Sometimes you think that you know something, and suddenly that knowledge is turned upside down. Well, that was what happened yesterday in Great Ayton.
The collage shows a model of Cook's Cottage on the left, and the obelisk that now marks it's former location on the right. The cottage was dismantled in 1933 and shipped to Melbourne, Australia where it was rebuilt to commemorate the centenary of Melbourne as a city. But how strong is the link between Captain James Cook, the first European to discover Australia, and this cottage?
James Cook who became the well known explorer left Great Ayton and moved to Staithes in 1745. The cottage wasn't built until 1755. It was built by James Cook, father of the explorer, when he retired. There is no evidence that James Cook the explorer ever lived here, although he may well have visited between his sea voyages.
The cottage eventually passed into the ownership of the Dixon family. In 1929 half of the cottage (the left hand half in this shot) to allow the road past it to be widened. By 1933 the owners decided to sell and the remaining half of the building was auctioned, being bought by Russell Grimwade, a Melbourne councillor and philanthropist. after which it was moved to Melbourne.
The obelisk in the right hand shot is built of granite from near Point Hicks, the first place in Australia seen from Captain Cook's ship. The obelisk was unveiled on the same day that the cottage was opened in Melbourne.
So, that is a little bit of history that I have had to correct in my mind!
Great history tale by those nice pic.`s. Very interresting. Fav.
( Our strugle with water is a never ending story. Years we`ve tried to get with of the many, now we `ve to learn how can we store it. )
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
Thank you too to Babs ( @onewing ) for the link to further information about the rebuilt house in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne. I'm looking forward to reading that later.
The latest discovery that I've made about the moving of the house to Australia is that the furniture for it was sourced through an antique dealer here in York, and shipped along with the house.
( Our strugle with water is a never ending story. Years we`ve tried to get with of the many, now we `ve to learn how can we store it. )
Here is some information from Fitzroy Gardens about the cottage that you may be interested in.
http://www.fitzroygardens.com/Cooks_Cottage_History.htm
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
Thank you too to Babs ( @onewing ) for the link to further information about the rebuilt house in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne. I'm looking forward to reading that later.
The latest discovery that I've made about the moving of the house to Australia is that the furniture for it was sourced through an antique dealer here in York, and shipped along with the house.
Ian
Thank you both. We learned quite a lot as we explored Great Ayton!
Ian