A Break with Tradition

According to a recent survey more of us are looking for a return to traditional holidays with many traditional activities coming top of the YouGov Guernsey holiday survey.

It seems that tradition is in vogue – picnics, donkey rides, quality time as a family, and healthy outdoor pursuits with lashings of ginger beer.

A staggering 81% of those surveyed said that ‘being able to potter and explore at your own pace’ in their holiday destination appealed to them whilst 75% require a ‘relaxed, traditional atmosphere’.

Traditional leisure pursuits such as cycling and walking were also identified as an important aspect of a holiday with 75 % of respondents saying they are ‘likely’ to include such activities in their holiday or short break.

So look no further holiday funsters, Guernsey has this by the bucket load!

Bucket and Spade Holiday Heyday

The British seaside holiday took off in 1871 with the introduction of bank holidays, but visitors in search of sun, sea and sand arrived on Guernsey’s fair shores as early as the 1820s when paddle steamers brought the English gentry for healthy sea air.

The tourism industry flourished throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries, with the advent of the railway opening the Channel Islands to the middle and lower classes.  The masses were quick to discover that Guernsey, as Desmond Hawkins wrote in 1951in a survey of British islands, has “the atmosphere of ‘foreignness’ without the inconveniences”.

Guernsey’s heyday was the 1950s and 60s when families were enjoying longer holidays by the sea, and before the advent of the package holiday distracted Brits with cheap trips ‘abroad’.

1965 Brochure Cover

Today visitors will be delighted to discover that not much has changed – or rather, only for the better.  So sand filled sarnies can be replaced by yummy local produce from the new generation of Guernsey beach cafes and beach kiosks around the island.  And whether you want to ramble on the coastal paths or laze on a sandy beach, there are plenty of traditional pursuits to keep the whole family happy (and no Ronald MacDonald in sight!).

The Sunshine Island

1955 Brochure Cover

It’s easy for us to see why Guernsey would be a first choice for a ‘break with tradition’ but in case you’re in any doubt:

1.     1950s holiday heyday: Guernsey has 27 beautiful beaches, summer temperatures averaging 26 degrees and is the sunniest place in the British Isles – no wonder a 1950s advertising campaign used the ‘Sunshine Island’ strap line.

2.     A slower pace of life: The maximum speed limit on Guernsey is 35 mph – no road rage here.

3.     Honesty box:  Guernsey is the kind of place where people can leave an honesty box on road side stalls selling ‘hedge veg’ or locally grown produce.

4.     Donkeys: The national mascot and nickname for islanders, proud of their fierce independent streak.

Traditional Pursuits

No amusement arcades, theme parks or retail parks? what’s a girl (and boy) to do??

1.     Set out to explore the 28.5 miles of spectacular cliff top paths, keeping an eye out for rare, semi-tropical species of plants growing wild.

2.     Find your inner boy scout: Explore the forts dotted around the island and learn some bushcraft and survival skills with a spot of bivouac camping courtesy of Island Adventures.

3.     Splashing about – whether kayaking, sailing or just enjoying a boat trip, Guernsey is ripe for a watery adventure.  You can also enjoy day trips to the outlying islands of Herm, Sark and Alderney.

4.     On your bike!  Bicycles can be rented throughout Guernsey, but the island of Sark is possibly the only part of the British Isles where the bicycle is truly ‘King of the Road’. Cars are forbidden and typical traffic noise consists of horse-drawn carts and hungry seagulls.  What better way to enjoy the balmy evening and beautiful views than with a gentle bicycle ride through quiet lanes with likeminded folk?  The Guernsey Bicycle Group organises a series of scenic rides every Tuesday evening throughout the summer, open to all and a great way to explore.

5.     Springwatch! Guernsey is a nature lover’s paradise with over 100 miles of coastline providing plenty of secret coves for marine study, wetland and nature reserves for bird watching and heaps of flora and fauna.

Then there’s rock pooling, bathing, picnicking, fishing…you get the picture!

