation in the weeks leading up to the event that it would prove to be the fastest road race in Europe, with cars reaching 150mph on the straights – in particular the A2 running along St Aubin’s Bay.
The race, which covered 160 miles and had a £1000 prize fund, saw only 13 of the original 25 entrants cross the finish line. Prince Birabongse Bhanudej, better known as Prince Bira of Siam, had also entered, again in a Maserati, but dropped out at the halfway point.
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Other events that occured in May
Jersey’s last ever death sentence is passed
- The last man sentenced to death on Jersey had his sentence commuted to life in prison, as had become customary, in 1984.
- Read more…
Channel Television fights for the right to continue broadcasting
- The biggest ever shake-up in the British commercial television industry saw several ITV franchise holders lose their licenses in 1992.
- Read more…
Daniel Brevint, Dean of Lincoln, is born in Jersey
- Daniel Brevint was son and grandson of Channel Islands clergymen (his father in Jersey and his grandfather in Sark) and became Dean of Lincoln.
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The Co-operative movement is born in Jersey
- The Co-operative Society was established after a 23 May meeting at the Oddfellows Hall and opened its office at New Street one month later.
- Read more…
