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Captain James Cook Statue
Captain James Cook Statue

Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams / Kent Watson / Russell Byers

The statue commemorates Captain James Cook (1728 - 1779) who explored, charted and claimed the east coast of Australia for the British Empire in 1770.  It was erected by public subscription supplemented by government grants. In Sydney it was estimated that more than 60,000 people attended the unveiling and 12,000 joined the procession.

Captain James Cook claimed the whole of the east coast of Australia for Great Britain on 22 August 1770, naming eastern Australia, 'New South Wales.'

[From Our Sydney Correspondent]. SYDNEY. 7.30 p.m. The ceremony of unveiling Captain Cook's statue took place today, and was a great success. The procession was composed of marines, volunteers, and friendly societies, and was the largest ever seen in Sydney. The ceremony was witnessed by about 60,000 people. Two hundred children sang the National Anthem. His Excellency the Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, unveiled the statue; and; in doing so, made a speech, in which he gave a narrative of Cook's life, and characterised him as a humane, just, and God-fearing man. He added that it would be well for the youth of Australia to imitate his nobility of character.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW), 
26 February 1879.

Location

Address:Park & Elizabeth Streets, Hyde Park, Sydney, 2000
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.874194
Long: 151.211917
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Designer:Thomas Woolner
Monument Manufacturer:Cox & Sons, Thomas Ditton Foundry (England).

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 25th February, 1879
Front Inscription

Captain Cook.

This statue was erected by public subscription assisted by a grant from the New South Wales Government

2879

Plaque :

This plaque marks the site of a previous plaque which disappeared in November 1991 and had the following inscription : 

"This tablet was affixed by the Yorkshire Society of NSW as their tribute to the memory of Captain James Cook. 1908" 

Councillor Frank Sartor  Lord Mayor
Sydney City Council  1994

 

 

Left Side Inscription

Born at Marton in Yorkshire

1728

Back Inscription

Discovered this territory

1770

Right Side Inscription

KIlled at Owhyee

1779

Source: MA,H
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au