Timeless Attractions

We’ve put together a list of the top Guernsey visitor attractions on a traditional theme:

1.     A stroll in the park…Saumarez Park is the largest public park on the island, with a well-equipped children’s adventure playground and bouncy castle, as well as a duck pond, rose garden and tea rooms.

2.     You don’t know as you are born! If you need to drum home how lucky the kids are then take them to visit the Victorian schoolrooms, playroom, wash house, dairy and plough room at the Guernsey Folk Museum, depicting life as it used to be on the island around 100 years ago.

3.     Ahoy me hearties.  The Shipwreck Museum at Fort Grey, known locally as the ‘Cup and Saucer’ because of its shape, tells the story of the island’s numerous shipwrecks.  Kids love the salvaged artefacts including cutlery, candlesticks and crockery from the SS Yorouba which foundered on the rocks in 1888. The nearby sands provide the opportunity to go rock-pooling, paddling or beachcombing.

4.     For rainy days…there’s the Guernsey Aquarium or why not go bowling (and drink lemonade) at The Island Bowl

5.     Take to the ramparts at Castle Cornet Guernsey’s ancient harbour fortress, which was isolated upon a rocky islet until the construction of a breakwater and bridge in the 19th century.  As well as learning the history of the fort you can visit other museums housed here including the Maritime Museum.

When did you last visit Guernsey? Did you take part in any traditional activities you’d like to add to our guide? Leave us a comment and we’ll add it to our guide!

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YouGov / VisitGuernsey consumer survey  -  key findings

The ‘traditional’ in day-to-day life

86% of those surveyed would welcome a return to ‘traditional values and ways of life’ such as good manners, politeness, fairness, independent local shops and pubs.

57% (and 67% of women!) said they have noticed a trend towards more traditional products and pastimes such as vintage clothing, home-grown vegetables and knitting.

93% agreed that eating fresh, locally-sourced produce is desirable.

On a scale of 1-10, 35% of respondents with kids aged under 18 rated eating family meals around the dining table as a ‘10’ in importance; 84% rated it as ‘7’ or above.  32% said that they ate together on 10 or fewer occasions per month.

44% said they didn’t spend enough quality time with loved ones.

The ‘traditional’ applied to holidays and short breaks

53% of those surveyed felt nostalgic about the family holidays they had as children.  This group was asked what they liked most about those holidays, the top three answers being: ‘spending time with family’ (43%); ‘coming together’ (42%); and ‘having fun’ (26%).

On a scale of 1-10, 48% rated spending quality time with loved ones on holiday as a ‘10’ in importance; 80% rated it as an ‘8’ or above.

64% rated being able to choose from a range of activities as a ‘7’ or above in importance.

34% rated being able to speak the language when on holiday as a ‘7’ or above in importance.

73% rated natural, unspoilt surroundings as a ‘7’ or above in importance.

64% rated good food & wine as a ‘7’ or above in importance.

66% rated having a unique, personal holiday experience rather than a mass package as a ‘7’ or above in importance.

88% felt children can enjoy a holiday without theme parks or amusement arcades.

75% said they were likely to include some light activity (cycling, walking, etc) when on a holiday or short break.

43% said they would prefer a breakfast freshly cooked to order, versus 23% who preferred a buffet breakfast.

66% said that travel time and distance were either ‘very significant’ or ‘somewhat significant’ in their choice of holiday destination.

81% said that ‘being able to potter and explore at your own pace’ in their holiday destination appealed to them.

75% said a ‘relaxed, traditional atmosphere’ appealed to them.

62% said an ‘authentic, genuine feel’ appealed to them.

67% said coastal locations and great beaches appealed to them.

Just 14% said a theme park appealed to them, while amusement arcades appealed to just 8% of respondents.

What about the family market?

More parents with children aged eight and under (62%) felt nostalgic about their childhood family holidays than any other group.

Spending lots of quality time with loved ones while on holiday was rated an ‘8’ or above in importance, on a scale of 1-10, by 80% of respondents  -  but this rose to 84 per cent among parents with younger children and 83 per cent among grandparents.  85 per cent of all women rated this an ‘8’ or above.

79 per cent of parents with kids aged 8 or younger said they are likely to include active pursuits such as countryside walks and cycling on their holiday  -  a higher percentage than any other group.

