The early Christmas present from L’Office du Jèrriais was full of original works written in Jersey French.
Le Don Balleine publications were first printed more than 50 years ago to protect the Island’s native language and will now stored in the archives for Islanders to learn from.
Jersey Heritage’s Archives and Collecitons Director Linda Romeril said: “Jersey Heritage is delighted to be working with L’Office du Jèrriais to ensure that publications concerning our local language are preserved at Jersey Archive for both current and future generations to enjoy and learn from.”
Le Don Balleine trust was founded to administer the will of Arthur Balleine – a Jersey man passionate about preserving his native tongue after his death in 1943. His legacy started out as a Jèrriais printing house that included Dr Frank Le Maistre’s magnum opus, Le Dictionnaire Jersiais-Français, collections written by George Le Feuvre, better known as George d’la Forge, Paul Birt’s grammar Le Jèrriais pouor Tous, a literary magazine and many other books, magazines, cassettes and CD-ROMs.
It’s now helping to teach the language in schools.