APPENDIX B.

DANIEL DE LISLE BROCK, ESQ.

BAILIFF OF GUERNSEY.

This able magistrate, the third son of John Brock, Esq., was born in Guernsey on the 10th December, 1762, and closed a long and useful career on Saturday evening, the 24th September, 1842, at the age of 79 years and nearly 10 months. After receiving such rudiments of education as the island could furnish in those days, he was placed at Alderney, to learn the French language, under M. Vallatt, a Swiss protestant clergyman, and a man of talent, who was afterwards rector of St. Peter-in-the-Wood, in Guernsey. From Alderney he was sent to a school at Richmond, in Surrey, where he remained only two years, as at the early age of fourteen he went to Dinan with his father, who died there. The early death of his parent was an irreparable loss to the son, as it was the cause of his not returning to school, where he had already shown that he possessed a vigour of intellect much beyond his years. His two elder brothers were in the army, and the pardonable fondness of his mother induced her to retain at home the only one of her sons, who could in some measure replace the counsels of her husband.

In 1785, he went by sea to the Mediterranean, and spent upwards of a year in visiting Spain, Malta, Sicily, Italy, Switzerland, and France. In 1798, he was elected jurat of the Royal Court; and the greater part, if not the whole, of the public documents of that body, were from that period written by him. In 1821, he obtained the high and responsible appointment of bailiff, or chief magistrate of Guernsey.

"It has been truly said that the history of Guernsey, for the last fifty years, was, in fact, the history of Daniel De Lisle Brock. So exclusively has the better part of Mr. Brock's life been devoted to the service of his country—so completely have his affections been wrapped up in her welfare—so ardently, so zealously, and so unceasingly has he laboured to promote her prosperity and to protect her privileges—and so intimately has he been connected with all the important occurrences of the period alluded to—that in reading the history of the island, we read the history of this the most able and devoted of its friends."

Between the years 1804 and 1810, Mr. Brock was deputed by the States and Royal Court of Guernsey no less than four times, as their representative to government, in matters connected with the trade and privileges of the island; and he also went once to Jersey, to confer with the Royal Court there on the same subject. In these missions, Mr. Brock distinguished himself by his luminous and argumentative papers,[161] and the authority of the Royal Court was happily preserved intact by his representations and unremitting exertions.

"In 1821, an act of parliament having been passed prohibiting the importation of foreign corn into the Channel Islands, whenever its entry for consumption was prohibited in England, to wit, until it reached the price of 80s. per quarter, Mr. Brock was again deputed to London to contend against a measure fraught with such fatal consequences to the islands, and at the same time to obtain some modifications in the navigation laws. Mr. Brock, who was essentially assisted in this business by Mr. James Carey, jurat, succeeded in both these objects. The obnoxious corn law was repealed so far as the Channel Islands were concerned, and some important privileges conceded to their trade and navigation, especially in granting them free intercourse with the British colonies, and the American continent and islands. So highly were these last services appreciated, that when Mr. Brock returned to Guernsey, on the 24th July, 1822, he was received with unexampled enthusiasm. On landing in the morning, he was saluted with deafening cries of "Brock for ever!" "Long may he live!" &c. The public joy was manifested on this occasion in many different ways. The shipping in the harbour hoisted their flags; crowns and garlands of flowers, flags, loaves of bread, with ears of corn, were tastefully arranged, and suspended in almost every street; mottos and devices, expressive of unbounded gratitude, were exhibited in every direction, and in the greatest variety; and the church bells throughout the island rang merry peals during the day. Bands of music paraded the town, followed by crowds, on whose happy countenances "Mirth, admit me of thy crew," was expressed. The musicians wore various coloured bands round their hats, with the motto of "Long live Bailiff Brock!" They surrounded a banner crowned with flowers, bearing the following inscription:

"The grateful inhabitants of Guernsey, to the worthy Bailiff,
DANIEL DE LISLE BROCK.
Happy is he who labours to promote the happiness of his fellow
citizens.
He will secure their eternal gratitude. They will unceasingly
exclaim: 'May God preserve oar friend, our benefactor, and our
parent.'"

"This inscription having been borne in triumph in every part of the town, was presented to the object of well-merited praise, and accepted. Preparations had been made by the militia bands to receive this distinguished patriot at the landing place; but their good intentions were thwarted, in consequence of the early hour at which the arrival took place. At a public meeting of the inhabitants, it was determined to present a piece of plate to Mr. Brock, as a testimony of the value attached to his public services, and in the hope that this faint evidence of their attachment might serve to stimulate others to follow his steps, and might descend as a memorial to his posterity. Upwards of £300 were quickly raised for this purpose, and other less valuable, but not less gratifying, testimonials were presented to him. Nor was Jersey less grateful, as a public meeting was held in the town of St. Helier, when the thanks of the island and a handsome piece of plate were unanimously voted to him."