A P Roger - Guernsey Silversmith

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This is Adolphe Peter Roger, a silversmith working in Guernsey since at least 1888.


A P Roger - Guernsey - 1902


A P Roger - Guernsey - 1904

He is perhaps most well-known for retailing the 'Guernsey Milk Can' jugs, a popular souvenir purchased by visitors to the Channel Isles. Although he may well have made some of these items at sometime in his career, I've never seen one that was not made and assayed in Birmingham. However, Adolphe Roger did enter marks at the London Assay Office from 8, 8a, 10 & 12, Commercial Arcade, St Peter Port, Guernsey in 1905, so perhaps some pieces were made by his hand.


A P Roger - Retailer mark

Oddly enough, in the two standard works on Channel Island silver, 'Silver in the Channel Islands' by Frederick Cohen & Nicholas Du Quesne Bird and 'Channel Islands Silver' by Richard Mayne, neither appear to have any mention of Adolphe Roger. This may be because he was more known as a retailer.

One other claim to fame that Aldolphe Roger holds, in 1900, his was the first shop in Guernsey to be lit by electricity.

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Detail of an A P Roger's retail box that contains a pair of salts manufactured by George Nathan & Ridley Hayes and assayed at Chester in 1900.




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An 1881 advertisement from Adolphe Roger that places him in business earlier than first thought:


A Roger - Guernsey - 1881

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Adolphe Roger was deceased by 1917. The Comonwealth War Graves Commission certificate relating to his son, Adolphe Stanley Roger, records:

In memory of Adolphe Stanley Roger, 12/3798, 1st Bn., Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F., who died age 27 on 24th October 1917. Only son of Mrs. M.L. Roger of 45, Heathwood Road, Winton, Bournemouth, England, and the late A.P. Roger, of Guernsey. Remembered with honour. Brookwood Military Cemetry.

See: http://www.greatwarci.net/honour/guerns ... okwood.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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[dognose]

ROBBERY OF JEWELERY ON BOARD SHIP

Inquiries are being made concerning a robbery of jewellery which has taken place on board the South-Western Company's steamer 'Dora'. A box of Jewellery was on board, addressed to Mr Roger a jeweller at Guernsey, and when about to be landed was discovered empty, excepting a clasp-knife in one corner. Whether the contents of the box were extracted at the Guernsey or Southampton side of the Channel has not yet been ascertained.

Source: The Star - 7th January 1893

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Part of an article published in 1961 by the Watchmaker, Jeweller & Silversmith magazine.


Mr. P. Martel, M.C., at the main counter of A.P. Roger Ltd. where he is a director.

The oldest of the Guernsey jewellery firms is A.P.Roger Ltd., who face David Pay across the Commercial Arcade. The business was founded by a trader of that name in 1873 and is now administered by his grandson, Mr. P.C. Martel, and a daughter of the founder, Mrs. Wharmby. The shop is traditional, and the windows and fittings are the original ones. All the staff recall with reverence the former manager, Mr. Boucher, who retired last year after 56 years service. He was a link with the bygone days when it was the custom of the local gentry to foregather in the shop before taking their morning coffee. At that time the male staff were uniformed in morning suits out of which changed during the lunch hour into lounge suits for the afternoon. Female staff also had a daily change of uniform, from black frocks and aprons in the morning to black silk dresses in the afternoon. Another charming custom revolved round young engaged couples who came to "choose the ring." They were conducted to a room on the first floor and were left to make their choice in private over a glass of sherry provided by the management. A unique feature of the shop is the "torpedo" which travels through the ceiling above the main counter to the first and second floor watch and jewellery repair departments. The torpedo is a pointed capsule, slung on a chain pulley, and enables repairs to be sent upstairs, estimated quickly, and returned by the same route while the customer waits. The salesman is thus freed from frequent journeys upstairs.

Roger's now have a second-hand department which was started during the Occupation. In those days the islanders, cut off from their usual sources of income, were forced to sell their jewellery for food. The customers were the German soldiery who were overcharged at every opportunity.

Source: Watchmaker, Jeweller & Silversmith - April 1961

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Link to the Daily Telegraph obituary to Philip Martel M.C., (b.17-12-1914 - d.23-2-2012) who passed away earlier this year:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... artel.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Detail from the interior of a sale box from A.P. Roger:



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Example of the maker's mark of A.P. Roger, noted on an item assayed at London in 1900:



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Presentations. On October 31st, Mr. Vanwymersch, on behalf of the choir of St. Joseph's, presented Miss McGregor, of Melrose, with a handsome solid silver five o'clock tea service, in case, as a token of appreciation of her long and valued services to the church. The gift, which was supplied from the establishment of Mr. A. P. Roger, jeweller and silversmith, Commercial Arcade, bears the following inscription: "Presented to Miss McGregor by the Choir of St. Joseph's, on the occasion of her approaching marriage."

Source: The Guernsey Magazine: A Monthly Illustrated Journal of Useful Information, Instruction, and Entertainment - Volume 17 - 1889

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[Essexboy Fisher]

Hello, this appears to be a teaspoon box of this A.P.Roger concern. It was associated with some 1975 Birmingham made spoons. Those spoons seemed to be by an "unknown" maker whose mark has been noted previously 1975- 1981. I do not know if the box and spoons were always together though.



Fishless