COOK'S COTTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 83, 9 April 1934, Page 15

COOK'S COTTAGE

TRANSFER TO MELBOURNE

AN EMPIRE POSSESSION

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, February 27.

The Port Dunedin left Hull on February 24 for Melbourne with a cargo of 300 wooden cases containing every brick, tile, stone, and timber of tho cottage in which Captain Cook spent his early days at Great Ayton, in Yorkshire. The cottage has become the property of the Victorian Government. On tho land whore tho pottage stood, a granite obelisk will be erected similar to the Cook Obelisk at Cape Everard.

The work of demolition of tho cottago was most carefully carried out. Each stone and brick has been numbered, and will occupy its old position 'when the building is re-erected in the Mtssroy Gardens, Melbourne. It is anticipated that this work will be carried out in time- for Prince George's visit during tho coming MelbourneCentenary celebrations.

The Lord Mayor of Hull, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon (tho late owners of the cottage), and representatives of tho London and North Eastern Railway Company, were present at ,a luncheon on board tho Port Dunedin tho day before she left. Mrs. Dixon stated that she had received other bettor offers for the cottage, but as her family had lived in it for the last 60 years, she had insisted that it should remain within the British Empire. She felt that the fact that the cottage was going to Australia would strengthen the. bonds of friendship between that country and Great Britain.

The Agent-General for Victoria is anxious that anyone who possesses interesting relies of Captain Cook will consider tho possibility of handing them over to the State Government to be housed in tho Cook Museum, in Australia.