91 per cent of parents with kids aged 8 or younger said their children are perfectly capable of enjoying a great holiday without amusement arcades and theme parks!

And the over-50s?

The desire for ‘unique and personal’ holidays rather than ‘mass package’ experiences is strongest in the over-50s  -  74% compared with 66% overall rating this a ‘7’ or above in importance on a 1-10 scale.

The over-50s are the group who most welcome the thought of a return to traditional values and ways of life (92%), and not surprisingly the group who found a ‘relaxed traditional atmosphere’ most appealing while on holiday (78%).

Over-50s want quality: 96% agreed that eating fresh, locally sourced produce is desirable; they’re also more likely to want a freshly-cooked breakfast (49% compared with 43% overall).

The over-50s are also the group who most want to be able to ‘potter and explore at their own pace’ (86% versus 81% generally), but don’t think that means they’re taking it easy:  in fact, a higher proportion of over-50s (40%) said they are ‘very likely’ to include activities like walking or cycling in their holiday or short break than any other group!

For more information on Guernsey visit www.VisitGuernsey.com or head over to our post about the Timelessness of visiting Guernsey.

NOTES:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2,078 adults. This included 927 parents of children aged 8 or younger and 1107 adults aged 50+, each group being weighted on gender, region and social grade to ensure representivity. Fieldwork was undertaken between 22-27 February 2010.  The survey was carried out online.

After being posted online, the survey received the following feedback from Mum bloggers:

sleepisfortheweak (Josie George):

“Yes I would definitely say that mine and my husbands attitudes towards holidays match the findings. I think ‘family holidays’ are these days often thought about in terms of resort-type holidays, big and impersonal, where everything happens on location and usually revolves around children being fobbed off in activity groups while parents drink too much by the pool! We HATE that kind of holiday.

For us, spending time together is really important. Somewhere beautiful, with varied locations we can explore to a schedule that suits us. We don’t want school dinners food in a canteen but local, delicious food. We want to feel a part of the location in which we’re staying, with chance to get to know the are and the people, not feel like tourists hidden away. And yes, I feel like that reflects our family values as well. We don’t like big theme parks but would rather teach Kai about nature. Outdoor pursuits such as cycling, walking, fishing etc are definitely going to be things we look for in a holiday, especially once Kai is a bit older.

We want our son Kai to have memories of holidays that are all different, not a whole series of personality lacking resorts that all look the same and will blend together in his head!

So yes, that all definitely sounds like our cup of tea!”

EnglishMum (Becky):

“I’d certainly concur.  I’m a stay at home Mum (although I do some writing), and my husband works very hard.  We’re very keen on making sure we eat as a family every night and obviously I insist on providing a proper, home-cooked meal.  When we do get a rare break together, it’s about spending some decent time with our children, taking time to have fun (preferably on a beach), enjoy each others’ company and take in some sights, whilst enjoying eating out together.

I’m not quite in the ‘knit your own yoghurt’ category, but I think a return to more traditional values is so relevant at the moment, with less money flying around it makes sense to be ‘making do’, growing your own food and enjoying traditional holidays.”

Cafe Bebe (Karin Joyce)

“Very interesting survey.  I would agree with most of it.  For us, we don’t have the money to be taking off to places far and wide and the choice of a UK destination is very appealing.  We also want a place which is very family friendly and comfortable…a home away from home, if you will.  My daughter is 21 months and needs to keep a certain level of routine so “comfortable, family-friendly holidays” are very desirable.  I’m happy to do a blog post about family holidays…I’ll try to get something out as soon as possible and may even do my own survey!  Would that be of interest to you?  I would love to have some images of Guernsey to share…I need to learn more! .”

Guernsey in Bloom

From Chelsea to the Channel Islands, there’s a heady floral aroma gently sweeping the length and breadth of Britain. For hayfever sufferers it’s time to head in doors with the Kleenex but for the rest of us it’s an enticing, exciting concoction, a call to arms (a.k.a. spades, forks, watering cans…), a flurry of sweet pea and geranium a veritable vegetable garden of runner bean and radish.

