Havre des Pas

On the coast

Havre des Pas Havre des Pas in 1921 When the town of St Helier began to spread outwards in the second half of the 18th century, a natural choice for new housing was along the parish's southern coast at Havre des Pas, separated from the town centre then by sand dunes and open fields.

The chapel in 1790

Derivation of name

The area had long been a natural harbour for small vessels, giving the first part of its name. Des Pas refers to marks on a rock further inland which appear like footprints and were declared to be made by the Virgin Mary when a chapel was built over them in the 12th Century. Or that's the usual explanation, but in an article for the 1968 Annual Bulletin of La Société Jersiaise, Philip Ahier has a different explanation.

He wrote that the area was named after the Chapelle des Pas, a medieval chapel, the full name of which was Notre dame de Pace - Our Lady of the Peace, and that 'pas' was a contraction of 'pace'. However, this seems to be a strange mixture of French and Latin, and the common French title for churches named after the Blessed Virgin Mary is Notre Dame de la Paix. It is still, of course, possible that 'pas' was derived from this name. The chapel was demolished in 1814.

Earliest mention

The first documentary reference to Havre des Pas in in an Act of the States of 14 May 1585, when it became the responsibility of Servais le Vavasseur de Bois, who was a collector of import duties on wines and spirits.

In November 1643 the Parliamentarian Governor left the island in a hurry from Havre des Pas after Sir George Carteret landed at the other end of the island to reclaim it for the Crown. He is said to have left with his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law leaving their supper untouched on the table. Three years later Royalist Sir Henry Killigrew died of a fever in St Malo having been wounded in the head in the defence of Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. He had expressed a desire to be buried in Jersey and his embalmed body was transported to arrive at Havre des Pas.

In Col Legge's Accompt of Jersey, 1679 there is a reference to a peare approximately 100 metres long at Havre du Pas. This seemingly substantial structure must have been washed away before Havre des Pas was under consideration as a new harbour for St Helier towards the end of the 17th century. It was ruled out because it was on the wrong side of Mont de la Ville from the town and the approach through rocks was deemed to be far too dangerous for any but the smallest of vessels.

Shipyards

Before the land along the coast began to be developed, a number of shipyards were sited there, that last surviving into the 20th century. Many of the early buildings were small cottages occupied by workers in the shipyards, but gradually some grander houses began to be built and then, towards the end of the 19th century the area became a fashionable seaside suburb with hotels and boarding houses. Although some properties have been demolished or had extensions built over the decades, many fine examples of traditional Victorian seaside architecture remain and are now protected.

A rare photograph of the shipyards at Havre des Pas, with a row of cottages behind where many of the workers and their families lived

Pool

A major attraction was created by the building of the bathing pool, which opened on 12 March 1895. It was built by the Jersey Swimming Club at a cost of £3,106 12s 9d. Initially there was a circular granite wall to hold water between high and low tides in a pool for the exclusive use of ladies. Men were restricted to bathing off the rocks and diving stages to the west of the pool, but there were plans to build a separate pool for them. Progressively the ladies pool was developed with changing rooms and a promenade and men were allowed to use the facilities on their own at certain times. In 1904 mixed bathing was permitted between the hours of 9 o'clock and 10.30 in the morning.

The pool grew in popularity and was further developed in the 1920s. In its heyday it was a centre of island social life, as well as a base for the island's top swimmers and divers. It was modernised in 1925 with the addition of the Blue Terrace, and a pavilion was added two years later to host dances and other social events. Although it remains in use after major restoration work at the end of the 20th century, it could not retain its popularity when the Jersey Swimming Club, which originally built and ran the pool, transferred to the heated pool at Fort Regent.

