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Archiver > CHANNEL-ISLANDS > 1997-09 > 0873862411


From: Stephen Foote <>
Subject: Old Legal document
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 23:33:31 -0400


Dear All,

Thanks to James and Alex for their contributions on this subject. It now
looks like we have a good translation and understanding of this document.

Just one small point I would like to point out regarding James' comments :

>><connetables> - sometimes translated as "constable", but in fact the top
>>civic position in each Jersey parish as well as the head of the parish
>>police

In Guernsey the Parish Constables do not play the same role as in Jersey.
The Douzaine is the rough equivalent of an English Parish Council - so
called
because they have 12 douzainiers (douzaine = dozen in French) who make up
the council. The Constables (there are usually 2) are responsible for
executing
the Douzaine's decisions as well as the day to day running of the parish -
unlike
Jersey they do not have a policeman (or hobby bobby) role.

These days the constables duties include collecting "bournements" (as
mentioned earlier) as well as ensuring that the parish highways are kept
clear (of overgrown hedges and the like), inspect the parish boundaries,
handle any day to day queries and complaints from parishioners, organise
refuse collection, and take the minutes of Douzaine meetings. (this is not
an exhaustive list).

Thanks to those of you who have replied to my response directly expressing
an interest in details of Guernsey life (knowledge of which is probably
taken for granted by those of us who grew up or live in the Channel
Islands) - are there any other aspects which you would like clarified ? As
you can see there are even differences between Guernsey and Jersey - not to
mention Alderney and Sark - which are different again !

Stephen Foote

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