Alderney
 
 

                       933  Part of the Duchy of Normandy.
                                            1042  Possession granted to the Abbey of Mont Saint  Michel.
                                            1057  Possession granted to the bishops of Coutances.
       1198 - 1487          Lordship of the Isles (Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Brechou,
                             Herm, Jethou and Sark) within Duchy of Normandy (nominally
                             after 1204).
                   Jun 1204  English fiefdom.
       1204 - Sep 1205      French occupation.
   Dec 1205 - Apr 1206      French occupation.
                    c.1236  Divided between the bishops and the kings of England.
                      1279  Bailiwick of Guernsey (including Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou
                             and Brechou).
                      1338  French occupation till 1340, the bishops are deprived of their
                              rights by the English king.
                      1360  Treaty of Brétigny: the island is neutralized the rights of
                             the bishops are formally restored. War goes on between France
                              and England for the possession of the island until 1480.   
                        1558  Occupied by French under Capt. Malesarde for two weeks.
  30 Sep 1585 - 1646         Leased to the Earls of Essex.
                      1660  Alderney separated from Guernsey.
        1642 - 1660         Guernsey declares for Parliament during English civil war.
        1660 - 1682         Granted to George Carteret.
               13 Apr 1825  Subordinated to Guernsey.
 23 Jun 1940 - 15 Dec 1945  Most of the island population is evacuated.
  30 Jun 1940 - 09 May 1945  German occupation (Britische Kanalinseln). Subordinated to
                             occupied France
 12 May 1945 - 25 Aug 1945  British military administration.
               01 Jan 1949  New constitution granted.
 
Alderney (Aurigny) northernmost of the Channel Islands, about 12 miles (20 km.) off the northwestern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula in France. Variously occupied since prehistoric times, the tiny island was a feudal holding until the 19th century. It is now within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, although it retains considerable local autonomy. Capital: Saint Anne.

Alderney, the northernmost and third largest of the Channel Islands, separated from the coast of France by the dangerous 8-mile-wide tidal channel, has an area of 3 sq. mi. (8 km.) and a population of around 1,700. It is a dependency of the British island of Guernsey, to the southwest. Principal industries are agriculture and raising cattle.

There is evidence of settlement in prehistoric times and Roman coins have been discovered on the island along with evidence of their buildings. Toward the close of the reign of Henry VIII, France began making plans to seize the Island of Sark. The English, realizing its strategic importance, began to build a defensive fort, which was abandoned some years later when Edward VI died.
France constructed a large naval base at its northern tip, which incited the English into making Alderney the “Gibraltar of the Channel.” Most of the Islanders were evacuated before the German occupation in 1940 but returned in 1945 when the Germans surrendered. The Channel Islands have never been subject to the British Parliament and are self-governing units under the direct rule of the Crown acting through the Privy Council. Alderney is one of the nine Channel Islands, the only part of the Duchy of Normandy still belonging to the British Crown, and has been a British possession since the Norman Conquest of 1066. Legislation was only recently introduced for the issue of its own coinage, a right it now shares with Jersey and Guernsey.
 
