Boatman Sea Pilot Shop Keeper

DC/HX 127-01 Page 158 Island Archives, Hospital Records St Peter Port

Jean de Carteret from Sark was addmitted after falling in the Harbour at 3 am and sustained a broken thigh Emergency Case.





The Star ;Guernsey,Friday,May 15.1914
Sark’s Oldest Pilot.
Interview with Mr J P de Carteret,Apropos of the Forthcoming vist to Guernsey of a contingent of our neighbours from la belle France,and the erection here of a statue to perpetuate the memory of Victor Hugo, a few particlars of John Phillip,the oldest fisherman of Sark ,who was also boatman to Victor Hugo whenever that illustrious writer favoured the little island with a vist,Mr de Carteret lives with his wife at the top of the hill,at La Collenette,where they keep a general store.
He has in his possession,a’ Family Tree’ from which it was garthered in 1579 Edouard de Carteret was Baillif.
John Phillip was born at Le Fort ,although his parents home was at Le Fre’gonde.There were eleven cvhildren,eight girls,three boys. four of the girls are dead,the other four are married and settled in Jersey and Guernsey,The eldest brother ,Elie who was born in 1830,is a farmer,but has for some time been quite paralysed.
Early Days.
At the tender age of five ,young Jean was sent to school in Sark and took to his kindly studies.About the same time he began to go out with his father in the fishing boats,and from that time up to about five years ago,his life has been spent around the coast and caves of Sark.
When at fourteen years of age he left school,and at that time could speak very little English,that language being practically not taught in those days in sark.When a few years older he launched out on his own fishing and rowing visitors round the island,for twenty years he continued to help his father and doing his own work besides,after he owned ,two boats and had a cutter,”Charlotte”
To England in a Cutter.
Whilst in charge of the cutter “Charlotte”John took the little craft to Dover,Shoreham,and Southampton.On one occasion he brought over the keel for one of the largest vessels built in Guernsey,on the deck of the Charlotte,He also used to go to Dielette very frequently,for the Purpose of feching cattle-bullocks and sheep,which could be purchased in France very cheaply at that time and as there was then no embargo on the landing of cattle in the island there was a big trade in this line .
Sark farmers used to buy their cattle to fatten up and sell on to the Guernsey Farmers at a comparatively high figure.
All the pitching used inthe Building of the pier at the Creux was brought to the island from St Sampsons Harbour direct ,as pilot of the Charlotte.
Pilots Certificate.
About thiry years ago he obtained a pilots certiicate for that island .He received this at the age of 45 years,on the 11th July 1885,after being sworn in by the Guernsey Court that day.The certificate which John still cherishes and carefully keeps stowed away in a little box,is signed by Capt.Abraham Martin,Capt Jones’s predecessor as Harbour Master of St Peter Port.For years before that however ,when pilots did not need to pass any examination,he acted as a pilot for the coast of sark.
Made Admiralty Chart.
During his many years experience in fishing he learned the coast so thoroughly that when the Admiralty required a new chart of Sark,Mr de Carteret was selected,with four others to do this work,which occupied about three months.It was after this that two pilots were made for Sark,without passing any examinations,John was one of those chosen by the late Colonel Tupper for that purpose,a few years later the law was adopted that pilots must pass a very difficult oral and practical examination,but with his life long experience of the coast,this was a easy matter for John,who took the test at the same time as Capt Bichard,in the presence of the Pilotage Committee of Guernsey.For fifteen years ,he had been master of the cutter which traded between Sark and Guernsey,and has been fortunate in having no mishap during his career.
Nearly a Disater.
The nearest approach to disaster was when returning to Guernsey with a few passengers in a very heavy gale.The wind caught the sail and drove the frail little craft,of which John had charge over on her beam ends.By cautious manoeuvring the little vessel was righted,but not before considerable damage to the sail.The only other seaman aboard was knock down,the cutter then had to be beached in Herm Bay.for repairs,which occupied till the next day.All this was watched from the tower of the Siegneurie by Mr Collings the then Seigneur.Some years ago Mr de Carteret along with five men,went to L’Etac in a gale of wind ,to look for a boat which was seen to sink in the rough sea,but neither boat nor occupants were ever recovered.
Victor Hugo in Sark.
Whenever Messieur Hugo visted the island ,he would engage John to be his boatman,on one occasion he went around the island,and the first cave they reached was one of the most beautiful on the south -west coast.It is a glorious cave in form and coulor.It had serveral names.On this occasion Hugo pointed out this cave and asked its proper name.On being told it was known as Creux a Coups Marant,he said “Call it Victor Hugo Cave in future”Since then it has been known as such,Victor always stayed at the Dixcart Hotel,the present proprietor of which is Captain Oliver Bryant,who showed the writer the room which the great author used to occupy.It is a fairly large one ,and is in one of the oldest potions of the original house,which was at the time kept by a Mrs Vaudin.The ceiling is some what low ,and the stout beams can still be seen.
Built His Own House.
John married Mary Carre,a Sark Lady at the Sark church the officiating minster being Rev.Cachmaille.In 1886 he had brought of Mr Collings the land at la Collentte ,and built the house and shop which he now occupies.He has been in business for 45 years ,first at the Rue Lucas ,and whilst he went to sea his wife attened the business on shore,when John gave up, the sea he sold his craft to his nephew,who is now trading with the addition of the motor “Seagull”in conjunction with Mr W Carre.
The first steamer of which he can rember going to Sark was the “Queen of the Isles”which used to visit the island once a week.At one time Sark was visted twice a week by a Jersey vessel.
Public Offices.
John has not held many public offices although he has frequently been urged to do so,but refused claiming that his business as a boatman occupied all his time.Among the positions which he filled was that of Constable in 1890.He was in office when the new Creux Tunnel was opened,During his term as Constale one Captain Reed,was found drowned in Gran Greve Bay ,was buried at the expense of the authorities .Nothig was ever seen of his ship or the men who must have perished with her.
Church. as he was brough up in the Church of England in the time of Rev J.L.V.Cachemaille,He became a Sunday School teacher in the Westeyan Sunday School a positition he still holds.When he took over those duties he became a member of the Westleyan Church.For many years a sidesman at the Chapel.
Rowing.Among the numerous people whom he has rowed around Sark are Mr John Oxenham,who used to spend an hour every evening with the old Gentleman;the Hon Roden Noel,Charles Grindrod,F.Stating Pillian,and practically all the the writers and poets of repute who have visted Sark.He knows the the setting of the tides to extraordinary exacttitude Even to this day visitors,call at the shop to inquire what the best times and tides to vistit the diffrent caves and his advice is taken with every confidence.
Sark Militia.
For several years John was a drummer in the Militia Band,he recalled with with pleasure the fun they had at the weekly band practices,which took place in the the barn at the Seigneurie,placed at their disposal by the Seigneur,who was Hon Colonel of the Miltia .They used to go to the point du Nex for Musketry Practice in the days of the flint lock rifles,and the Schneider Rifles,he said some excellent shooting used to be done in those days because the men had plenty of practice.The Rifle mounds and some of the Targets can still be seen at Point du Nez.The Band had some Twenty Two all told .the first uniforms they wore were white trousers and scarlet tunics and after a few years
the trousers changed to blue with a red stripe,when he left the band he was for many years a Vingtenier,his duty being to go round and verbally warn all the men for parade.
At this time he carries his age well .J.A.H.

