New Issue: Shipbuilding (Jersey)

The latest issue from Jersey Post tells the story of the History of Shipbuilding on Jersey and was released on 15th August. I am quite interested in ships and shipbuilding, and know about some of the large British shipyards in places like Glasgow, Sunderland, Liverpool, Barrow-in-Furness, Bristol and Plymouth. I hadn't realised that Jersey was such a significant shipbuilding centre. The Jersey Post website explains: "During the 19th century, Jersey was a central hub for shipbuilding due to the need of vessels for global voyagers, cod fishing, wartime and local trade. Jersey’s no-taxation policy and plentiful harbours provided an excellent opportunity for the island to produce world-class, high-quality ships for a fraction of the cost from larger exporters such as Britain.

"To give an overall view of the industry, Jersey Post’s Philatelic department have included insights into the islands’ shipyards, three acclaimed ships and a prominent shipyard owner whose yard built ‘The Gemini’ a world-class vessel which has made an appearance on Jersey’s 1993 pound coin.

"As someone who learnt how to build boats and vessels during his early life and continues the skill as a side hobby, artist Martin Mörck was well placed to illustrate this issue. When discussing his thoughts on ships Martin often quotes his father who said: 'Only two things in the world have to be created in perfect harmony, music and ships.'" The stamps depict a variety of ships, places and people. Elisha Tupper (80p) - The Elisha Tupper was a 280-ton ship launched in 1789 at Bel Royal. She was built for a ship-owning family called the Janvrins, who had supplied the oak. She was named after a different ship-owning family from Guernsey, so maybe the two families were working together? Daniel Le Vesconte (£1.20) - Daniel Le Vesconte was a 19th-century shipbuilder in Jersey. He managed a shipyard at First Tower and was responsible for constructing several famous ships including Gemini and Victoria. Matilda Vattenback (£1.35) - Matilda Vattenback was a clipper built at St Helier and launched in 1853. She traded between Liverpool and Australia - and, later, India. Shipyard locations (£1.90) - This is a map of the shipyard locations in Jersey. Gorey Shipyard (£2.30) - Gorey was a shipyard that produced large vessels, including the 265-ton Montrose. Gorey Castle is in the background. Percy Douglas (£3.00) - The Perry Douglas was another trading ship that connected Britain with teh Far East. It has previously appeared on Jersey £1 coins. Design Quality - I think this is a really strong design that reflects both history and the maritime tradition. I love that it has been created by an artist who understands ships and shipbuilding. There are lots of interesting details and the line drawings are really effective and allow for the use of historical maps as backgrounds. This set has been designed with a lot of care and by someone passionate about teh subject, and it shows. 9/10

Theme and Subject Choice - it's a good theme and clearly Jersey's shipbuilding heritage deserves to be celebrated. The ships, people and places depicted all have a strong connection with Jersey. However, it is not the first time Jersey has issued a set of stamps celebrating shipbuilding, having previously released a shipbuilding issue in 1992. 6/10

The 1992 Shipbuilding in Jersey issue.

Historical and Cultural Relevance - I don't think there is very much doubt about the historical and cultural relevance. It's a hugely important part of Jersey's history. 10/10

Innovation and Creativity - I think the designer, Martin Mörck, has done very well here and has been incredibly creative. Compare the 2025 issue with the 1992 shipbuilding set - it's fair to see he has been so much more inventive and in doing so has been able to bring bring the past to life more effectively. The limited use of colour really works. 9/10

Collectability - I think these are quite collectable. There are thematic collectors who specialise in ships and others collect maritime stamps more generally. I also think they will appeal to people who are interested in local history. 9/10

Personal Appeal - I really like these and I would say this one of the best stamp issues I have seen for a while. The artwork is really beautiful. I really like the sense of history. Clearly Jersey is very proud of its shipbuilding past and rightly so. Having Martin Mörck create the stamps was clearly a masterstroke and his knowledge of ships really shines through. 9/10

Overall score: 54/60