St. Peter Port (click on photograph to bring up bigger/better
version).
St. Peter Port is a pump-hunter's paradise, with 23
pumps logged so far. Most, but not all, pumps in the town feature simple lead
tanks mounted in substantial wooden casings, and carrying dates ranging
1824-2008, some of the later dates being dates of restoration. They nearly
always carry the names of their benefactors or of the local
Connétables/Constables, and it's good to see that most seem to have
undergone a significant degree of sprucing up which relects St. Peter Port's
admirable interest in its heritage. In addition to these typical St. Peter Port
pumps, there are also two large and ornate cast iron pumps in the town, and one
very odd rudimentary pump in a quiet residential area which carries the date
1986.
Some of the historical information below has been
obtained from a 1972 study by Eric W. Sharp, "The Public Pumps of Old
Guernsey", Transactions of La
Société Guernesiaise.
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Tucked away at the end of Bruce Lane, near Corbin Steps, St.
Peter Port, this pump has lost both its handle and its spout. Its tank is
embossed with: |
|
O.PRIAULX T.W.M. DE GUERIN 1908 |
The
name O. Priaulx appears on the pump at La Couperderie, and R. Priaulx appears
on a pump in Torteval with an earlier date.
Related? |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Unusual
pump on the corner of Cambridge Park, St. Peter Port, with a massive stone
finial in the form of an acorn. It retains its handle and has a large lion's
head for a spout. It carries the inscription: |
|
ST PIERRE-PORT. C.VACOUR }
J.H.GUILBERT } CONS 1873 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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In a
driveway off Cambridge Park Rd, St. Peter Port. It carries the
inscription: |
|
W.
BROCK 1832 |
Markings: Two sphinxes and an eagle.
Manufacturer:
Unk |
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Church
Sq, St. Peter Port. The chained-down handle and dog bowl are in place, but the
spout has been lost. There are two inscriptions, one on the tank and a later
dated one below it: |
|
|
ST PIERRE PORT. JOHN. R.HARVEY. JOHN.CARRÉ. CONNÉTABLES. 1890. |
The name
John Carré also appears on the pump at La Couperderie. |
W.W.WATKIN A.H.BRICE CONSTABLES 1933 |
Originally the pump was installed to supply the water needed by
fish vendors in the street and was positioned close to the west door of the
nearby church, but it was moved to its current location across the road
following complaints of noise by the congregation. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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This
humble plank-mounted pump in Clos St. Jean is entirely different from anything
else I've found in St. Peter Port, and the dedication might imply that it was
privately-provided, rather than being a municipal one. The obviously
hand-produced plaque features an embedded Guernsey coat of arms and an
inscription which reads: |
|
DONATED BY Mr. & M's. C CARR 1986 |
There
must be a story behind this! |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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On
College St, at the bottom of Candie Rd, St. Peter Port. The handle is missing,
only part of the tap remains, and a stone dog bowl which was recorded in 1972
is now lost. Its tank is embossed with: |
|
JULIUS CAREY J.B.MARQUAND CONSTABLES 1884 |
It has
been written that this pump replaced an earlier one which had been installed in
1770. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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The pump
in Contree Mansell, St. Peter Port, has lost its handle and also its tap or
spout (which would have exited from the left hand side of the lead tank).
However, it retains its inscription, which reads: |
|
ST.PETER-PORT. W.W.WATKIN. A.H.BRICE. CONSTABLES. 1938 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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The pump
in La Couperderie, St. Peter Port, has lost its handle but boasts two
inscriptions. The upper one reads: |
|
|
ST PIERRE PORT. JOHN . CARRÉ. J.A.DE
GARIS. CONNETABLES
[sic] 1891. |
The name
John Carré appears on the pump at Church Sq, and J.A.De Garis on a pump
at Mount Row. |
And the
lower plaque reads: |
O.PRIAULX W.D.MURDOCH CONNECTABLES [sic] 1915 |
The name
O. Priaulx appears on the pump in Bruce Lane and W.D.Murdoch on the pump at Le
Pollet/La Plaiderie. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Pump? What pump? A very sorry sight at Doyle Rd., St. Peter Port -
why has this one been left to rot, when all the others in the town have had
facelifts? In 1972 it was reported to have had a brass lion's head for a spout,
and a plaque with the words "A.H.Brice, C.E.Agnew, Constables, 1940". All
missing now. |
Markings: None.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Unusually, the pump at Hauteville, St. Peter Port, faces away from
the road. Maybe because of this it has retained its bucket hook, along with a
chained-down handle and a complete tap. Its tank reads: |
|
|
ST PIERRE PORT. J.N.BROUARD. H.J.HARVEY. CONNÉTABLES. 1893. |
J.N.Brouard's name appears on other pumps in the town. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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A small lift and force pump situated under the Victor Hugo House
in Hauteville, St. Peter Port, which looks as if it might be in a working
condition, judging by the water leakage around it. From the look of the
bent-over end of the lead delivery pipe it looks as if it might once also have
provided water to the floors above. |
Markings: None visible from a distance.