Funeral of Mr John Phillip de Carteret
The Funeral took place at 2pm from his home La Collenette,a very larg number of relatives and friends, he had no children.In the procession behined the coffin carried in the Sark fashion on foot from the house to the church,then to the grave, by Pall-bearers Messers,John Carre,Simon de Carteret,Thomas Carre,Phillip de Carteret,Eli de Carteret,Eugene Carre.nephews of the deceased.
A dozen or so of the elder boys and girls from the Chapel Sunday School,each Bearing a floral tribute from those sent .
As the coffin was carried in to the church the Nune Dimittia was chanted,as the mourners left a voluntary was played,by Miss M Durand presiding at the organ.
Amongest the resident and visitors who attened ,Mr.Mrs Baird..Mrs,Mis Durand.Mrs Seichan.Miss E Crook.Mr .Mrs Horman-Coles.Dr Ashby Taylor.Mr Stock Mr H.T Nicholson Mr Liffully.also the islanders and friends from Guernsey.
The Coffin was of pitchpine and bore a breastplate the incription “John Philip de Carteret.died September 27 1916 age 76 years”.Undertaker was Mr James Baker .La Rue Lucas

DC/HX 127-01 Page 158 Island Archives, Hospital Records St Peter Port

Jean de Carteret from Sark was addmitted after falling in the Harbour at 3 am and sustained a broken thigh Emergency Case.