1 Pound Sterling 1991, Guernsey
| in Banknotes Book | Number: GU36c |
| Years of issue: | 1969 |
| Edition: | -- |
| Signatures: | States Treasurer: Mr. David Michael Clark |
| Serie: | No Serie |
| Specimen of: | 1980 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 129 x 65 |
| Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Seal of Guernsey.
Avers:
The panel with Guernsey's coat of arms or emblem in the middle.
The coat of arms of Guernsey is the official symbol of the Channel Island of Guernsey. It is a red shield with three gold lions (historically described as leopards) passant guardant surmounted by a small branch of leaves. It is very similar to the arms of Normandy, Jersey and England.
Centered, behind the denomination and lower right are the acanthus leaves.
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.
The decoration is made by analogy with the herbaceous plant of acanthus acanthus family, native to the Mediterranean. The shape of its leaves, with a few sharp edges, resembling a bear's paw, was the basis for the drawing.
Acanthus often represents life and immortality.
The Market Square. From: "Historical and Topographical Description of the Channel Islands" by Robert Mudie, 1840.
Robert Mudie (1777-1842) was a newspaper editor and author.
In the center of the engraving is the building, which bears the year - 1822. This is the city market building - the first project of Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Daniel de Lisle Brock, who financed it thanks to his "experimental Guernsey" (please read the description of reverse).
Denominations in numerals are centered and in lower right corner. In words on right side.
Revers:
The engraving onm banknote is made after this portrait of Bailiff of Guernsey.
Daniel de Lisle Brock (1762–1842), was Bailiff of Guernsey from 1821 to 1842.
Daniel Brock was born 10 December 1762 at St Peter Port on the Channel Island of Guernsey, the third son of John Brock (1729-1777), a midshipman in the Royal Navy, and Elizabeth de Lisle, daughter of Daniel de Lisle, then Lieutenant-Bailiff of Guernsey. The Brocks were an English family who had been established in Guernsey since the sixteenth century. Daniel was a nephew of William Brock (1725-1768), of Brockhurst, St Peter Port (now owned by the National Trust of Guernsey), who was married to Judith de Beauvoir; and Henry Brock, who was married to Susan, sister of Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez. Daniel was one of fourteen children, ten of whom attained maturity. He was an elder brother of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock.
After such schooling as the island afforded in those days, he was placed at Alderney to learn French under the tuition of M. Vallat, a Swiss pastor, afterwards rector of St. Peter-in-the-Wood, Guernsey, and subsequently at a school at Richmond, Surrey.
He was, however, taken away at the age of fourteen to accompany his father, who was in failing health, to France, where the latter died at Dinan. He spent about twelve months in visiting the Mediterranean, Switzerland, and France, in 1785-1786, and twelve years later, in 1798, was elected a jurat of the royal court of Guernsey, from which time his name is intimately associated with the history of his native place.
On four separate occasions, between 1804 and 1810, he was deputed by the states and royal court of Guernsey to represent them in London, in respect of certain measures affecting the trade and ancient privileges of the island.
In 1816 he began the Guernsey Experiment which was a reaction to the problem of debt and rising prices following the end of the Napoleonic Wars and introduction of the gold standard.
With the cost of paying off previous loans using 80% of annual revenues and urgent needs for repairs to the sea defences and a new market building the States needed funds but could not afford to pay the interest on another loan.
Brock's idea was for the States to pay for its own projects by issuing its own bank notes rather than borrowing from a private bank, meaning there would be no interest to pay, leading to substantial savings.
It was a massive success leading in later years to Brock and the first funded project, the building of the Town Market building, appearing on the modern Guernsey £1 notes.
In 1821 he was appointed Bailiff, or chief magistrate, of the island, and soon after was again dispatched to London, to protest, which he did with success, against the extension to Guernsey of the new law prohibiting the import of corn until the price should reach 80s. a quarter.
In 1832, when the right of the inhabitants to be tried in their own courts was menaced by a proposed extension of the power of writs of habeas corpus to the island, Brock and Mr. Charles de Jersey, king's procureur, were sent to London to oppose the measure, and did so with success.
Three years later Brock was once more dispatched to London at the head of a deputation to protest against the proposed deprivation of the Channel Islands of their right of exporting corn into England free of duty. Owing to the remonstrance of the deputation, a select committee of the House of Commons was appointed to inquire into the subject, and the bill was subsequently withdrawn. On this occasion the states of Jersey presented Brock with a service of plate, and his portrait was placed in the royal court-house of Guernsey.
Brock was married and had two children: a son, who became a captain in the 20th foot, and a daughter. He died in Guernsey on 24 September 1842. A public funeral was accorded to his remains, in recognition of his long and valued services to his native island. 
A little to the left of Sir Brock is the old engraving "Royal court of St.Peter Port, 1840".
