4th May 2016
The Occupation Tapestry is completed
The Occupation Tapestry celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jersey’s liberation at the end of the Second World War. Featuring 12 panels and more than 7.5m stitches, it depicts events that occurred both locally under the German administration, and in the wider world.
The first panel depicts Neville Chamberlain declaring peace in our time as he holds aloft the piece of paper he’d brought back to Britain after his meeting with Hitler, surrounded by images of Jersey’s evacuation and the approach of German forces.
The tapestry, which took 950 locals from each of Jersey’s 12 parishes 30,000 hours to stitch, is housed in the Maritime Museum at St Helier harbour. The last stitch was made by the Lieutenant Governor’s wife, Lady Gene McColl.
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Other events that occured in May
Jersey historian Philip Falle dies
- Philip Falle produced a definitive history of Jersey, found favour as an advisor to the king, and was ordained a priest.
- Read more…
Traffic returns to the “right” side of the road
- Throughout the occupation, the Channel Islands moved to German time and traffic switched from the left-hand side of the road to the right.
- Read more…
Multi-engined aircraft start flying into Jersey
- Jersey Airport had been open just two months when it welcomed its first multi-engine aircraft, which flew in from Shoreham Airport (Brighton).
- Read more…
The Queen Mother names a new lifeboat
- Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, visited Jersey to officially name the island’s new lifeboat Thomas James King.
- Read more…
