Trevor Le Cornu – Jersey’s shell whisperer

As we launch our iconic Ormer collection, made from Jersey mother of pearl, we talk to a third generation ‘ormerer’ about this important Jersey tradition.

 

Ormer, the Jersey name for abalone shell, has been gathered in Jersey for centuries. Its mother of pearl is uniquely sandy-coloured, holding rainbows of light. This precious ocean gem has been traditionally used for everything from shirt buttons to impressive inlay on furniture and musical instruments. Today, searching for ormers is a dying art – one that is strictly controlled to protect this endangered marine species. There are only a handful of skilled practitioners left, and Trevor Le Cornu is one such man. Born in Jersey to a farming family, he’s almost as rare a find as an ormer, as he’s a third generation ormerer.

Trevor’s father was a child during the Occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II. Food was scarce, and he became skilled at hiding his catch of ormers in his boots, socks and vest, so he could feed his large family. The German soldiers would routinely search the fishermen and confiscate their entire catch, so Trevor’s father left a few ormers in his sack for credibility, while he limped awkwardly back home with his precious ormers stuck to his legs and chest under his clothing.

Le Cornu was just five years old when he first went with his father on an ormering expedition to L’Etacq, with its rocky shores that had shipwrecked many vessels over the years. Because he was so young, his father hadn’t expected Le Cornu to find any ormers, but the young boy soon found one – a moment that stays with him to this day.

‘I remember being proud of my find and I also recall the shock from my father who had sent me off not actually expecting me to be successful.  My reward was eating the ormer that evening – gently fried in Jersey butter and served with potatoes and green beans!’

Over the years, Le Cornu learned the ormerer’s ways. ‘My father taught me to hide from other fishermen, diverting from the route of my favourite ormering location to mislead the competition. Sometimes it was a seriously long diversion. Sometimes, I walked out of a deep pool holding an ormer I’d caught previously, just to try to get others to waste time fishing that pool on the next tide!’

On average, Le Cornu goes twice a year to search for ormers, expecting to catch just six on each trip. But ensuring this comparatively small success isn’t easy. Aside from stealth, Le Cornu has a list of qualities needed for ormering. Chief of these is a keen eye – to be able to differentiate between a rock and an ormer, which, although it would seem obvious, is difficult because of the ormer’s excellent natural camouflage. An ormerer also must be physically fit enough to walk for hours, following the tide out to sea as he clambers over large rocks and turns them. Lastly, persistence is a must; a catch isn’t guaranteed, and the ormerer must be determined to continue the search, until his luck changes.

‘Part of my enjoyment,’ says Le Cornu, ‘is the fact that you have to work so hard to get them. I also have fond memories of my father teaching me where they are most likely to be found.’

Le Cornu’s master skills are a great match for Jersey Pearl – as an ethical company we are committed to practises that protect the natural environment. Our ormer jewellery is sourced sustainably making it a truly unique and wonderful way of celebrating Jersey’s cultural heritage.

Discover the Ormer collection here.

Fascinated by ormers? Here are some quick facts:

Ormers are abalones – nacreous, single-shelled gastropod molluscs, which are basically marine snails.

 

They grow naturally all over the world, including the Channel Islands. Their highest concentration is around Jersey and the Brittany coast.

 

Much like limpets, they use a ‘foot’ to attach to the seabed and so are found exclusively on rocks and boulders.

 

An ormer will take three to four years to grow to 9cm in length, and a fully mature ormer can reach 15.5cm. They have a long lifespan, achieving more than​ 15 years in the right conditions.

Share:

More Posts

Free stringing workshop  

October 24th and 29th are now sold out! Don’t miss out on the last few sessions on October 26 at Jersey Pearl St Ouen, where

Free Pick and Mix Bracelet

From October 22nd to November 5th, Jersey Pearl King Street will take part in the Brilliance Festival by offering the sweet opportunity to pick &

Jersey society of artists

Come and enjoy the exhibition, every day from 10am to 4pm Dedicated to the work produced by the local members of the Jersey Society of

Picnic in the park

Enjoy a takeaway picnic in the Jersey National Park  Right on our doorstep, the beautiful park offers a varied landscape for all to enjoy. Granite

Shopping Bag
Scroll to Top

Sign up for
£5 off

Subscribe to our newsletter today and get £5 off your next order! 

By signing up you are agreeing to receiving email marketing updates from Jersey Pearl. Terms and Conditions apply.

quality
Contact Us Online
Contact Our Showroom