Cooks' Cottage facts for kids
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| Established | 15 October 1934 |
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| Location | Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne, Australia |
Cooks' Cottage, also known as Captain Cook's Cottage, is a special old house in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne, Australia. It was built way back in 1755 in a small English village called Great Ayton. Captain James Cook's parents, James and Grace Cook, built it.
Historians are not sure if James Cook, who was born in 1728, ever lived in this specific house. However, he almost certainly visited his parents there many times. In 1934, an Australian named Sir Russell Grimwade bought the cottage and brought it all the way to Melbourne.
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History of the Cottage
Moving a House Across the World
In 1933, the person who owned the cottage decided to sell it. At first, she wanted the house to stay in England. But she was convinced to change her mind, allowing it to be sold to someone within "the Empire." An Australian offer of £800 was accepted. This was much higher than the best local offer of £300.
The cottage was carefully taken apart, brick by brick. All the pieces were packed into 253 cases and 40 barrels. These were then shipped from Hull on a ship called Port Dunedin.
Rebuilding in Melbourne
Cuttings from the ivy growing on the house were also taken. The plan was to plant them when the house was rebuilt in Melbourne. It is not clear if the original plant survived the journey.
Sir Russell Grimwade was a well-known businessman and a generous person. He gave the house as a gift to the people of Victoria. This was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Melbourne's settlement in October 1934. The rebuilding of the cottage was overseen by Percy Meldrum.
A Popular Tourist Spot
As soon as it was rebuilt, Cooks' Cottage became a very popular place for tourists to visit. More work was done on the cottage in 1978 to restore it further. An English cottage garden was also created around the house. This garden helps the cottage look even more like it did in the old days.
What's Inside Cooks' Cottage?
The inside of the cottage is decorated to look like homes from the 1700s. Most of the items inside are not original things that belonged to the Cook family. However, they are all old antiques that show what furniture and items were like during that time. The friendly guides who work there even dress up in old-fashioned clothes from that period.
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See also
- Stewart Park, Middlesbrough – This is where the cottage where Captain James Cook was born used to be.
