St Helier, Jersey: Where The Church Made the Law

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The pulpit in St Helier Parish Church was where the Dean, Revd Samuel Falle, called Jerseymen to arms at the beginning of the war, and set the tone for the Anglican attitude to the conflict in Jersey. “I pray,” he said, “that you Jerseymen will not stand aloof. You have your chance to strike one blow for freedom, and for God and right, and the peace of the world.” When the island’s government debated the Conscription law in 1916, the country was running out of volunteers. There was a clause in the British law which allowed men to be exempt from combat if they had strong religious, ethical or political beliefs against it: they were known as conscientious objectors. But the Rector of St Peter believed in the cause so fiercely that he successfully argued that the law should be changed for Jersey, so that these objections were not recognised. Men of conscience were simply enlisted and sent with other conscripts to the mainland, where they would have to argue their cause. It’s thought Jersey was the only place in the British Isles to take this hard line; and it was largely brought about by the influence of the church. Location: St Helier Parish Church, Devon JE2 3NN Image shows the wartime rector of St Peter, Francis de Gruchy (centre back with grey moustache) Photograph courtesy of Martin Poolton Presented by Chris Stone