Karl Marx. The man who invented Communism in 1848 enjoyed a number of holidays on the island in the 1870's.
In August of 1878 he stayed at the Trafalgar Hotel at St. Aubins. However, in a letter written to fellow Communist Frederick Engles, he stated "We are giving up St. Aubin's because Jessy (Marx's wife) and I have a horror of a monotonous dally lamb and mutton diet, as a result of which I have become a reluctant vegetarian over the past few days".
He then relocated to the Hotel de L'Europe in St.Helier, which is now better known as Chambers.
Claude Debussy, the French composer, holidayed here in July of 1904. He stayed at the Grand Hotel, West Park.
According to Wikipedia Debussy "is considered the most prominent figure working within the style commonly referred to as Impressionist music. Debussy virtually defines the transition from late-Romantic music to twentieth century modernist music". Some of you slightly younger readers may be more aware of him through mention in a Pet Shop Boys lyric.
Victor Hugo. Sometimes referred to as 'The French Shakespeare', Hugo lived in Jersey between 1852 and 1855. He arrived here after being exiled from France during the reign of Napoleon III (the King hadn't taken too kindly to being publically referred to as a traitor by Hugo).
When he first arrived in the island, he stayed at the Pomme D'or Hotel in St.Helier. Soon afterwards he moved to Marine Terrace, at Havre Des Pas. One of his favourite spots for contemplation in the area was a large rock to the right of the slipway, called "Rocher des Proscrits". This is now marked with a plaque.
T.E. Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia) lived here as a boy in the early years of the 20th century. The family home was at Havre des Pas, at the base of the hill running down from Mount Bingham. It's now marked with a plaque.
Some of you may be finding French revolutionaries, Communists and desert war heroes a bit heavy for this hour in the morning, so how about something a little lighter....
In 1952 the 'Sea Devils' was filmed on the island. Starring Rock Hudson it was a tale of smuggling, love and the French Revolution. The film was set in Guernsey, but location shoots took place in Jersey at Gorey and Beauport Bay.
The Monty Python comedy team filmed a number of scenes in the island during 1969 and 1972 for their Monty Python's Flying Circus TV series.
Unfortunately I don't have further location details as the information above came from brief mentions of the island in interviews with John Cleese and the series Producer, who didn't say much more.
In 1978 Jersey Airport was used for scenes in the war movie 'Force 10 From Navarone', starring Robert Shaw and Harrison Ford. The film was the follow-up to the 1961 classic 'The Guns Of Navarone'.
Well, that'll probably do for now. There have also been a host of unlikely musical visitors that arrived on these shores - but not to perform - including Led Zeppelin, Gary Glitter, Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden, but maybe I'll save them for later...
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