  • Normandy.................................................933 - Jun 1204
  • l'INGENIEUR - Lords of Alderney
    Wilhelmus Artifex (William l'Ingenieur).................1182 - c.1222
  • England.............................................Jun 1204 - 1338
    • French Occupation..................................1204 - Sep 1205
    • French Occupation..............................Dec 1204 - Apr 1206
    • Peter...........................................c. 1222 - 1238 with...
    • Mayn (Magnerus).................................c. 1222 - 1238
    • Lordship vacant, 1238-1546
    • Raoul Eudes (Guardian of Alderney).................1290 - early 1300's
  • France..................................................1338 - 1340
  • French occupation, the bishops are deprived of their rights by the English king.
  • England.................................................1340 - 1940
  • In 1360 Treaty of Brétigny: the island is neutralized the rights of the bishops are formally restored. War goes on between France and England for the possession of the island until 1480.
    • Thomas Porteman (Governor of Alderney).............1376 - 1379
    • Robert de Turberville (Marshal of Alderney)........1546 - mid 1500's
    • French Occupation.........................................1558
    • Occupied by French under Capt. Malesarde for two weeks.
    • CHAMBERLAIN - Lords of Alderney
    • George I...........................................1559 - 1584
    • John I.............................................1584 - late 16th c.
    • DEVEREUX
    • Leased to the Earls of Essex from 30 Sep 1585 to 1646.
    • Robert I (Earl of Essex)...................late 16th c. - 1601
    • Robert II (Earl of Essex)..........................1601 - 1646
    • To England directly................................1646 - 1660
    • DE CARTERET
    • Alderney separated from Guernsey in 1660.
    • Edward.............................................1660 - 1661
    • George II..........................................1661 - 1679
    • Elizabeth (female).................................1679 - 1683
    • ANDROS
    • Edmund......................................29 Aug 1683 - 24 Feb 1714
    • Governor of New York 1674-1681, 1688, Bailiff of Guernsey 1674-1714; Gov. of New England 1686-1691, of Virginia 1692-1698, and of Maryland 1693-1694.
    • George III................................................1714
    • Anne I (female)....................................1714 - 1721
    • LE MESURIER
    • John II............................................1721 - 1722
    • Anne II (female)...................................1722 - 1729
    • Henry.......................................06 Feb 1730 - 1744
    • John III...........................................1744 - 12 Mar 1793
    • Peter.......................................16 Mar 1793 - 09 Jan 1803
    • John IV.....................................21 Jan 1803 - 13 Apr 1825 d. 1843
    • Within the Bailiwick of Guernsey............13 Apr 1825 - 02 Jul 1940
  • Germany..........................................02 Jul 1940 - 16 May 1945
  • Great Britain (within Bailiwick of Guernsey).....16 May 1945 - date
 
Currency: British Pound and Guernsey Pound are used on this Island. Commemorative coins of Alderney has been produced since 1989.
 

KM#18 2 Pounds. Year: 1999. Weight: 28.28g. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 38.61 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: British Royal Mint. Obverse: Two Northern Gannets and church. Total Eclipse of the Sun. Reverse: Queen Elizabeth's head right. Mintage: N/A. Minted Years: One year type. Subject: 60th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Ruler: Elizabeth II [Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor]. Note: KM#18a is made in silver with same specification and weight having an estimation of 10,000 pieces.

KM#21a 5 Pounds. Year: 2000. Weight: 28.28g. Metal: 0.925 Silver. Diameter: 38.61 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: British Royal Mint. Obverse: Queen Elizabeth's head right. Reverse: Spitfires and Hurricane, pilot at bottom center. Mintage: 15,000. Minted Years: One year type. Subject: 60th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Ruler: Elizabeth II [Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor].
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owned by so many to so few. Winston Churchill.
The Royal Mint has been authorised to issue a limited edition of exquisite silver proof five Pound coins for the Channel Island of Alderney in commemoration of the Battle of Britain. It is a battle that remains unparalleled in the history of warfare, as never before had the survival of a country depended on a battle fought in the sky. The Battle of Britain raged sixty years ago between June and October 1940, the skies over southern England becoming the fighting arena for the pilots whom Churchill dubbed "The Few". At a crucial stage of the war the Fighter Command pilots of the RAF answered the challenge to contest the mastery of the air, and with almost reckless courage, many with only a few hours of flying experience, they fought to repel the enemy. Squadron after squadron of Hurricanes and Spitfires flew against the formidable might of the Luftwaffe, and their decisive victory proved to be a turning point of the Second World War.
The Channel Island of Alderney, who for five long years had to endure the hardships and suffering of occupation, pay tribute to the courage and fortitude of those brave young men to whom so much is owned with a superb five Pounds commemorative coin. The powerful reverse design depicts a cameo portrait of a gallant fighter pilot representative of all who all who took part, while in the background are the distinctive silhouettes of the Hawker Hurricane, the plane that bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain, and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire. Evoking memories of that summer when man and aircraft fought a vital struggle for supremacy, survival and victory in the skies, Alderney's celebratory design by Anthony Hansard also reflects pride in the remarkable success achieved by so few. Gracing the obverse is the elegant portrait of the Queen by Raphael Maklouf. This legal tender coin has been struck to the highest Proof standard using carefully selected blanks and specially prepared dies. For this reasons it is advisable to avoid handling the coin as fingerprints or marks will impair its delicate Proof finish.
 
 
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