Gardeners of Great Britain, Your Country Garden Needs You!

Of course, with 449 flowering plants recorded in January alone, the islands of Guernsey are in bloom year round. But we needed very little excuse to wax lyrical about the floral, horticultural, bloomin’ marvellous appeal of Guernsey! So, without further ado…

The Guernsey Tom

Some say it all began with the tomato…Guernsey’s horticultural origins go back over 200 years when the first greenhouses were erected. Locals dabbled in grape growing but it wasn’t until the advent of the humble tomato that things really took off. In the mid 19th Century Guernsey’s growers were quick to respond to news from medical practitioners that the decorative plant was not only edible but good for your health, and by the 1870s the tomato had overtaken the vine in the island’s glass houses.

The ”Guernsey Tom” dominated the island’s growing industry throughout the 20th Century, with special tomato trains laid on at Southampton and Weymouth during peak periods to cope with the influx. Guernsey became a “glass island”, with 7% of its total surface area under green house by 1950. By the 1970s hundreds of acres of glasshouses were dedicated to tomato growing, with nine million trays per annum exported.

Wicker baskets used to transport tomatoes were reused by growers

Sadly, increased competition from Dutch producers and changes in the British railway system eventually made the export of the tomato less profitable, and Guernsey growers were forced to diversify. But the seeds had been sown for those green fingered islanders!

How does your garden grow

Freesias, roses, carnations, clematis…the combination of Guernsey’s clement climate and horticultural heritage has resulted in a blooming bounty.

Guernsey floral facts:

• At just 25 square miles Guernsey is home to the largest producer of clematis in the world

• Guerney’s Bridget Ozanne Fields are home to an area of very rare wild orchids.

• The island also provides two thirds of all the freesias sold in UK

• In 1998 319,000 boxes of roses and 223,000 boxes of freesias were exported

• South African amaryllis “Nerine sarniensis” or Guernsey Lily was named after Guernsey – ‘Sarnia’ being the name the Romans gave to the island of Guernsey. The bulb is indigenous to South Africa and grows in the wild on Table Mountain and other south western mountains of the Cape Province of South Africa. Local legend states that the first bulbs were washed ashore on the west coast of Guernsey from a Dutch ship wrecked whilst en route from Japan

• Candie Gardens boasts two of the earliest examples of greenhouses in the British Isles, believed to be built around 1792

• Camellias and magnolias often grow to be huge in Guernsey, not least in the public gardens of Saumarez Park. These exotic species were originally planted by a Guernsey diplomat who had served as the British Ambassador to Japan

• The gardens of Victor Hugo’s exile home, Hauteville House, have been faithfully renovated and include a kitchen garden, fruit trees and Hugo’s United States of Europe Oak – a living link with this great visionary.

Victor Hugo at Hauteville House

Visitors to Guernsey can head to the Guernsey Flower Centre in the parish of Vale to the see the various growing stages of freesia, the planting of corms, the picking, bunching and boxing of this exotic plant.

Fletchers Freesias at the Guernsey Freesia Centre in the parish of St Sampsons – who despatch two million stems each year – also opens its doors to visitors.

The award-winning Guernsey Clematis has been a perennial favourite at the Chelsea Flower Show. Local legendary clematis expert, Raymond Evison, first found his love for the climbing vine at Chelsea when, at the age of 16, Percy Picton from the Old Court Nursery near Malvern, Worcestershire shared his tales of working with Clematis. Fifty years on and Raymond is celebrating 25 years since establishing the Guernsey Clematis Nursery, with more than 20 gold medals and awards under his belt. The Guernsey Clematis Nursery now produces more than five million clematis plants annually, growing nearly 200 species and cultivars and exporting to 20 countries.

Since being awarded his first Chelsea Gold medal in his early twenties Raymond has spent four decades searching, breeding, introducing and cultivating the best clematis varieties.

Raymond was awarded his eighth gold medal at this years’ Chelsea Flower show. You can find more information and a short interview with Evison following his win here.

