Victory Green

Victory Green is a stretch of land alongside the harbour wall, a tranquil lawn with two wooden benches (dedicated by Prince Edward on his visit in 2007).  Upland geese are often found congregating on the green with Falklands’ flightless steamer ducks, Patagonian crested ducks and kelp geese picking their way along the shore, below the sea wall, at low tide. The mizzen mast from the SS Great Britain lies at the west end of the green.  There are cannons from Port Louis, caronades (with bigger bores into which any ammunition can be put).  

There are ceremonial saluting guns, still fired on Remembrance Day (11 November) and 21 April (the actual birthday of Her Majesty The Queen).  

Behind Victory Green are the cottages of Marmont Row, formerly the site of the Eagle Inn and later the Ship Hotel.  The well-known actress, Ellaline Terriss (1871-1971) was born here and lived to be 100, dying in England.  She was the daughter of ‘Breezy Bill’ Lewin (later Terriss), who tried his hand at farming before returning to England.  She became the wife of the actor-manager, Sir Seymour Hicks (1871-1949).  This was also the site of the Uplands Goose Hotel, much favoured by journalists during the 1982 war.  That hotel was bought by Des King in 1969.