Although the earliest existence of a Court building in Guernsey is unclear, the first reference to it dates back to the XII Century, when medieval documents show that the Royal Court met in a building in St. Peter Port in a district known as La Plaiderie (literally translated as the place of pleading).
Following the outbreak of the Civil War, the Court was relocated to Elizabeth College to put it out of the range of the Royalist bombings from Castle Cornet. After the war ended, the Court returned to the building at La Plaiderie, although this was less than satisfactory, as the building was also used as a store for the Governor for dues paid to the Crown in the form of grain.
Records show that, in 1766, the States of Guernsey met to discuss the matter as the building was said to be in a dangerous condition. The States resolved to apply £700 towards the renovation.
The building was not, however, large enough to meet the needs of the Court. Indeed, the States noted in 1792 that it was necessary for the Greffiers (clerks of the Court) to keep the public records at their own houses due to lack of space at the Court.
It was resolved to seek permission from the Crown to sell the old Court property to help finance the purchase of a plot of land and construction of a new building. Funds were also provided from other revenues, including a lottery. The land deemed suitable for the new Court was situated in Rue du Manoir and was owned by the then Bailiff, William Le Marchant, and in November 1792 the site was purchased and building work commenced.
The stone on the pediment of the current Royal Court building bears the legend "GIIIR 1799" recording the fact that the façade was completed in that year of the reign of King George III. It took several years for the building to be completed and records from the time appear to indicate that the first sitting of the new Court took place on 17th January, 1803.
By 1821, the building had been outgrown again and the States agreed to a further purchase of land behind the building to enable expansion of the existing rooms and the construction of an upstairs Chamber which could be used by the States for their meetings.
In 1824, the States agreed to purchase more land behind the Court to build stables for the horses of those Jurats who resided in country parishes. By 1876, however, these stables were no longer used and the States agreed that the area should be developed as a fireproof room to house the important public records of the Greffe. There had been concern that, with several open fires being used to heat the buildings, these records were at risk of being damaged or burnt.
There was at this time a concern that prisoners held in the old prison had to be conveyed across the open streets to the Court and it was agreed that property between the Court and the prison should be purchased to allow for a tunnel to be built.
It was not until 1902 that the next stage of development work took place. The original Greffe Strongroom was extended to include a mezzanine floor, reached by a small spiral staircase, still in use today. Further court rooms, offices and a library were also provided.
Over the subsequent years, there were many plans to create a more substantial Chamber for the Royal Court to convene and meetings of the States of Deliberation to be held. However, none of these came to fruition until 1946, when the proposals were revived, resulting in the complete refurbishment of the original first floor Royal Court Chamber. This building is still in use today for meetings of the States, civil court work and ceremonial occasions.
On the northern side of the Court, there remained an undeveloped area. The States decided in 1954 that this should be the site of the new Police Station and the offices for the Law Officers of the Crown. St James Chambers was officially opened on 5th January, 1956.
Demands for space and offices grew steadily and a further extension to the Court was constructed in 1982, providing a third Court room, as well as additional office accommodation.
In 1994, the Police vacated St James Chambers and moved to occupy the former Town Hospital building. This enabled a reorganisation of the cramped facilities and improved access and security for the Courts, with facilities for the disabled. (Guernsey court)
On left side and on background of reverse and obverse (stylized) are the flowers of Nerine sarniensis (Guernsey lily, Jersey lily).
Nerine sarniensis is a species of flowering plant. Despite its common name it is neither a true lily nor does it originate from the Channel Isles. In fact, as a member of Amaryllidaceae it is more closely related to Amaryllis and Sternbergia. It is native to the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa, though it is now naturalized in France, Madeira and Azores.
Nerine sarniensis is a bulbous perennial growing to 45 cm. (18 in.) tall by 8 cm. (3 in.) wide, with strap-shaped leaves and umbels of crimson, lily-like flowers with conspicuous stamens, in late summer and early autumn.
On right side is the coat of arms of Sir Daniel de Lisle Brock - Bailiff of Guernsey.
In fact, I have not found yet the image of his coat of arms. The only known, that the family Brock have the coat, consisted of basic part of his coat - a shield with a gold eagle on a background of red walls and red leopard is on top.
Helmet (top), each member of the family chose by himself. In particular, the coat of arms of Daniel de Lisle Brooke is very similar to the coat of arms of his younger brother - Isaac Brock, who became famous in Upper Canada. The difference is only in turn of figure of an Indian and, presumably, a weapon (Ax) in his hand.
Denominations in numeral are in top right and lower left corners.
Comments:
The pound is the currency of Guernsey. Since 1921, Guernsey has been in currency union with the United Kingdom and the Guernsey pound is not a separate currency but is a local issue of banknotes and coins denominated in pound sterling, in a similar way to the banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It can be exchanged at par with other sterling coinage and notes.
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