About Captain James Cook

James Cook was one of the finest captains and navigators in the history of seafaring. Son of a farm labourer, it was by determination and hard work that he became one of the greatest sailors ever. Thanks to Chris Neumann for this account of Cook’s life.

James Cook was born on Sunday 27 October 1728 in the parish of Marton, then part of North Yorkshire, and christened on Sunday 3 November 1728 in the Parish Church of St Cuthbert at Marton where the baptism entry can still be seen. In 1736 the Cook family moved to Great Ayton and Cook went to the Michael Postgate School paid for by Thomas Skottowe. In 1745 he was apprenticed to a shopkeeper in the North Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes, and there, listening to local fishermens’ tales he became fascinated with the sea. The next year he left Staithes and, walking the 10 miles to the nearby port of Whitby, became an apprentice to Mr John Walker, a Quaker ship owner. Cook lodged with his new master in his house in Grape Lane. He started as a servant, but after studying navigation in the attic of the Grape Lane house, he was appointed mate on one of Walker's colliers. Cook learned his practical seamanship sailing coal-carrying cargo ships from the north east to coal-hungry London.

In 1755 Walker offered Cook command of his own vessel but Cook instead decided to join the Royal Navy. So on Tuesday 17 June 1755, aged 26, he volunteered for the Royal Navy and joined HMS Eagle, a 60 gun line of battle ship as an able seaman. On Thursday 24 July he was promoted to Master’s Mate and two years later on Wednesday 29 June 1757 he passed his Masters exam at Trinity House Deptford. He was appointed Master of HMS Solebay and then of HMS Pembroke, which took him to Nova Scotia in 1758. Here, Britain and France were fighting over their colonial territories in North America. Cook had the good fortune to meet Samuel Holland, a military engineer, who taught Cook plane table surveying, which was the standard method of mapping. Cook now embarked on a career as a hydrographic surveyor charting seas, lakes, rivers and coastlines. His charting of the Traverse in the St Lawrence River led to the fall of Louisburg, the eventual storming of Quebec, and the end of French dominance in Canada.

Surveying is an essential part of making charts (the maps used by sailors) which are so important in ensuring safe voyages. Such was Cook's enthusiasm and ability that, in a letter to the Admiralty, Cook's Commander commended him for his 'genius and capacity' at surveying, and recommended him for further surveying work. In 1763 Cook, by now married, was sent to survey the coast of Newfoundland, and for the next four years he spent much of his life crossing the Atlantic to continue surveying and mapping of the Newfoundland coastline, returning home for the winter months.

On Wednesday 25 May 1768 James Cook, age 39, was promoted to First Lieutenant in command of His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour. He was given orders to sail for the Pacific Ocean where he was instructed to make astronomical observations of the transit of the planet Venus. He sailed through the North Atlantic into the South Atlantic, rounded the fearsome Cape Horn and sailed into the Pacific. After observing the Transit he then opened his secret orders, which instructed him to sail South to 40 degrees latitude. They were looking for the Great South Land (Terra Australis Incognita). If nothing was found he was then to sail west.

At 2pm on Saturday 7 October 1769 Nick Young, a 12 year old cabin boy, sighted land from the top of the mast. It was North Island NZ and it was logged as Young Nick’s Head. Cook then spent 6 months charting New Zealand, to a degree of accuracy little changed today. He then sailed west again and at 6am on Thursday 19 April 1770 Second Lieutenant Zachary Hicks was the first to sight the east coast of Australia. On Saturday 28 April they landed at Sting Rays Harbour, and Cook gave his nephew Isaac Smith the honour of being first person to step ashore. Joseph Banks and Dr Solander were so taken back by the abundant botanical discoveries that they persuaded Cook to rename it Botany Bay, which he did. Cook returned to England in 1771, and after receiving his Commission personally from King George III on Wednesday 14 August 1771, he returned to live in Mile End with his wife Elizabeth, and his two sons James and Nathaniel.

His second voyage of discovery saw him in command of a second Whitby cat, the Resolution. Cook and the Resolution sailed from Plymouth, and took Cook not only into the ferocious storms of the Southern Ocean, but into the waters of Antarctica, after which he sailed through and surveyed the Melanesian and Polynesian Islands, before once again rounding Cape Horn and home via South Africa. At home his magnificent seafaring achievements were recognized with a further promotion to Post Captain, which was conferred on him by King George III on 9 August 1775.

