Norseman – Life-sized bronze commissioned sculpture by Robert C Hitchcock
(The below is quoted from the plaque accompanying the statue)
Hello! My name is “Norseman”
The horse credited with the birth of this town
This sculpture was erected in February 1990
Sculptor – Mr Robert Hitchcock
Perth, Western Australia
Plaque :
Brief history of the horse called “Norseman”
This life-size bronze sculpture of the horse called “Norseman” was erected by an elected fundraising body of Norseman residents to perpetuate the memory of the horse and the early pioneers of the town.
The History of the Western Australian Goldfields records the story of a discovery of Norseman by Laurie Sinclair on the 13th August, 1894. Mr Sinclair was one of the six founders of Norseman which also included his brother George Sinclair, Mr Allsop, Mr Ramsey, Mr Talbot, and Mr Goodlife.
The story told, recounts Mr Sinclair`s horse “Norseman” pawing up a very rich specimen of gold-bearing ore on that fateful day, and from it came another chapter from the rush that never ended was born, and the town came into being.
Mr Laurie Sinclair originally came from the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland and was proud to call himself a Norseman. Mr Laurie Sinclair called his horse “Norseman” after the Clan Norseman and named the new goldfield, Norseman, after his horse.
While Mr Sinclair and his mates personified that breed of men, the prospector, who pioneered the west and are commemorated in part by Paddy Hannan in Kalgoorlie and Russian Jack in Halls Creek. The sculpture of the horse ” Norseman” seeks to commemorate the animals who laboured just as hard in the opening of our State. They were companions as well as beasts of burden to our pioneers.