Raymond has also helped the Girl Guides of Guernsey celebrate their 100th birthday by breeding a Clematis just for the Guides. The Guides have called the Clematis “the Guiding Promise”. The Clematis was recently unveiled on the island and will also form a part of the Girl Guides garden at this summers Hampton Court Flower Show.

On island, the Guernsey Clematis Nursery, a busy and thriving working nursery, has grown from a one acre glasshouse site in the spring of 1985, to cover some 8.5 acres (3.5 hectares) of glasshouses on the Domarie, Avondale, Montrose and Braye vineries.

For those who are thinking of visiting Guernsey and have a keen interest in all things floral, we felt it was only fair to a few historic facts about the Clematis with you all:

The Clematis, a potted history

• The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek klématis, a climbing plant, probably periwinkle.

• Mid 16th Century – Clematis species is introduced into England and other European countries, however it is only as we reach the mid 19th Century that the introduction of large flowered species from China and Japan gives breeders in Europe the chance to create the large flowered cultivars of today.

• Late 19th Century – a surge of ‘hybridisation’ from the viticellas and integrifolias of Europe and the patens, floridas and lanuginosas of the Far East. Many of the cultivars produced then are our mainstays of today.

• In recent years there has been a flood of new clematis cultivars reaching British gardeners. Today there are over 700 cultivars grown by the specialist clematis collectors.

Favourite varieties include:

‘Ascotiensis’, recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit -

Clematis ‘Diamantina’, one of the Chelsea Flower Show top ten new plants -

Guernsey Beside the Seaside

From Renoir to Kate “GMTV” Garraway, Guernsey’s sun-kissed shores have proved a big draw for generations of holidaymakers, famous and otherwise.

Renoir's "Beach Scene, Guernsey" (1883)

With 27 beaches to choose from and summer temperatures averaging 26 degrees, the appeal should come as no surprise.

Add to this the fact that Guernsey, with over 2000 hours of sunshine per year, is one of the sunniest places in Great Britain, is safe, welcoming and offers lashings of good, honest family fun, and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for seaside holidaying “like it used to be”.

There’s something marvellously magical about the thought of waking up to sea views, grabbing a towel and running down to the beach a la Famous Five. And on Guernsey, you’d be hard pushed to find a residence that doesn’t tick this box.

Le Seaside Chic C’est Magique!

If the thought of the British seaside leaves you cold, take comfort in this little Channel Island’s proximity to the Continent…
Guernsey has a romantically Gallic air, relaxed pace of life and distinctly subtropical feel. So ditch the kiss me quick hat, say ‘Adios’ to the amusement arcade, pack your bucket and spade and prepare yourself for some traditional seaside pursuits. In the words of Jenny Bond, Guernsey “feels like being abroad”.
Get into the summer spirit with the following celebration of Seaside, Sandcastles, Crab Sarnies and Seashells… (I can almost hear the seagulls):

Take a dip

It wouldn’t be summer if we Brits didn’t don our bathers at the first sight of water. On Guernsey you’re spoilt for choice for seaside plunges – opt for Pembroke on the north coast for gently sloping sand, Cobo to the west for surfing and snorkelling and Petit Bot on the south for rock pooling.

You needn’t opt for full immersion…simply arm your little urchins with a fishing net and bucket, and hours of entertainment will ensue as they scour the rocks for scuttling and slimy sea life from seaweed to crabs, barnacles to urchins (of the sea variety).

Eye Spy something beginning with S…

The Little Chapel

Scenery! Moulin Huet beach appears in 15 of Renoir’s landscapes that he painted on the island in the summer of 1883. Unsurprisingly it was a famous resort for artists in the 19th Century (guide books singled MH out as the island’s finest scenic attraction).

Sunsets! You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate the views and stunning sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean.
Then of course there’s Seagulls, Seashells…and “possibly” the Smallest Chapel in the World, which is in turn decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of glass.

Sandcastles R Serious Business

Take the annual Sandcastle competition on Braye Beach, Alderney, for example. Contestants are separated by age, from three and under up to 18 and over, and given from one to three hours to complete their masterpiece. Points are assigned by a panel of judges based on quality, imagination, and whether the sand sculpture incorporates the theme of the week. The Rocquaine Regatta in August also includes a sandcastle competition – alongside the ‘bathing beauty’ contest and ‘mini-macho’ showdown.