Manufacturer:
Unk |
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On
Lefbvre St, St. Peter Port, near the junction with Manoir St. It has lost its
spout, and the dog dish which was recorded in 1972 has also disappeared. The
tank carries an inscription almost identical to one on Market St (see
below): |
|
ST PIERRE PORT. J.N.BROUARD. EDWARD VALPIED. CONNÉTABLES. 1894. |
An
earlier condition of making the water source available to the public was that
"none to be allowed to wash or rinse linen at the pump, dress fish or wash
horses". |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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At
the bottom of the steps connecting Le Marchant St and Smith St, St. Peter Port,
this pump comes complete with a chained-down handle, tap and dog bowl. The tank
carries the words: |
|
I
HARVEY P I AGNEW CONNÉTABLES 1828 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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The pump
outside the Golden Lion in Market St, St. Peter Port, has lost its handle and
part of its spout. The lead tank is embossed with practically identical wording
to the one Lefebvre St: |
|
ST PIERRE PORT. J.N.BROUARD. EDWARD
VALPIED. CONNÉTABLÉS [sic]. 1894. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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The pump at Mount Durand, St. Peter Port,
was reported in 1972 as "recently demolished" and that "panels were strewn
around". However, in 2008 serious efforts were obviously made to renovate it,
with the result that it and its surroundings now look very smart indeed, with
even its bucket hook restored. There are two inscribed panels, the lower one
reading: |
|
|
A.H .
BRICE C.E . AGNEW CONSTABLES 1940 |
Brice and
Agnew's names appear on a pump at Mount Row, also dated 1940. |
And the
upper one: |
ST
PETER PORT MRS.J.M.TASKER B.J.CASH CONSTABLES 2008 |
Markings: None other
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Further
down the hill, on Mount Durand, St. Peter Port, an old lead pump tank has been
recycled into a decorative feature on the end of a wall. It's embossed
with: |
|
An
eagle above its nest Two fleurs-de-lys 1824 |
This
design is similar to ones in St. Martin and
Torteval. |
Markings: None other
Manufacturer: Unk |
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This
pump, complete with handle, tap and bucket hook, was in relatively good
condition on Mount Row, St. Peter Port in 2019 - see left. It had two plaques,
carrying the inscriptions below. But by 2023 it had needed further renovation,
and the positions of the plaques were switched around. Thanks to Stuart Pearce
for the photos on the right. |
|
ST PIERRE PORT. J.A.DEGARIS. J.N.BROUARD. CONNÉTABLES. 1893. |
|
A.H.BRICE. C.E.AGNEW. CONSTABLES 1940 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
|
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Pump in
Park St., St. Peter Port, with a chained-down handle and missing spout. The
tank is embossed with: |
|
ST PIERRE PORT. EDWARD VALPIED. ROBERT H. PAYNE. CONNÉTABLES. 1896. |
The
photograph, near left, is of the pump before it was renovated, and shows just
what a good job the authorities have done in recent years. Photo supplied by
Dave Hunt - thanks, Dave. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Set back
in an alcove on Le Pollet, under La Plaiderie. The pump still has a
chained-down handle, but its spout - which must originally have extended from
the left hand side of the tank and not the front - is lost. The tank carries
the words: |
|
W.D.MURDOCH W.MAUGER CONSTABLES 1918 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Well-hidden behind bushes at the junction of Rohais and Foulon
Rd., St. Peter Port. The inscription reads: |
|
O.PRIAULX W.D.MURDOCH CONSTABLES 1908 |
Priaulx
and Murdoch's names appear on the pump at La Couperderie. |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
|
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An
impressive cast iron pump at the junction of La Rue du Pre and Park St., St.
Peter Port, surmounted by a gas-lamp bracket. Its handle is
missing. |
|
|
Markings: On the base "George Smith & Co, Sun Foundry,
Glasgow".
Manufacturer: George Smith of Glasgow. |
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Opposite the Swan on St. Julian's Av, St. Peter Port, the
pump has a chained-down handle, but has lost part of its spout. The inscription
reads: |
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H.O.LE
PATOUREL. LOUIS. C. BÉGHIN. CONSTABLES. 1951 |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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Another
large cast iron edifice, at Trinity Sq, St. Peter Port, which also served as a
gas-lamp bracket. Its handle is still in place, and it has a tap on one side,
complete with bucket hook, with a lion's head spout opposite it. A panel above
the spout reads: |
|
|
ST PETER.
PORT. 1876. J.A.CAREY. F.H.SHORTT. CONSTABLES |
The pump
carries notice saying "WARNING THIS WATER SHOULD BE BOILED BEFORE
DRINKING". |
Markings: None other.
Manufacturer: Unk |
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At a private house in Fountain St., St. Peter Port. Thanks to
Graeme Cox for the photos. |
|
Markings: "J. NOEL 1874" on the lead
tank.
Manufacturer: There was a J. Noel recorded working locally during
this period as an ironmonger and tinworker. |
|
At Castle Cornet, St.
Peter Port.
Markings:
None.
Manufacturer: Unk. |
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