Cook planned a further Pacific expedition, and after only eleven months ashore set sail from the Nore on his final voyage, once again in command of Resolution. It was another remarkable voyage, making landfalls at South Africa, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tahiti, Canada, Alaska, then the Hawaiian Islands. It was off the Hawaiian Islands that the Resolution suffered damage to the foremast and Cook returned to land to carry out repairs. The islanders stole one of the Resolution's smaller boats and Cook led a party of Marines ashore to recover the boat. In the resulting fight, Captain James Cook was killed on Sunday 14 February 1779, aged 50. His remains were buried at sea on Sunday 21 February 1779. His voyages opened up New Zealand and Australia for British colonization, and the surveying and navigational breakthroughs that came from his voyages reinforced the Royal Navy’s place as the naval superpower of the 18th Century.

Cook was a man of firsts. First to circumnavigate the world in a westerly direction.
First to circumnavigate the world in both directions.
First to cross the Arctic and Antarctic circles.
First to eliminate scurvy at sea.
First to calculate his position at sea accurately by using longitude.

A navigator, surveyor, cartographer, mathematician, explorer, astronomer and inspirational leader of men. Had he returned to England Cook would have been knighted and the King wept when he was told of Cook’s death. Cook also had a last. He was the last person to be granted the right to bear arms bestowed by the Sovereign for personal service. His chosen motto was Nil Intentatum Reliquit. Leave nothing unattempted, and Cook certainly did that.

James Cook is Yorkshire’s most famous seafaring son, and it is natural that a sail training boat that sails in the waters where the young Cook learned his seamanship should bear his name. We hope that among the young people who step on the decks of the James Cook, some will go on to be great sailors in the tradition of Cook.

This can only be a short sketch of Cook’s remarkable life. For a more complete account try Captain James Cook, a biography by Richard Gough, Coronet Books, ISBN 0-340-61723-3