• History of Havre des Pas Pool
• Reminiscences of Havre des Pas: A 1972 letter

An early Albert Smith photograph of Havre des Pas Pool

Archive presentation

Havre des Pas featured in the Jersey Archive What's your story? series on Jersey streets and districts in 2010. The presentation charted the development of the area into a fashionable Victorian suburb of St Helier and a magnet for early holidaymakers. These are extracts from the full presentation:

"The Richmond map of 1795 shows that few properties existed – mainly clustered around the Dicq area and towards Green Street. The land now occupied by Marrett Road, Roseville Street and Cleveland Road, and the land at Grève d’Azette, consisted of fields and sand dunes. The map does show a building in the location of the Fort D’Auvergne Hotel on the promenade at Havre des Pas. This building, La Garde du Havre des Pas, was constructed in about 1756 and formed part of the increased fortification of the Island’s coastline. It was renamed Fort d'Auvergne about 1833 in honour of Major-General James d'Auvergne. It consisted of a boulevard, powder magazine and two guns.

"The importance of the Island’s military position and threat of invasion after the Battle of Jersey were factors in the decision to construct additional fortifications at the Mont de la Ville in the early 1800s. These fortifications were to become what we now know as Fort Regent and their construction and subsequent garrisoning influenced the development of the western part of Havre des Pas. Green Street was the original site of the married quarters for soldiers from the garrison.

A map showing the area covered in meadows and orchards

Government cottages

"The 1861 census describes these quarters as Government Cottages and lists the names of a Master Gunner, Bombardier in the Royal Artillery and Captain in the Army. One of those mentioned is Samuel Thompson a 34-year-old Corporal in the Royal Artillery from Ireland who lived with his wife Mary and their two sons, Samuel and John. The family had two additional children in the early 1860s, William Herbert and Agnes Mary. Sadly tragedy struck the family when Samuel died. Mary presumably struggled to look after four young children and in 1869 two of the boys, Samuel and William were admitted to the Jersey Home for Boys.

Shipbuilding

"The shipbuilding community at Havre des Pas flourished with many yards being established at this time including those of Francis Allix, 1847–1877, Thomas Bisson, 1856–1873, Edward Nicolle, 1824–1835, Matthew Philip Valpy, 1837–1868 and Le Vesconte and Vautier, 1854–1858.

"The ships built at Havre des Pas sailed around the globe and included the Asia, a 97-ton schooner, built at the yard of Francis Allix, registered in 1850 and lost off Madagascar in 1865. Allix ships were also lost in seas as far afield as New Zealand and Florida. The site of the Allix shipyard can still be seen on the promenade at Havre des Pas, where a public open space celebrates the shipbuilding heritage of the area.

"Francis Allix was born in 1815, the son of Jean and Elizabeth Godel. In May 1847 he married Betsy Mary Ann Landhatherland, daughter of Richard Landhatherland – the owner of Holyrood House located near the Allix shipyard. It was also in 1847 that the first ship to be built under Francis’ name was registered.

The pool was popular from the outset

"By 1851 Francis and Betsy are recorded as living at Mont Aubin Cottage at Havre des Pas with their two sons. By looking at the West of England Insurance registers from the 1850s we can see that Francis has insured his property. He pays to insure his own house, 2 Mont Aubin Cottage, and also insures the models and utensils of his trade. Francis is also paying insurance on 2 Pigeon’s Public House at Havre des Pas. It is thought that Pigeon’s Public House was originally owned by the Landhatherland family. The building, next to Holyrood House is still run as a bar.

"In the 1881 census Francis is listed as living in the Landhatherland home – Holyrood House. Later that year he died leaving a large amount of property at Havre des Pas to his two sons, Francis Richard Land Allix and Richard Francis Land Allix. Between them the brothers inherited the workshops and shipyard, Holyrood House, Derby House, 1, 2 and 3 Sidon Place, Eden Villa, Stanley Lodge, Stanley House and land in the Havre des Pas area. The brothers' property holdings increased in 1899 when they inherited Fort d’Auvergne, Fort d’Auvergne Cottage and Mont Aubin from their great aunt Marianne Landhatherland.

Fort d'Auvergne

"As the shipping industry declined the growth in visitors led to the development of hotels and guesthouses where there were once shipbuilding yards. Many of the Allix family properties were listed as lodging houses in the 1881 census.

