This Is Guernsey

The Guernsey Evening Press was first published on 31 July, 1897 and consisted of four small pages printed on green paper. ‘In the hope of meeting a patient and appreciative audience, the Guernsey Evening Press timidly and humbly makes its bow to the Guernsey people,’ ran the first editorial.
Timid and humble it may have been, but it had the strength to last for more than 100 years.

The Guernsey Press Limited was registered in December 1897 that year, with Guernseyman Gervaise Peek, Jerseyman Percy Amy and Englishman Alfred Hodges the founders.

During its first century the Guernsey Evening Press has been present at all major local events, but none more dramatic or far-reaching than the Occupation of the Second World War, when the Channel Islands became the only part of the British Isles to fall under enemy control.

The island’s main harbour was bombed by German aircraft on 28 and 29 June, 1940, and the 29th saw the last edition of the Guernsey Evening Press printed before it and the island fell under German influence.

The front page of the Guernsey Evening Press on 2 July was devoted to the “orders of the Commandant”. Half of Guernsey’s population was evacuated to the UK before the arrival of German forces but, even so, the Guernsey Evening Press continued publication throughout the Occupation, albeit heavily censored.

The Guernsey Evening Press’ only local rival, The Star, also continued during this time, with the two newspapers appearing on alternate days. But, as the Occupation drew to a close after five wearisome years, even this limited publication was not possible owing to the shortage of materials, and it was common for the Evening Press to appear on only a handful of days each month.

Having covered the arrival of the Germans and the evacuation of islanders, the Evening Press was also there to report the rapturous reception given to the liberating forces as the island was freed on 9 May, 1945, an event that is still commemorated every year.

The Guernsey Evening Press acquired The Star (which had first appeared in 1813) finally in 1951, adding its name to the masthead - a tradition that survives to this day.

Recent years have seen some major changes at the Press.

In late 1998/early 1999 the Guernsey Press Co. Ltd merged with the Guiton Group Ltd, the publishers of the Jersey Evening Post.

Not long after, the long-standing broadsheet format was dropped in favour of a more compact size, and the relaunched Guernsey Press and Star appeared on Monday, 13 September, 1999.

Most recently - in 2004 - Guiton was acquired by the UK-based Claverlely Group, owners of West Midlands newspapers the Wolverhampton Express and Star and the Shropshire Star.

None of these corporate changes have had any effect on the contents of the Press itself, which retains editorial independence and continues to be one of the most successful regional daily newspapers in Britain.