Uncover the lives of spies and thieves!

Sunday 10 January 2016

You don't need to be a spy to uncover more about the lives of Jersey's notorious double agent and thieves who stole from local church collections.

Agent Zig Zag was recruited by the Germans during the Second World War but spied for the British for much of it and his petition to the Home Secretary is among more than 200 records of life in the Island dating back 100 years that you can now get your hands on.

Jersey Heritage’s Archives and Collections Director Linda Romeril said: “Once again we have a fascinating array of documents that have been opened to the public in 2016.

“Documents that have been closed for 100 years and 75 years date from the periods of the First and Second World Wars and give us insights into the personal stories of individuals caught up in the conflicts and also help us build on the wider picture of life in Jersey at the time.

“Of particular interest this year is the petition of Edward Chapman or Agent Zig Zag, this is one of a number of petitions from prisoners in Jersey to the Home Secretary that date from the period just prior to the Occupation.”

You can also get a look at witness statements in criminal cases including those of 15-year-old Edward Webster and 14-year-old George Penny who were accused of stealing from the collection boxes at St Matthew's Church back in March 1915. There's also a Police photo album at the Archive including pictures of both the boys and more on their backgrounds.

There are also files from the Bailiff’s Chambers showing the impact of the First World War on day to day life in Jersey and how suspicious Islanders had become of people who weren't British born.

You can find out more about the latest records now open to the public at a free talk at 10am on Saturday 16 January at Jersey Archive.