Description:
On the Causeway, Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the statue of Cook stands with his back to the Inner Harbour and facing the Empress Hotel. It is placed on a granite plinth which is two metres high.
The statue is a cold cast fibreglass sculpture, a cast of the original bronze one in Whitby, Yorkshire, England.
History:
Installed to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Cook’s departure on his third voyage in 1776.
Unveiled 12th July 1976 by Hon. Wm Richards Bennett, Premier of the Province of British Columbia.
Commissioned by the Victoria Environmental Enhancement Foundation. The Foundation no longer exists, and the Monument is now under the care of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
In November 2016 the statue was removed for reburbishment, and to replace the compass dividers which had been stolen some years ago and used to be held in the statue’s right hand.
Restoration was carried out by local sculptor Nathan Scott, who cold cast new dividers in bronze.
The refurbished statue was placed back on its plinth in January 2017.
Inscription:
On the front of the plinth:
CAPT. JAMES COOK, R.N.
1728-1779
AFTER TWO HISTORIC VOYAGES TO THE SOUTH
PACIFIC COOK WAS CRUISING THE WATERS OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON HIS THIRD AND FINAL
VOYAGE. WITH HIS TWO SHIPS, RESOLUTION AND
DISCOVERY. HE WAS SEARCHING FOR THE WEST-
ERN EXIT TO THE LEGENDARY NORTHWEST
PASSAGE, IN MARCH 1778 THEY PUT INTO
NOOTKA SOUND FOR REPAIRS AND TO TRADE
WITH THE NATIVE PEOPLE. WITH HIM ON THE
VOYAGE WERE MR WILLIAM BLIGH AS MASTER
OF THE RESOLUTION AND MIDSHIPMAN GEORGE
VANCOUVER.
THE STATUE WAS COMMISSIONED BY
THE VICTORIA ENVIRONMENTAL
ENHANCEMENT FOUNDATION
AND UNVEILED BY
THE HONORABLE
WILLIAM RICHARDS BENNETT
PREMIER OF THE PROVINCE OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
JULY 12, 1976
Latitude/Longitude: 48°25’11”N, 123°22’13”W
References:
Cook’s Log, page 1677, vol. 22, no. 4 (1999)
Cook’s Log, page 23, vol. 31, no. 4 (2008)
Cook’s Log, page 39, vol. 34, no. 1 (2011)
Cook’s Log, page 35, vol. 34, no. 2 (2011
Cook’s Log, page 2, vol. 39, no. 1 (2016)
Cook’s Log, page 5, vol. 40, no. 1 (2017
Cook’s Log, page 42, vol. 40, no. 1 (2017)
Cook’s Log, page 14, vol. 40, no. 2 (2017)
Website: www.timescolonist.com
Image gallery (click to enlarge)