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He's (not) 'Just Ken'... He's Kenneth Le Sueur

He's (not) 'Just Ken'... He's Kenneth Le Sueur

Wednesday 23 August 2023

He's (not) 'Just Ken'... He's Kenneth Le Sueur

Wednesday 23 August 2023


An engineer. A diplomat. A botanist. A geologist. A photographer. Kathleen's everything.

In sharp contrast to the ‘Ken’ who has hit the big screens this summer in blockbuster film ‘Barbie’, Kenneth Le Sueur was far more than 'just Ken'.

Jersey Heritage took the opportunity to spotlight Jersey's remarkable Ken, an avid amateur photographer whose vast collection contains thousands of images that provide snapshots of life in the Island and beyond between 1916 and 1981.

From scenes of rural Jersey and glimpses of it in its tourism heyday, to candid shots of family and friends, including his beloved 'Barbie', his wife Kathleen, Ken's collection is a treasure trove covering a wide range of areas of interest.

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Pictured: One of Ken's photos showing a plane landing at the airport in 1957, as a cyclist travels past. (Jersey Heritage)

Ken and Kathleen, who previously featured in Express's 'Looking Back' series, have an incredible story.

The couple moved to Bahia in northeast Brazil shortly after their wedding at St. Brelade's Church in April 1931.

That year, when the pair went to catch a glimpse of the world's largest flying boat, the Dornier Do X, they were shocked to discover that its captain was the same man who had shot down their friend during the First World War. 

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Pictured: Ken Le Sueur, a keen photographer, took at least two pictures of the aircraft. (Jersey Heritage)

During their lifetimes, the pair lived in Barbados, Mexico City and London, cities in which Ken held various diplomatic roles, before returning to Jersey in retirement in 1969.

They were actually engaged in September 1927, but, shortly after, Ken took up a post with the Western Telegraph Company in Buenos Aires for three months, before relocating to São Vicente, one of the Cape Verde islands.

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Pictured: Ken's friend, Donald de Carteret, weighing a cat in a paper bag in 1954. (Jersey Heritage)

It would be three years after their engagement before they saw each other again, communicating primarily by letter throughout.

The letters paint an amazing picture of life during that time, and also tell the story of an enduring love.

EXPLORE...

Many of these letters, in addition to Ken's extensive photographic collection are held at Jersey Archive.

You can explore their collections for free online by clicking HERE.

Pictured top: Ken with his Barbie, Kathleen Le Sueur. (Jersey Heritage)

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