"Lodgers at Fort d’Auvergne House included Alexander McDonall, a journalist from England who was travelling with his mother Juliana, born in the East Indies; aunt, Anne Lindsay and two lady’s maids.

"Fort d’Auvergne House was brought from the Allix Family by George Thomas Day in 1925. When Day sold the property in 1930 to Alfred Cabeldu it was described as a Hotel and was run by the Cabeldu family as a thriving business before and after the Occupation. During the Occupation the Hotel was requisitioned by the Germans and used by German officers.

Havre des Pas was once the entertainment centre for visitors to the island

Further articles

• Le Havre des Pas
• Fort d'Auvergne Hotel
• Havre des Pas Aquarium
• A comparison of the beach between 1956 and 2016
• Coast: Havre des Pas, one of the stops on our coastal tour of Jersey NEW

Commemorative plaques

• Frederick Delius
• Shipyards
• Guardhouse
• Baron du Parcq
• Henry Kemble

Gallery

Here is a set of pictures which featured in our Picture of the week slot in October 2016. We already had many pictures of the Hotel de la Plage and surrounding area (see below) but until these were sent to us, none had shown so clearly the garage which stood next to it for several years after the hotel opened in 1931. This was Bayliss's Garage, built to house some of the earliest motorised excursion vehicles which took visitors staying in the Havre des Pas hotels on their island tours. The garage was built immediately next to the slipway at the bottom of Green Street, opposite the Seaforth Hotel, which shows most clearly in the picture above, and the fourth below.

Previously this had been a boat store for shipbuilders Vautier, and the fourth picture shows this at the end of the 19th century, after the Havre des Pas shoreline here ceased to be one of the island's most important shipbuilding areas. The top picture dates from just after the de la Plage opened, and the second photograph above was taken not long afterwards, but already the hotel had started to expand to the west (left) with a single story extension. Bayliss's Garage is still there, but by the time the third photograph was taken in the 1950s, it had gone, and the area it occupied was used for a car park for the hotel. The Marina Hotel further along to the right can be seen by then to have sprouted balconies to the front and side. We are not certain of the exact timing but in the fourth, 19th century picture, it may still have been the island's marine centre, yet to be converted into a hotel. In the fourth photograph, received at the same time from a different source) it is in the background of a shot of a lady taking her magnificent trio of dogs (Samyoeds, we think) for a walk along the promenade.

After these pictures appeared we were sent two more, that above showing a view of De La Plage from the La Collette promenade in 1936, and that below showing an aerial view of Havre des Pas Pool, with the hotels in the background. The promenade was built by the States in 1873 and filled in behind for a width of 15 feet. There is an historic agreement with the Seymour Group for allowing the foundations of the former La Plage Hotel, now apartments, to be beneath the promenade. When the States constructed the Havre des Pas 'walk' they allowed Allix`s Shipyard a gap in the new sea wall through which his ships could be launched. This can still be seen, though now blocked in by stones. The Allix Shipbuilding Yard is owned by La Vingtaine de la Ville

These are general views of Havre des Pas. For pictures of the pool see the gallery accompanying our history of the pool.

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  Vraic on the promenade in 1880, the pool has yet to be built

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  Picture by P Godfray before the pool was built in the 1890s

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  The beach in Victorian times

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  Bridge to the pool

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  On the beach

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  High tide

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  Hotels on the seafront

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  A family on the beach in the 19th century

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  On the beach in the 1920s

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  On the beach in the 1920s

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  Quiet seafront

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  A water carnival

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  Looking towards the seafront from La Collette Flats

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  Palette Studios on the promenade

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  An 1849 map of the area before it became a Victorian beach resort

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  Typical Havre des Pas Victorian houses in Roseville Street, leading to the seafront

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  Ice cream seller Edgar Andrews was at Havre des Pas until the 1950s

Walking along the promenade

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  Havre des Pas in 1934

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  Havre des Pas in 1904

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  The engineers barracks in 1909

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  A picture by Albert Smith

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  Havre des Pas 1905

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Ladies only!

