Hugo relative unveils 'rejuvenated' statue
VICTOR HUGO'S great- great-grandson paid tribute to Guernsey yesterday afternoon as he unveiled a spruced-up statue of the world-famous writer.
Jean-Baptiste Hugo, pictured right, said the island had given his great-great-grandfather sanctuary and it had been an honour to lift the French flag off the Candie Gardens monument to reveal it.
'I can only be deeply grateful to the island of Guernsey for enabling him to go so far and reach so high with his genius,' Monsieur Hugo said.
'The statue is made of beautiful granite. It is very moving for me to be here to know that several members of my family were here in 1914.'
The monument was first unveiled at Candie Gardens on 7 July 1914.
The ceremony held yesterday celebrated the centenary of that event and the statue was rejuvenated to mark the anniversary.
Hundreds of islanders and French visitors attended as well as States representatives and French delegates.