In 1825 the Le Mesurier family, who had been governors of Alderney for several generations, surrendered their patent to the Crown and left the Island for richer pastures. They left because Alderney was not prospering. Smuggling had all but been stamped out in 1808, the close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 dispensed with the need for a British Garrison and privateering ended. The Islanders had become poverty stricken quickly once these sources of revenue had been removed and many were forced from the sea (and other trades) back to the land. However, the growth of the population to around 1,000 during the good times meant that the open field system at La Blaye was no longer enough to feed everyone.

It was soon realised that more agricultural land would be needed to help the Island's fifty two families fend for themselves.

The Guernsey Orders in Council of the period record that on ” the 11th day of June in the year 1823 the inhabitants assembled in the temple at the tolling of the bells at 9 o'clock in the morning in consequence of a Publication made from the Pulpit the preceding Sunday in the customed manner to take into consideration the report of the committee composed of nine persons chosen the 27th of May 1823, from the respectable inhabitants, for the purpose of forming a plan which would be most advantageous for dividing the common lands.”

The land “should be divided equally among the inhabitants great or small without distinction of sex or age”. The vote decided the division should consist of 104 portions, 52 of good land and 52 of inferior. The long standing families were divided up into 50 groups, each nominated one person to draw lots for the good land and inferior land. The left over four lots were to be left for a period of time to allow for late claimants who may have been off the Island when the process began.

The plans finally came before William IV at the Court of St James on August 4 1830 and were refined as follows. The division was agreed and the four remaining lots were to be held for eight months to allow for the 1831 census to be taken and “to give time for those who may have been omitted to come forward.” Left overs were to be at the disposal of the Crown.

Someone was to be named as surveyor and “a book should be kept to be deposited in the Greffe Office to be referred to in future”. Parts to be put aside before the division took place included 100 feet from the highwater mark in the North West from the Clonque to the Manneze for the use of the Militia or any future British Garrison and another area nearby for drying vraic. An area for quarrying was also to be reserved on the south side of the Island.

It was ordered that a copy of the order ” be affixed to the church door for four successive Sundays from completion.” The Royal Court of Guernsey was warned to “allow the names of those born during this period to be added and those who have died to be expunged” with the costs of applications to be born by the Islanders.

A book was indeed made, complete with a full listing of all the families who earned the right to the land and detailed maps of each area. Copies survive in both Alderney (at the The Alderney Society Museum, High Street, Alderney GY9 3TG) and in Guernsey.

The Guernsey copy can be found in one of the large drawers in the Strong Room of the Greffe.

It is entitled “Plans des Communes de l'Ile d'Auregny”. and bears the following inscription on the title page “Copie Authentique du Plan Original qui servira de régle définitive de la repartition des Terres Communes de l'Ile d'Auregny produit le 17 Sept 1831, et sur lequel plan j'ai inscrit les noms des Chefs de chaque division à mesure qu'ils ont eux-mêmes tiré leurs numeros, le tout en conformité à l'ordre de Sa Majestie en Conseil, en date de 4.8.1830.”

Each of the large pages contains a list of named and numbered lots, nineteen people in all are included per lot. The head of household is at the top of the list, wives and families below. Widowed heads of household are indicated. A corresponding map appears opposite with each lot indicated. Areas used for other purposes, for instance the cemetery and the 'Enclos du Ministre' and land reserved for the Government (including the pre-Breakwater Braye Harbour) are indicated.

This is sample from the first page. The two names I had trouble with are marked (?).

Feuille No. 1 Bon Terrain etc. - Lot 1 Joignant au Clos Gan. 
Samuel Duplain fils Richard 
Elizabeth Pezet sa femme 
Richard Duplain son fils 
Elizabeth Duplain sa fille 
Jean Duplain son fils 
Richard Duplain fils Richard 
Elizabeth Audoire sa femme 
Thomas Duplain fils Richard Senr. 
Elizabeth André sa femme 
Jean fils de Richard Duplain 
Elizabeth Duplain sa femme 
Nicolas le Cocq fils de Samuel 
Marie le Cocq sa femme 
Thomas le Cocq son fils 
Marie Le Cocq fille de Pierre (dit taps)? 
Nicolas Gaudion fils de Thomas 
Marie Abert sa femme 
Thomas Gaudion fils de Thomas 
Jacques Gaudion fils de Jean Black's (?).

The title page and each map was signed by Jean La Serre 'Commissaire' on June 5 1834, so the whole process took eleven years to complete.

Alderney by Victor Coysh (2nd Edition pub. 1989 Guernsey Press)

Guernsey Orders in Council Vol. III 1813-1845 (Island Archives Service, 29 Victoria Road, St Peter Port, Guernsey)

Plans des Communes de l'Ile d'Auregny 1831 (The Greffe, The Royal Court House, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2PB).