How would you feel if your sexuality was illegal? How would you form relationships?  Where would you go and what would you do? Hosts Mel and Perry read between the lines of the LGBTQ+ history in the Channel Islands. They speak to Vic Tanner Davy who'll be sharing some the stories of interesting characters, the challenges they faced and the history of legislation that make life difficult for them.

Vic Tanner Davy is Head of Programmes for Jersey Heritage and ex-CEO of Liberate a charity focussed on equality, diversity and inclusion across the Channel Islands. He has delivered hundreds of training sessions and public speaking engagements on its behalf, educating and engaging with people on the subject of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Support the work of Jersey Heritage in telling the Island's stories by becoming a Member. 

In today's episode, we are going to be exploring the lost dolmen of La Coupe, a series of ancient stones on the sea shore in Jersey, that have given local archaeologists and geologists much to deliberate.

Are these stone just a jumbled mass on the sea shore, or are they actually a megalithic monument?  If so, how did they get there?  Where they carefully placed there in prehistoric times or did coastal erosion mean they tumbled from a hill top near by? 

Join hosts Mel and Perry with special guest Paul Chambers, Head of the Aspiring Jersey Island Geopark project, to discuss the mystery surround the lost dolmen. Find out why we call these megalithic structures are called dolmen in Jersey (an incorrect term) and the prehistoric origins of Jersey.

Paul also talks about the Aspiring Jersey Island Geopark project, an Island-wide initiative to become a Geopark.

To find out more about the Geopark project visit the Jersey Island Geopark website.

You can read more about the Igneous Origins of Jersey on the Jersey Heritage website. 

To support Jersey Heritage, become a Member or make a donation here.

From conger soup to pigeon pie, and everything in between.  Mel and Perry are joined by food historian, Dr Annie Gray.  Taking a tour through food from preparation to digestion, the pod takes you back through the history of food, how recipes have developed throughout the years with the introduction of new ingredients and how we eat food now.  This is a mouth watering episode of The Small Island, Big Story Sessions. 

Annie works across TV and radio, and has been the resident food historian on BBC Radio 4’s award-winning culinary panel show, The Kitchen Cabinet since its inception in 2012.

If this pod inspires you to find out more about Jersey's food history, come to Jersey Museum and visit our Bouan Appétit! exhibition. 

You can support our charity by becoming a Jersey Heritage Member. 

Join Mel and Perry as they talk to Director of Archives and Collections, Linda Romeril, about a list people who were executed and the executioners themselves- a document that covers crimes and executions of the 14th – 18th centuries.  Who were the executioners and who were they executing and why? 

This podcast episode contains discussions on sensitive topics which could be distressing to some listeners.

The Executioners List is held at Jersey Archive.  If you'd like to discover the history of Jersey then become a Member.  If you'd like to start your own research project, subscribe to our Archives and Collections online.

In today's episode, we are going to be diving into jersey's rich maritime history. We'll be focusing on the shipwrecks of the Channel Islands with local historian and former Jersey heritage curator, Doug Ford.  We'll be sharing stories of life at sea and the perils of navigating our treacherous waters which take us into darker stories of cannibalism and survival.


Support our charity by becoming a Jersey Heritage Member, why not visit the Maritime Museum in St Helier and join as a Member at the same time.  Jersey Heritage: Discover Our Island Story.

In today's episode, Mel and Perry are going to be talking to Paul Lister, he'll be sharing first hand experience of what it was like to work in a Cold War bunker here in Jersey. Hidden in a street in the heart of St. Heller, this Jersey Command Center was used to pass and receive messages of potential nuclear fallout around the UK and Europe. We are really lucky today to be joined by Paul Lister, who worked in the Cold War Bunker in the late 1980s.

If you'd like to visit the Cold War bunker in Jersey then you can find out how on our website Cold War Bunker | Jersey Heritage.

If you'd  like to support our work, telling the Island's stories, please consider supporting us through Membership or a donation.  Support | Jersey Heritage

Join Mel and Perry as they talk to Harry Le Feuvre, Digital Access Manager at Jersey Archive.  Harry will be sharing his research into the fascinating lives into Kenneth and Kathleen Le Sueur  their collection of letters and photographs encompass their tales of distance travel, romance and possible espionage!

If you are enjoying the Small Island, Big Story Sessions then consider supporting Jersey Heritage by becoming a Member.  Your support will help us to continue to tell the Island's stories.  Find out more on becoming a supporter on our website jerseyheritage.org 

How does Jersey's native language,  Jèrriais,  link to the Island's festivals, celebrations and traditions.  Starting in January  in the depths of winter we take a look at the calendar year from old Christmas day, to 'quarter days' such as Michalmas.   Mel and Perry are joined once more by Geraint Jennings, Jèrriais Promotions Officer and take a tour around the year and find out why St Brelade parishioners are 'caterpillars' and people from St Helier had the runs!  

If you've been inspired to find out more about Jersey's Heritage, take a look at our website for details on becoming a Member, undertaking your own research or visiting a Jersey Heritage site.  www.jerseyheritage.org

Join Perry and Mel as they take a  journey through the Island's native language, Jèrriais, and its links to Jersey's folklore.  From 'black dogs' to 'water spirits', Jèrriais plays a key role in how the Island's superstitions and tales have been shared and retold throughout generations.  They are joined by Jersey Heritage's  Jèrriais Promotions Manager, Geraint Jennings.

Support Jersey Heritage's charitable work to tell the Island's stories by becoming a Jersey Heritage Member, find out more here Membership. 

Did you know that Jersey was considered the witch hunting capital of Atlantic Europe?
Mel and Perry look at Jersey Archive documents and explore how public beliefs of witchcraft turned into moral panic and  prosecution.

Become a Jersey Heritage Member and support our work telling the Island's story.  Visit our website for details.