Florence Louisa Mayne born 1876 (nee Channing) was my maternal great grandmother. She was born on Jersey to John Channing and his wife Harriet. She married Robert Mayne, born 1873, who was English and born in St Mary's, Leeds. His occupation is listed on the census as RA, which we suspect means Royal Artilleryman, and he lived in the RA barracks on the island of Jersey. It was Florence and her youngest daughter Emily who were left on the island during the occupation. These are the Mum and Emily who signed the back of the telegrams.
Florence Louisa Mayne
They had several children, but I only know of 4.
Frederick Bernerd Manyne, my grandfather, married to Betty, with 2 children, Betty the oldest and my mother Bernice Pansy.
Robert James, married to Ada(usually called Dolly) with perhaps 5 children, Bernice, Ronny, Myra, Richard and Robert. I am not sure about the names and number of children. I met Richard as a teenager, with his first wife Jean so I am sure of that. My Aunt Betty remembers Ronny as one of Richard's siblings. The rest of the names are taken from a letter written later on from Dolly in the internment camp to my grandmother.
William, about whom I know absolutely nothing.
Emily Jane, we believe was the youngest. She married someone named Symons but we think the marriage failed and we know nothing else of that.
According to family legend, Robert Senior started to mistreat Florence, who being Jersey born appealed to the courts for protection. Robert being English was thrown off the island, leaving Florence and her children. To make a living, she took in boarders, mostly sailors, must have been a rough way to survive. There is a theory that Robert went to live in Fortesque Place, Plymouth, were he had a second family, with another daughter called Emily. Coincidence here, my own father was born in Fortesque Place, Plymouth in 1918.
Anyway, here are the telegrams for 1941. The first is in June 1941, the previous sent by Betty in Southampton reaching Jersey in March 41, so its not a very long time without news.
Side 1
Oddly, this telegram is from Mrs Elloyne, which at a guess is a misreading by the Post Office clerk of Mayne.
Side 2
Side 1
I don't know who Elsie is, but my mother used to talk about an Aunty Elsie.
Side 2
Side 1
Side 2
Florence writes here of sending 2 previous replies, and at the end of Oct 41 wishes them a happy Xmas. It finally arrives back in England on 11 Feb 1942.
Side 1
Side 2
Side 1
Side 2
Florence replies on 10.1.42 and has not heard from the mysterious Elsie. Do not know who Rosie is?
Diary Notes
from The German Occupation Of Jersey by L P Sinel, Editor of The Jersey Evening Post.
June 6 1941 Another German order demands that motor vehicles 1935 to 1940 models be produced from compulsory purchase, if you failed to turn in your car it could mean imprisonment.
July 10 1941 Rouge Bouillon* residents given 24 hours to hand in their radio sets. *(That translates as Red Stock, can that really be the name of an area of Jersey?)
Aug 11 1941 The Germans issue 4 ounces of macaroni as an extra ration and a small piece of soap.
Sept 26 1941 A pensioner is sentenced to 12 months in prison, for defending his elderly wife from a German officer, who had tried to snatch at a RAF wings pin that she was wearing.
Dec 26 1941 The landlord of The Oxford Inn on Union Street (St Helier?) was attacked by Germans who tried to force their way in and drink after hours. The landlady felled one of them with a broom handle and the authorities were called for. This news was kept out of the Press by the Censor.
Deportation News
During the Autumn of 1941, the British Government decided to intern Germans living in Iran, who it was believed were working against The Allies. This resulted in Hitler's reprisal against Britain, which was to threaten to send 10 Channel Islanders for every 1 German interned to the Pripet Marshes, which was a combat area.
The British went ahead with interning the Germans in Iran, and Hitler ordered the removal of the Channel Islanders in Autumn 1941. The Wehrmacht (German Military) and the German Foreign Ministry were confused about who was to process the order and so deportation was over looked until September 1942.
That's it for today. I think I have posted every item up to the end of 1941 now. The deportations and letters start in Autumn 1942, so not long to go.
