Grace Darling was a sassy 19th century heroine and celebrity, feted by socialites and adventure- seeking folks worldwide. In 1838, after spotting a shipwreck from her Northumberland Lighthouse home, the 22-year-old maiden rowed out to sea, saving nine sailors and sending the Victorian version of the paparazzi into a flap. On that day an English rival to the legend of Joan of Arc was born, and � with the twin advantages of being better dressed and still alive � began to kick the French lady�s butt in three directions. William Wordsworth wrote a poem, The Queen sent 50 quid, someone immortalized her achievements in song � and, before anyone had heard of Britney Spears, Grace began selling off bits of her hair.

After yielding to consumption (and not the Saturday night kind) Grace Darling had a hotel named after her in downtown Collingwood � officially opened by a Tassy Politician in 1854 with luminaries such as Squizzy Taylor knocking the froth off a few at the launch party.