This is unmistakably Havre des Pas, but something's missing! This picture was taken before the swimming pool complex was built and linked to the shore with a bridge on trestles. All we have here is a platform giving direct access to the water at high tide. But only for ladies, because in the Victorian era, as sea bathing became popular, swimmers either had to change in bathing huts wheeled down to the water's edge and take to the water well covered by their ample costumes, or use areas specially designated for men or women. There were frequent accidents and deaths, leading to the formation of the Jersey Swimming Club in 1865 by a group of enthusiasts. The club aimed to create safe environments for swimming and soon designated areas at Havre des Pas for this purpose, ladies swimming in the area which had previously been covered by a number of shipyards, some way from where the pool was eventually built, and gentlemen further along the bay towards La Collette. Plans for a permanent bathing area were produced in 1874, and again in 1882, when a Mr Lloyd presented plans which included pools for gentlemen and ladies. Only one pool was ever built. Havre des Pas Swimming Pool was opened on 22 May 1895, built on a plot of foreshore leased from the Crown. It consisted of a large pool attached to a circular granite tower high above the water mark. Gentlemen were not admitted until 1900, and in the early years of the 20th century times were set aside for men and women to swim separately, and then some mixed sessions were permitted, but it was a number of years before the pool was open to all throughout the day. To begin with no bridge linked the pool to the shore at high tide, until one was purchased from Fort d'Auvergne Hotel in 1896 for £13.

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  A diving stage pictured in 1890 before the pool was built

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  An early 1890s photograph before the pool was built

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  Bathing machines

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  A picture by Ernest Baudoux taken from Mount Bingham

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  The diving stage used by the men of the Jersey Swimming Club after the pool was opened for women

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  Hotels and houses on the seafront

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  The area has some fine Victorian houses

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  The shipyards

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  A picture by Albert Smith

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1939

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  c 1905

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  c 1905

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  1948

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  The area in 1970

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  The area which gradually became built-up behind Havre des Pas is known as St Luke's

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  By Draper

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  Havre des Pas in 1903

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  1919

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  Green Street slipway in the 1900s

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  Looking east - the Ommaroo Hotel is on the left

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  A more recent view from the air

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  The beach in Victorian times

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  A crowded pool and beach in the 1950s

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1933 aerial photograph by Aerofilms

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  The diving boards in use

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  By P Godfray

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  The red mine was used to collect coins for charity

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  Havre des Pas in 1905

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  In the 1940s

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  Havre des Pas seafront viewed from the pool

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  Havre des Pas

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  Havre des Pas in 1950

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  A view in the 1880s

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  The promenade

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  Deckchairs on the beach replace bathing huts in the early 20th century

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  La Collette and Havre des Pas from the air

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  Havelock, 27 Havre des Pas

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  Holyrood House

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  Villa Capri

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  1907

A map of the area in 1849, showing how little development there was then

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  1930s

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  1920

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  1920

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  Diving stage

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  1912

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  Havre des Pas by Allix

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  Havre des Pas beach

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  1880

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  Before the pool was built

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  A panoramic view of the bay

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  An aerial photograph taken in the 1950s

1950s

This photograph appears to show that the seafront properties between Roseville Street and St Clement's Road lost their access to the beach, and a good proportion of their gardens, when the coast road was created. However, an 1834 map of the area shows that the road was created before the properties were built. Although there were some buildings beyond the Roseville Street junction (opposite the bridge to the pool) everything from there back (and out of view) was open fields in 1834, but it appears that ownership of the strip on the sea side of the road remained with the fields on the land side, and as new properties were built there, gardens were created across the road. Cleveland Road, whose junction is at the bottom right of the picture, did not exist in 1843

A Bamforth postcard showing an aerial view of Havre des Pas and La Collette in the 1960s

An 1890 painting by Charles Draper