Le Pic Nic

Anyone who has visited Guernsey will know that food is also a serious business. Take advantage of the glorious weather and delicious local food for an unbeatable al fresco dining experience. Simply grab some French bread, cheese or crab and enjoy some sumptuous sarnies, washed down by Guernsey cider.
For a slap up cream tea head to one of Guernsey’s numerous beach kiosks, which offer a-whole-nother world of gastronomic goodies. Now-legendary Fermain Beach Cafe has evolved from a mere kiosk to an award winning seafood bistro. Booking is advisable!

Howzat!

The X Box won’t be required with such plentiful outdoor pursuits, from beach cricket to volleyball, extreme Frisbee (yes, really) to bouldering. Outdoor Guernsey even runs organised Adventure Days during the school holidays if you want to take your Onions to the next level (that’s Graham, of course).

If splashing about appeals more than team sports then body boarding or kayaking can also be arranged. The sea kayaking around Guernsey is some of the best in the world, and a great way to see the coast and wildlife from a different perspective.

Zzzzz

If all that sounds just too strenuous, there’s much to be said for a blanket, a good book and a beach for an afternoon of pure Guernsey heaven. Don’t forget to leave room for some ice cream.

Fans of author Mary Anne Shaffer’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society novel, can now follow in the footsteps of the likes of Dawsey and Eben Ramsey, with our map of the book’s locations.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Location Map

The award-winning novel is set in the German Occupied island of Guernsey between 1940-1945 and although the story is a work of  fiction, the places are indeed real.

The map features more than 30 locations described in the book along side the relevant quotes, with additional background information on the places mentioned.

Around 70 historic images from the Guernsey Occupation and Liberation, will be on display from May 3-29, 2010 at Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Square, Guernsey.

The exhibit of rolling images, taken from the Guernsey Museum’s archive, will be displayed on a large screen inside the church, and  is one of many  the Guernsey Liberation Day celebrations taking place on and around May 9th.

British motorcycle despatch rider feeding a sweet to a young Guernsey boy amidst jubilant crowds. The British soldier was part of Liberation Force 135 which came ashore on the island on 9th May 1945. Many of the Guernsey children had not seen sweets for some time and were glad to receive such items. Their parents were given cigarettes by the British troops.

A young Guernsey child sitting on food parcels brought to the island by the Red Cross ship the S.S. Vega. St. Peter Port, 27th November 1944

German observers on duty inside the Command Post bunker of Battery Strasburg. Jerbourg cliffs, South coast of Guernsey. Circa 1940-45

Admission is free.

From gravy dyed legs to glamour pusses, the fashion industry has never seen such a tremendous turn around as that of the 1940s, from wartime to post war Britain.  With the inhabitants of occupied Guernsey experiencing even greater extremes of rationing during the Second World War than the rest of Britain, the transition from frugality to the frivolities of a new fashion era was slow, and the ‘Make Do and Mend’ spirit prevailed even longer.

Here’s a celebration of those resourceful post war years, along with some tips on how to re-create the ‘New Look’.

How to Make do and Mend

Let your mantra be ‘scrimp, save, recycle, repair, re-use!’.

During the war, high fashion went out the window as thrifty, ration-regulated women found themselves cutting up curtains for dresses.  For our current consumer fuelled society the British government’s “Make Do and Mend” leaflets now hold a certain nostalgia for their inventiveness.

Handy household hints included:

1. Don’t waste a whole lemon if you only need a drop. Stick a skewer into the lemon and squeeze out the juice you need. Wrap the lemon in foil and keep it in the fridge.
2. Mend clothes before washing them as the tear or hole may become unmanageable.
3. Freeze leftover pieces of cake until you have enough to make a trifle.
4. Unwrap new soap and store it among towels and bedding. The soap will scent the linen and it will also harden making it last longer.

Fashion trends included using kohl pencil to draw a line down the back of your legs (much comfier than stockings!) and the ultimate ingenious modesty saver, using gravy browning to dye your pasty pins, mmmmmmmmm.

