22nd May 2015
The Queen gives Jersey ownership of its beaches
Alderney has owned its beaches and three miles of the seabed in all directions since 1950, but it took until 2015 for Queen Elizabeth II to hand over Jersey’s beaches and the 12 miles of seabed stretching away from them. The States of Jersey immediately started to consider how it could monetise them, with leasing the submerged land to tidal energy generators high on the list.
The queen kept hold of Ecréhous and the Minquiers and, at the time, also hung on to Guernsey’s beaches, although the States of Guernsey was in discussions over whether it should follow Jersey’s lead. At the time, Guernsey’s territorial waters extended only three miles, not the 12 that Jersey enjoyed, although it had been in discussion with France and the mainland overextending them.
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Other events that occured in May
Plane scrapes the runway at Jersey Airport
- A DC-8 flying into Jersey came in with its nose too high and its tail too low. The tail struck the runway and scraped along it.
- Read more…
Jersey hosts UK’s first post-war Grand Prix
- British driver Reg Parnell won the 1947 Jersey International Road Race, considered to be the UK's first post World War II Grand Prix race.
- Read more…
St Brelade’s Church is consecrated
- Although the church at St Brelade was consecrated in the 12th century, evidence suggests a building had resided on that spot for some time.
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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…
