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Sitting in the library in Portsmouth Dockyard, Vice-Admiral Jerry Kyd was reading a set of eighteenth century letters, which spoke of how welcoming the people of Jersey were to the Royal Navy.
He already knew the island from childhood holidays - but finding that reference during his research for a forthcoming speech led to his arrival in Jersey just a few months later, as our new Lieutenant-Governor.
Vice-Admiral Kyd is married to Karen, a doctor, and the couple have four sons, three of whom are at university, and one has just started work in London.
The family also have a three-year-old working cocker spaniel called Kyla, who will be joining His Excellency and Dr Kyd at Government House. The boys are likely to make regular visits to the island, too.
Unsurprisingly for a naval officer, Jersey’s first King’s representative in over seven decades is passionate about the sea and is a qualified Yachtmaster. However, conscious that his body is not quite as flexible as when he was a sprightly subaltern, Vice-Admiral Kyd has swapped sail for a motorboat, which is now berthed in the Harbour.
For the 55-year-old former Fleet Commander of the Senior Service, the next five years in Jersey will be very much a team effort.
"I am blessed to be married to Karen, who, as a doctor, has worked in public service for all her working life so we were born from the same value set,” he said. “She is looking forward to being here and we are a partnership: it was a joint decision to take this job.
“With her medical experience, she is particularly looking forward to being involved with health-related charities in the island."
And on the rest of the family, he said: “We have no doubt that the boys are going to love coming here to visit; there are so many opportunities for young people to enjoy themselves in Jersey, whether that is surfing in St. Ouen’s Bay or enjoying the pubs and clubs; I am sure they will take full advantage of that.
Pictured: Vice-Admiral Kyd, when Captain of HMS Queen Elizabeth, visits his old ship HMS Monmouth before returning to his carrier.
“And we have a lovely dog, Kyla. She was the runt of the litter, so I felt sorry for her and we nursed her to stay alive. She is a great leveller, and the daughter I never had.
“While it is privilege to live in Government House, it is a big place, and we want to make it a home. Filling it with animals and young adults will be such a joy.
“In life, you got to make sure you enjoy it with people you love and care for, as best you can.”
It is abundantly clear from speaking with Jersey’s new Lieutenant-Governor that despite being in command of millions of pounds-worth of technology, including the Royal Navy’s largest and most expensive warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, he is a people-person at heart.
Wanting to get the most out of his sailors and marines is why he took an active interest in promoting sailing, winter sports and boxing over his military career.
“I’ve been blessed because in all my working life, I've been surrounded by amazingly motivated young people, and so I’ve been very focused at youth opportunities and making the best of people. The armed forces is a par excellence institution, where we take people from all backgrounds, origins and parts of the Commonwealth and mould them to a common purpose.
“We try to be the vehicle to inspire them to be the best they can be, and I think the British armed forces do that brilliantly, particularly when we take people outside their comfort zone.
“That is why I have an interest in boxing and ice sports: luge, skeleton and bobsleigh. When you try to develop young people and put them outside of their comfort zone in sports like that, it is amazing how they come out of themselves.
“One thing that really is a passion of mine and makes me tick is seeing people who are less fortunate, or just need a lift, develop. Once the doors are open and you unleash the power of people’s inner capabilities and character - so often hidden under a bushel because of a lack of confidence - then off they go, and it is a joy to watch.
“I’d like to think I've helped hundreds of sailors and marines over the years and that’s what gives me real satisfaction. While I've got as many failings as the next person, I like to think that I can bring something to the party here in Jersey in a similar vein.”
For Vice-Admiral Kyd, another route to happiness and fulfilment is public service, which involves stepping beyond one’s personal needs to work for society as a whole.
“I believe that if a society is to remain healthy and evolve for the betterment of every individual, then you must protect the framework that supports it all. Community service and spirit is about helping people who need a helping hand, because my word, there's lots of people out there who do.
“You know, during my upbringing and when I joined the Royal Navy, I never wanted for anything. It is why Jersey and the role of the Lieutenant-Governor was so attractive to me because I have a responsibility to engage the community across its full breadth and spectrum, not least in the charitable and third sector. That will be a real privilege to do.”
Stressing that he wanted to work with all sections of the community, Vice-Admiral Kyd said he had a particular interest in bringing on young people.
He said: “People use the cliché that taking part is more important than winning but I believe in taking part and winning; the art of leadership is about winning, ultimately.
“Where you can bring people on to grow their confidence to be part of the team that wins, that is brilliant, and everyone can bring something to the table.
"That is not in any way diluting the importance of looking after older members of the community, but my personal focus is developing youth because that is what I have been doing for the past 37 years.
“You can get young people to do the most remarkable things if they are properly led, and I’ve seen it. They will risk their lives for each other, but they just need that confidence. Confidence, confidence, confidence is what we are trying to generate.”
The new Lieutenant-Governor, the first Royal Navy Officer in more than three decades, is clearly committed to serve islanders, as well as the new Monarch, over the next five years, in partnership with his wife. So what prompted him to apply for this ancient and atypical role in the first place?
“It was very simply, really,” he replies. “I realised that I was coming to the end of my very long service for Her Majesty the Queen in the Royal Navy. Finishing off as Fleet Commander, I wanted to continue to do something meaningful and I certainly wasn’t ready to retire.
“All my life … and I mean this … my value set has, firstly, been underpinned by respect for the Crown, and its institutions. Number two has been public public service, which I have committed my life to, and number three has been people.
“Those three values have driven my leadership and the way I commanded my ships, and the fleet, while I was in service.
“So, leaving the navy, I wanted to find something similar, and therefore industry was not it.”
But why Jersey, in particular?
“To cut a long story short, I was reading a series of letters from Royal Navy officers written in the late eighteenth century as research for a speech I was giving. One of the letters was from a naval officer who had anchored off St. Ouen’s Bay.
“In his letter, he is telling his wife about how welcoming the Jersey people were to his needs - I presume giving him board and lodgings while he was at anchor.
“I was reading this late at night in the library in the dockyard in Portsmouth, and I knew I was leaving the Navy is about six months’ time, and I just thought to myself: ‘I wonder if the governorship there is coming up soon?’
“After a quick Google search, I realised my timing was perfect. I said to Karen, 'I’m going to go for this'. I always knew it was going to be very competitive because the governorships of Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies are always very popular.
“I gave it my best shot and I'm glad I did because I was absolutely delighted to be selected. I was approved by Her Majesty the Queen just before she sadly passed away, so I feel very honoured.
“Luckily, I have an emotional attachment to the Channel Islands too, particularly Jersey, because in the 1970s, in the heyday of the tourism industry, I was one of those families who used to come her with my mother, father and sister.
“I remember them genuinely as the happiest days of my childhood. I also know the waters of the Channel Islands intimately because I was a navigation instructor in the navy, so I would sail down this way regularly.
“Then, I would usually view Jersey from offshore – marvelling at its bays, reefs and, of course, its very challenging tidal streams. It has a uniqueness and beauty which I’ve never seen elsewhere.
“Those memories, as well as the ones with my bucket and spade, were big factors in my decision to go for this role, together with a desire to bring my skill sets with people over the years. I am hopeful that I can bring a lot to Jersey and the role of Lieutenant-Governor in the next five years.”
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