Industrial blackout cloth was transformed into dress fabric and anything woollen, including socks, was unravelled and mixed to make new cardigans and waistcoats.

Practicality reigned, not just in terms of clothing but hairstyles and make up.  The ‘Vingle’ hairstyle was introduced to stop women working in factories getting their hair caught in the machinery.

Some factories even installed hair salons. Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth did her bit, popularising the wearing of a headscarf, neatly tied under the chin.  Style icons such as Veronica Lake became the face of the new simple hairdo – “putting glamour in its place”.

Make up was scarce and more likely to be used to protect skin from the grit and chemicals in the munitions factories.

Top tips for recreating the Post War New Look

Flirty, skirty, feminine, romantic and stylish…think Marylin Monroe and Dior!

Post war society called for the hard working gals of the war years to return to being homemakers and mothers, heralding a new era of über-feminine fashion personified by Marilyn and Doris Day.

Christian Dior lost no time in re-establishing the French fashion industry with the introduction in 1946 of his New Look.   Out with the drab and in with long hemlines, narrow shoulders and closely fitted bodices, and full, crinolined skirts, harking back to the early Victorians.

This in turn fed into the narrow, long ‘pencil’ skirt giving a figure revealing silhouette.

Stylish clothing, once the preserve of the rich, became increasingly attainable for the growing middle class.

Women’s Daywear of the late 1940’s consisted of:

1.The fitted jacket-and-skirt suit

2. One- and two-fabric day dresses with ‘square curved’ necklines

3. The bust shaped by soft flowing gathers, swags or drapery on the skirt

Top fashion trends:

• Nylon stockings, back with a vengeance!
• Delicate, high heeled court shoes
• Hats, any shape or size as well as headscarves, snatched back from the factory era
• Rouched chiffon gloves
• Shocking primary colours to replace the drab nautical and khaki shades of the war
• Dylon clothing dye to brighten homes, wardrobes and spirits

Lucille Ball

Vintage hairstyle and make up:

• A peaches and cream complexion – Applied as either a liquid or as pressed powder, the foundation needed to reflect the soft femininity of the day
• Narrow eyebrows
• Sharp, high defined liquid eyeliner
• Rita Hayworth lips (in 1949 Hayworth’s lips were voted best in the world by the Artists League of America)
• Long curled locks gave way as the decade ended to the poodle hairstyle (think Lucille Ball)

Rita Hayworth - 1940s beauty icon

Victory rolls hair tutorial:

40s hair in under five minutes:

Vintage 1940s make up and beauty tips

Love it or hate it, British yeast extract spread brand Marmite, has launched a spoof election campaign featuring opposing ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ parties.

If the Hate Party has its way, the States of Guernsey is to become “Marmiteland”, a designated Marmite eating zone!

Speaking to The Guernsey Press, a Marmite spokesperson is quoted as saying: ‘Guernsey is a beautiful island and the holiday destination of choice of Love Party leader Fay Freely, making it an obvious target for The Hate Party in their quest to stop the spread of Marmite.’

We’ve put together our own poll to to find out what you think…

Marmite’s links with Guernsey don’t end there. Back in 2008, Guernsey born artist Jeremy Fattorini was commissioned to make a Marmite coated replica sculpture of Rodin’s ‘The Kiss’ for the brand’s ‘Love Marmite’ Valentines campaign.

Images copyright of Marmite. More images can be viewed on the brand’s campaign flickr page.

Guernsey artist Jeremy Fattorini at work

Special edition 'I Love You' Marmite

Now the flood gates have opened…

It seems that since the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (we promise not to reference this in every blog) every man, woman and dog has something to add to the ration book recipe debate.  Even upper-crust TV chef, Valentine Warner.

Valentine Warner hosts "Ration Book Britain" on UKTV

Well, I guess it’s no coincidence, what with it being the 70 year anniversary of the introduction of World War Two rationing being introduced to the British Isles.

Thanks to Mary Ann Schaffer there’s a reading group in     West Caldwell, New Jersey USA, which hosted a fine old    cook off with eggless cakes, vegetable meatloaf and mock    goose. (The bean soup was voted best, by the way, with the  special, secret, winning ingredient cited as spam!)

