Alderney

Alderney is the most northern of the Channel Islands. It chose independence from France back in 1204 when it declared its loyalty to the Duke of Normandy. Over the following years Alderney developed very slowly and was very much its own entity, not having much to do with the rest of the world. However, this changed in the 19th century when the British came to fortify the island. A harbour was built on which to deter incoming attacks from the French. There was an influx of both English and Irish labourers as well as the garrison that were already there, leading to rapid anglicisation of Alderney at this time. The harbour was never actually completed and remains a landmark on the island being the largest breakwater in the UK.

During the Second World War the island was occupied by German forces. Nearly all of the islanders living there at the time fled before the Germans arrived, leaving on 6 still there. The Germans built four concentration camps on Alderney in which over 700 people lost their lives. They used forced labour to build concrete foundations, gun emplacements, air shelters and bunkers. The Germans surrendered the island in May 1945 and it wasn't until December of the same year that islanders began to return.

The 20th century was a time of great change for Alderney. It is now nearly completed anglicized. In the late 1930's the islands airport was built and it has gone from drawing most of its income from agriculture, to finding profit in the field of tourism and finance. Unfortunately the last speaker of the Alderney language, called Auregnais, passed away in the 20th century. It was a language thought to be a dialect from Norman times.