La Société Guernesiaise

La Société Guernesiaise is a learned society and membership organisation based in Guernsey, Channel Islands. It functions as a cultural, scientific and conservation body, bringing together amateur and professional specialists across a wide range of disciplines. Its stated purpose, as described in French-language sources, is to safeguard Guernsey's Norman culture, its historic heritage and the Guernésiais language, as well as to preserve nature both along the coastline and in the interior of the island. The society is organised into subject-based Sections, each run by volunteer members, covering fields such as Archaeology, Astronomy, Bats, Botany, Entomology, Family History, Geology & Geography, History, Historic Buildings, Marine Biology, Natural History, Ornithology, Philology and Zoology. It also runs named conservation and research projects, including the Bailiwick DolFin Project, the Bailiwick Eelgrass Exploration Project, the Conservation Herd, Grow Guernsey Natives, the Guernsey Barn Owl Survey, the Guernsey Seasearch Project and the Ormer project. The society maintains a headquarters at Candie Road, St Peter Port, and manages nature reserves. It publishes Transactions and newsletters, operates a book shop, and organises events, lectures and educational activities. Membership is open to the public, and the society relies on donations, volunteering and grant funding. It has been associated with prominent local figures; the French Wikipedia entry notes that it was at one time presided over by Marie de Garis, author of the Dictiounnaire Angllais-Guernésiais. The society works with other Guernsey cultural and linguistic bodies, including L'Coumité la Culture d'Guernesiaise, L'Assembllaïe D'Guernesiais and Les Ravigotteurs, to promote the use and teaching of Guernésiais. Its Family History Section, established in April 1987, has a worldwide membership and provides research facilities in St Peter Port. The society remains active, with recent news items covering a photography competition, a science and nature grant, and a public appeal to name new goats in its Conservation Herd.

La Société Guernesiaise is a long-established learned society in Guernsey, though the exact date of its founding is not provided in the available sources. French-language reference material describes it as a société savante (learned association) whose aims include safeguarding Guernsey's Norman culture, its historic heritage and the Guernésiais language, as well as preserving nature on the coast and in the interior of the island. Over time the society has organised itself into disciplinary Sections, each managed by volunteer members. These Sections cover Archaeology, Astronomy, Bats, Botany, Entomology, Family History, Geology & Geography, History, Historic Buildings, Marine Biology, Natural History, Ornithology, Philology and Zoology. The Family History Section was established in April 1987 and has grown to a membership of about 200 worldwide; it has moved to premises at The Russels, Les Cotils, St Peter Port, with wheelchair access, and its research room is staffed by volunteers and open to members on the first and third Saturday of each month. The society has also been led by notable local scholars; the French Wikipedia entry records that Marie de Garis, author of the Dictiounnaire Angllais-Guernésiais (first edition 1967), served as its president. The society has worked closely with other cultural and linguistic bodies such as L'Coumité la Culture d'Guernesiaise, L'Assembllaïe D'Guernesiais and Les Ravigotteurs, and has supported evening classes and school courses in Guernésiais. In the 2000s, concerns about the survival of the language were raised by local politicians, and the society's awareness-raising efforts were noted as beginning to bear fruit. In the present day, the society maintains a headquarters at Candie Road, St Peter Port, manages nature reserves, runs conservation projects such as the Bailiwick DolFin Project, the Bailiwick Eelgrass Exploration Project, the Conservation Herd, Grow Guernsey Natives, the Guernsey Barn Owl Survey, the Guernsey Seasearch Project and the Ormer project, and publishes Transactions and newsletters. It continues to hold events, operate a book shop, and engage volunteers and donors in its work.

• Marie de Garis publishes the first edition of the Dictiounnaire Angllais-Guernésiais; she later serves as president of La Société Guernesiaise.

• The Family History Section is established.

• Guernsey deputies Jonathan Le Tocq and Hirzel Dorey express fears that the Guernésiais language may disappear and propose extra-curricular teaching in schools.

A membership-based learned society and conservation charity serving Guernsey's cultural and natural heritage.

• Transactions

  The society's journal publication.

• Newsletters

  Regular newsletters for members.

• Book Shop

  A book shop operated by the society.

• Membership

  Annual membership subscriptions open to the public.

1. 1La Société Guernesiaise | Nature, History & Science in Guernseysociete.org.gg
2. 2History - La Societe Guernesiaisesociete.org.gg
3. 3Family History - La Societe Guernesiaisesociete.org.gg
4. 4Natural History - La Societe Guernesiaisesociete.org.gg
5. 5La Société Guernesiaise - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6La Société Guernesiaise - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org