The building
Nos 41 and 43 are shown as one property in the Historic Environment Record. It has been thought that No 43 was cut back when Coin es Anes was widened from a narrow passage to what is now New Cut, connecting King Street with Broad Street, but the fact that separate businesses traded at the two addresses until Rivoli Jewellers occupied both from 1970 conflicts with this idea. The New Cut frontage of the building aligns with that of the bank building on the corner of Broad Street and Library Place, as it did historically. Exactly how 41-43 was divided into two properties with separate businesses prior to 1970 is unclear.
HER: This prominent Victorian corner building retains historic character and features, and contributes to the streetscape character. Built circa 1870s. Coin es Anes appears on maps from 1700 onwards as a small yard off Broad Street. It appears to have been widened and knocked through to link with New Street in the early 1870s. It is shown in its present form on a map of 1875. Corner building. One bay to north, corner bay, two bays to west. Hipped, slate roof, two rendered chimneys. First floor corner opening houses unusual, mechanical, musical clock. Shop front has dentilled cornice over fascia, five bays of 2 paned windows. Corner recessed entrance.
Occupiers
P Grigriy was established as a grocer at 35 King Street in 1834, and here, three doors down, is someone of the same name operating a drapery. They may have been one and the same, or perhaps father and son.
John Mallet
The 1851 census shows that Clement Hamon, a china and glass dealer, was living here with his family. He had left by 1871, when he was trading across the street at No 40, and watchmaker John Mallet was established at No 41. His business would remain until the end of the First World War. John first traded at 5 New Street in 1851, and then at 42 Don Street as a silversmith, jeweller, optician and watch and clock maker. According to Silver, the definitive work on Jersey jewellers and silversmiths, he was largely a retailer, rather than a manufacturer. We are not certain that he lived at No 41, as well as trading from there, in the early years, but he was listed in the 1891 census.
John Mallett was born around 1825, the son of John Mallett, a watch maker of High Street, Barnstable, Devon, and was listed there with his father in 1841. He was recorded as a watch maker at 5 New Street, St Helier, in 1851, where he lived with his wife Louisa, nee Leaver, born in Dorset in 1824, and a four-month-old daughter, Louisa Hellene, who was born in Jersey. The 1861 Census listed him as a watch maker employing one man and living at 7 Don Street, St Helier with his wife and four children aged from 1 to 8 years, who were also all born in St Helier.
The family had grown by two more children by 1871 when they were living at 41 King Street, St Helier. Both John and his son John Henry (1852- ) were watch makers. His son Walter (1859- ) was also a watch maker. John died by 1891, when his widow Louisa was listed as a jeweller at 41 King Street. Son John with his wife had rejoined his mother as a watch maker. Walter had married and was a watch maker living at 33 Bath Street.
Louisa retired to live with a daughter elsewhere in St Helier by 1901 and was still there aged 87 years in 1911. John Henry continued as a watch maker at the King Street address until 1920.
Rivoli
There is a gap in the records until 1930, when the property was acquired by Taylor, Fleetwood (we do not know what trade they carried on) until the start of the Occupation, when the premises were taken over by PRJ Roberts, who were there for 20 years or more until Rivoli jewellers took over.
Chronology
- 1834 - P Grigriy, drapers
- 1851 - Clement Hamon, china and glass dealer
- 1874-1920 - John Mallet, watchmaker
- 1930 - Taylor, Fleetwood
- 1940-1960 - P R J Roberts
- 1970-2010 - Rivoli jewellers
Looking towards the New Street junction. No 41 is beyond the junction on the right
No 41 is partly showing on the right
A 1937 photograph showing No 41's sign on the left
A silver penknife sold by John Mallett
1905
1896