Food shortages ensured that post war Britain continued in  an atmosphere of austerity, typified by drab clothes and  endless queues.   It’s been suggested that post war rationing was even harsher, with two world wars having taken their toll on the Empire.

There’s even a school of thought that says we’d all do better thank-you-very-much if we looked to ration book recipes for nutritional guidance in these times of fat bankers and general obesity.  (Although I do think it tasteless to go as far as introducing The Ration Book Diet – did our grandmothers choose to get thin thanks to scarce supplies??).

Guernsey Ration Book

And here’s food for thought from pioneering television chef Marguerite Patten (adviser to the Ministry of Food during the war and original radio recipe broadcaster): “There is no point in bringing back rationing, but there is in bringing back healthy eating and bringing back ‘no waste’. That was one of the golden rules,” she says.

Marguerite Patten

Rations fluctuated throughout the war but the lowest allowances per person per week were:

Typical ration portions

Bacon and ham: 4oz

Sugar: 8oz

Tea: 2oz (surely not man, we’re British!)

Meat: One shilling-worth

Cheese: 1oz
Preserves: 8oz (per month)
Butter: 4oz

Guernsey residents introduced a barter system, with enterprising shopkeepers exchanging goods on behalf of owners as shelves emptied, taking a percentage of the value.  By 1942 the German Controlling Committee introduced licensing for barter shops and banned rationed goods from the exchanges.  There was also an exchange service offered via the newspaper.

Some of our favourite recipes include:

Mock Goose

Quantity 4 helpings, Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 and a half lb Potatoes

2 large cooking apples

4 oz cheese

half a teaspoon dried sage

salt and pepper

three quarters of a pint vegetable stock

1 tablespoon flour

Mock Apricot Filling (for tarts)

Grated carrot, plum jam and almond flavouring.

Mock Cream

Soften 1/2lb margarine in basin with 1 tablespoon boiling   milk. Add ½ cup castor sugar and beat to cream for 5  minutes. Dissolve ½ teaspoon gelatine in cup with 2  tablespoons boiling water. Gradually add to creamed  mixture until light and fluffy. Flavour with vanilla.

Valentine Warner’s ration book cooking: Woolton Pie

Serves 4

Ingredients:

450g King Edward potatoes

900g carrots

225g mushrooms

1 small leek

60g chicken fat

2 spring onions

Salt and pepper

Nutmeg

Chopped parsley

Bunch of herbs made of 1 small bay leaf, 1 small sprig of thyme, parsley and celery

Method:

Peel the potatoes and carrots, cut them into slices of the thickness of a penny. Wash them well and dry in a tea-cloth.

Fry them separately in a frying pan with a little chicken fat or margarine.

Do the same for the mushrooms, adding the finely chopped onions and leek.

Mix them together and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg and roughly chopped fresh parsley.

Fill a pie dish with this mixture, placing the bundle of herbs in the middle.

Moisten with a little giblet stock or water. Allow to cool then cover with a pastry crust made from half beef-suet or chicken fat and half margarine.

Bake in a moderate oven for an hour and a half.

Potato Peel Pie

1 potato

1 beet

1 Tablespoon milk

Method:

Peel the potato and put the peelings in a pie pan. Don’t cook the peels,because you’re in the middle of an Occupation and you don’t have any fuel. Boil the potato and the beet together in salty water, but not for very long, due to the fuel problem. Just until you can stick a fork in the potato. Take them out and mash them up with the milk. Pour the glop in the pie pan. Bake at 375 for as short a time as is consonant with digestion (fuel again), say, fifteen minutes.

The finished product will look quite attractive and pink. If you squint, you can almost imagine raspberries. Don’t be fooled. It looks a lot better than it is. However, if you forgot that you were in the middle of WWII and added a bunch of butter and milk and salt, it could be quite tasty.

Ration and recipe pictures courtesy of UK TV  and Ration Book Britain, Potato Peel cook-off courtesy of C and B blog, Guernsey Ration book from Guernsey.net