Queen Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary Coronation First Day Cover, Guernsey postmarked on May 2, 1978.
Guernsey
Designed by Richard Granger Barrett, and printed in photogravure by Helio Courvoisier SA, Guernsey's Coronation Anniversary issue came out on May 2nd 1978. The portrait of the Queen is the famous 'Machin Head', which is a photograph of the side face bust sculpted by Mr. Arnold Machin in 1967. The classic simplicity of the design, taken originally from one of Lord Snowdon's portraits of the Queen in 1962, did justice to the tonal capabilities of photogravure, which captures the interesting half tone effects resembling embossed stamps. First used for Britain's new issue of 1967, the portrait replaced the previous one by Dorothy Wilding, which had been used for sixteen years.
Guernsey is a small triangular island of 30 square miles, 30 miles west of Normandy. The south of the island rises to a 300ft. plateau which meets the sea in the ragged cliffs and sandy coves so well known to tourists. Dairying, based on the famous Guernsey cow, is also concentrated in the south, the north being extensively used for market gardening.
The economy of the island has passed through many phases. In the 14th century, fishing and the export of dried fish were predominant, but this faded with the Reformation and a diminished Catholic market. Wool took over for a while, the island becoming famous for its socks, then this gave way to smuggling, privateering and trading in wine, spirits and guns, especially during the Napoleonic wars. The nineteenth century saw a boom in shipbuilding, stone quarrying and industry, but this again was transitory, with agriculture soon predominating. Tourism is a more recent local industry.
Human occupation of Guernsey dates at least from neolithic times, as testified by the numerous stone age tombs and fertility statues. Known to the Romans as Sarnia, the island came to be regarded as part of the Viking kingdom of Normandy, and owes its association with Britain not to English capture, but to the Norman capture of England. Under the early Plantagenets Normandy and England remained one, but due to bad politics and an excess of ill- deeds King John was driven out of Normandy in 1204. However, he had previously separated the Channel Islands, giving them to a loyal supporter, and they remain with the crown to this day.
