Description:
Obelisk on a Plinth, on the site of the Cook’s family cottage in Bridge Street, Great Ayton. Both obelisk and plinth are built of granite blocks. It is a replica of an obelisk which stands at Point Hicks, Australia.
The obelisk comprises 39 pieces of stone, weighing approximately 13 tons. These were dispatched from Australia on the s.s. Hobson’s Bay for erection on the site. The monument measures 13 feet high, on an eight feet square base.
History:
The granite blocks for the obelisk were quarried from Point Hicks (formerly Cape Everard), and the stones were fashioned by stonemasons at Melbourne before being shipped to England for building at Great Ayton.
Unveiled on Monday 15th October 1934 by Mrs Linton, wife of Hon Richard Linton, Agent-General for Victoria. Australia.
The cottage was built by Cook’s parents in 1755, so probably James Cook did not live there. James Cook had moved to Staithes in 1744.
The cottage, which had been purchased by Mr Russell Grimwade, was dismantled in 1934, and the stones shipped to Melbourne, Australia, where it was rebuilt at Fitzroy Park, Melbourne.
About the same time as this monument was unveiled, the cottage was reopened in Melbourne, Australia.
Inscriptions:
(Tablet on the front of the obelisk)
LIEUTENANT JAMES COOK RN
OF THE ENDEAVOUR
FIRST SIGHTED AUSTRALIA NEAR THIS POINT
WHICH HE NAMED POINT HICKS
AFTER LIEUTENANT ZACHARY HICKS
WHO FIRST SAW THE LAND
APRIL 19TH (SHIP’S LOG DATE)
APRIL 20TH (CALENDAR DATE)
1770
(Tablet on the plinth at the base)
THIS MONUMENT
IS MADE OF STONES HEWN FROM THE ROCKS OF
CAPE EVERARD CLOSE TO POINT HICKS VICTORIA
AND IS A FACSIMILE OF THE MEMORIAL ERECTED THERE
IT HERE MARKS THE SITE OF
CAPTAIN COOK’S COTTAGE
REMOVED TO MELBOURNE IN VICTORIA’S CENTENARY YEAR
1934
PRESENTED BY W.RUSSELL GRIMWADE
OS Grid Reference NZ 565115
References:
Thornton, Cliff. Captain Cook in Cleveland. Tempus Publishing Ltd. 2006.
Website www.hidden-teesside.co.uk/category/captain-cook/
Leeds Mercury, Monday 15th October 1934. p.7.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Tuesday 16th October 1934. p.4.
Image gallery (click to enlarge)