School library on the move

Monday 13 October 2014

One of Jersey's secondary schools is getting a bit of its old history back.

Jersey College for Girls moved from La Pouquelaye to its present site on Mont Millais in 1999 leaving behind an oak panelled library that was gifted to the school more than a hundred and twenty years ago.

The old school building, which is listed and has been unoccupied for more than a decade, is set to be turned into housing early next year and it was agreed as part of the £40 million pound redevelopment project that JCG would get their original library back.

JCG Foundation Director Leanda Jane Guy said: "Our Old Girls are very passionate about the plans for the old JCG building and are thrilled that Planning have now confirmed we can have our library back."

The building's extension where the library is located was built in 1891-92 and the panelling was given by the Trust Governors of the time as a gift to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the College.

Ms Guy said: "The College is very grateful to Lee Henry and his team at The Jersey Development Company who have been instrumental in helping us get the library back and are organising and covering the costs to dismantle the beautiful library panels and columns and reinstate them at JCG’s library at Mont Millais where by some miracle it will actually fit!

"We are thrilled that generations of past, present and future students can once again enjoy this beautiful library."

The library will be reinstated next summer and the JCG Foundation plan to host a celebration in it for all its Old Girls once it's back at school.