History of the ownership
Government House is located on St Saviour’s Hill.
It is built on land which was bought by the Reverend Philip Le Breton in 1803 (Rector of St Saviour’s Church) who built a house on the site.
In 1814, Francis Janvrin, a prosperous ship owner, bought the property from the Rector and demolished it. He then built the present Government House on the site and called it Belmont.
In 1822, the Lieutenant-Governor Major General Sir Colin Halkett acquired the house. He was unhappy with the one he lived in, which was in King Street where the New Look shop (previously Woolworths) stands today.
He thought that the Lieutenant-Governor “would at Belmont possess the desirable opportunity of seeing together, without apparent partiality, such of the inhabitants, and strangers, as naturally expected to be invited to Government House”.
During World War II, the house was occupied by the Germans and General von Schmettow lived there as Commandant.
The butler and his wife remained and it was largely due to them that the property remained intact.
Government House today
Today, Government House remains the residence of the Lieutenant-Governor and his wife.
They entertain over 3,000 guests each year at functions in the house and grounds.
Royalty and other important official visitors stay at Government House during their visits to Jersey.
The last time Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla stayed was July 2024 when they were on a 2-day visit to the Channel Islands, carrying out engagements in Jersey on Monday and then onto Guernsey on Tuesday.
Changes to the building
There have been many changes to Government House over the years.
An engraving by P J Ouless dated around 1820 shows a symmetrical villa. There was a porch to the east, but not the present porte cochère. There were 2 storeys, a rather flat roof, and no dormers.
A third storey was added at some point before 1894. Although the third storey added to the size of the house, it did not really fit in with the previous building design.
On the site of the existing stable block, which has now been converted into cottages, there was another house which became absorbed into the property.
The round arch leading into the present kitchen garden may be the only remaining feature of this.