Home Voyages 2008 A week on the James Cook How to book About the boat Safety Any questions? JC clothing About Captain James Cook About us Contact us Sponsors Support us Links the webmaster	James Cook was one of the finest captains and navigators in the history of seafaring. Son of a farm labourer, it was by determination and hard work that he became one of the greatest sailors ever. Thanks to Chris Neumann for this account of Cook’s life. James Cook was born on Sunday 27 October 1728 in the parish of Marton, then part of North Yorkshire, and christened on Sunday 3 November 1728 in the Parish Church of St Cuthbert at Marton where the baptism entry can still be seen. In 1736 the Cook family moved to Great Ayton and Cook went to the Michael Postgate School paid for by Thomas Skottowe. In 1745 he was apprenticed to a shopkeeper in the North Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes, and there, listening to local fishermens’ tales he became fascinated with the sea. The next year he left Staithes and, walking the 10 miles to the nearby port of Whitby, became an apprentice to Mr John Walker, a Quaker ship owner. Cook lodged with his new master in his house in Grape Lane. He started as a servant, but after studying navigation in the attic of the Grape Lane house, he was appointed mate on one of Walker's colliers. Cook learned his practical seamanship sailing coal-carrying cargo ships from the north east to coal-hungry London. In 1755 Walker offered Cook command of his own vessel but Cook instead decided to join the Royal Navy. So on Tuesday 17 June 1755, aged 26, he volunteered for the Royal Navy and joined HMS Eagle, a 60 gun line of battle ship as an able seaman. On Thursday 24 July he was promoted to Master’s Mate and two years later on Wednesday 29 June 1757 he passed his Masters exam at Trinity House Deptford. He was appointed Master of HMS Solebay and then of HMS Pembroke, which took him to Nova Scotia in 1758. Here, Britain and France were fighting over their colonial territories in North America. Cook had the good fortune to meet Samuel Holland, a military engineer, who taught Cook plane table surveying, which was the standard method of mapping. Cook now embarked on a career as a hydrographic surveyor charting seas, lakes, rivers and coastlines. His charting of the Traverse in the St Lawrence River led to the fall of Louisburg, the eventual storming of Quebec, and the end of French dominance in Canada. Surveying is an essential part of making charts (the maps used by sailors) which are so important in ensuring safe voyages. Such was Cook's enthusiasm and ability that, in a letter to the Admiralty, Cook's Commander commended him for his 'genius and capacity' at surveying, and recommended him for further surveying work. In 1763 Cook, by now married, was sent to survey the coast of Newfoundland, and for the next four years he spent much of his life crossing the Atlantic to continue surveying and mapping of the Newfoundland coastline, returning home for the winter months. On Wednesday 25 May 1768 James Cook, age 39, was promoted to First Lieutenant in command of His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour. He was given orders to sail for the Pacific Ocean where he was instructed to make astronomical observations of the transit of the planet Venus. He sailed through the North Atlantic into the South Atlantic, rounded the fearsome Cape Horn and sailed into the Pacific. After observing the Transit he then opened his secret orders, which instructed him to sail South to 40 degrees latitude. They were looking for the Great South Land (Terra Australis Incognita). If nothing was found he was then to sail west. At 2pm on Saturday 7 October 1769 Nick Young, a 12 year old cabin boy, sighted land from the top of the mast. It was North Island NZ and it was logged as Young Nick’s Head. Cook then spent 6 months charting New Zealand, to a degree of accuracy little changed today. He then sailed west again and at 6am on Thursday 19 April 1770 Second Lieutenant Zachary Hicks was the first to sight the east coast of Australia. On Saturday 28 April they landed at Sting Rays Harbour, and Cook gave his nephew Isaac Smith the honour of being first person to step ashore. Joseph Banks and Dr Solander were so taken back by the abundant botanical discoveries that they persuaded Cook to rename it Botany Bay, which he did. Cook returned to England in 1771, and after receiving his Commission personally from King George III on Wednesday 14 August 1771, he returned to live in Mile End with his wife Elizabeth, and his two sons James and Nathaniel. His second voyage of discovery saw him in command of a second Whitby cat, the Resolution. Cook and the Resolution sailed from Plymouth, and took Cook not only into the ferocious storms of the Southern Ocean, but into the waters of Antarctica, after which he sailed through and surveyed the Melanesian and Polynesian Islands, before once again rounding Cape Horn and home via South Africa. At home his magnificent seafaring achievements were recognized with a further promotion to Post Captain, which was conferred on him by King George III on 9 August 1775. Cook planned a further Pacific expedition, and after only eleven months ashore set sail from the Nore on his final voyage, once again in command of Resolution. It was another remarkable voyage, making landfalls at South Africa, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tahiti, Canada, Alaska, then the Hawaiian Islands. It was off the Hawaiian Islands that the Resolution suffered damage to the foremast and Cook returned to land to carry out repairs. The islanders stole one of the Resolution's smaller boats and Cook led a party of Marines ashore to recover the boat. In the resulting fight, Captain James Cook was killed on Sunday 14 February 1779, aged 50. His remains were buried at sea on Sunday 21 February 1779. His voyages opened up New Zealand and Australia for British colonization, and the surveying and navigational breakthroughs that came from his voyages reinforced the Royal Navy’s place as the naval superpower of the 18th Century. Cook was a man of firsts. First to circumnavigate the world in a westerly direction. First to circumnavigate the world in both directions. First to cross the Arctic and Antarctic circles. First to eliminate scurvy at sea. First to calculate his position at sea accurately by using longitude. A navigator, surveyor, cartographer, mathematician, explorer, astronomer and inspirational leader of men. Had he returned to England Cook would have been knighted and the King wept when he was told of Cook’s death. Cook also had a last. He was the last person to be granted the right to bear arms bestowed by the Sovereign for personal service. His chosen motto was Nil Intentatum Reliquit. Leave nothing unattempted, and Cook certainly did that. James Cook is Yorkshire’s most famous seafaring son, and it is natural that a sail training boat that sails in the waters where the young Cook learned his seamanship should bear his name. We hope that among the young people who step on the decks of the James Cook, some will go on to be great sailors in the tradition of Cook. This can only be a short sketch of Cook’s remarkable life. For a more complete account try Captain James Cook, a biography by Richard Gough, Coronet Books, ISBN 0-340-61723-3 James Cook weblinks: The Captain Cook Society Captain Cook Country The Cook Museum, Grape Lane Whitby

		Captain James Cook, RN, FRS, painted by Nathaniel Dance. Many thanks to the National Maritime Museum for permission to reproduce this image.


		The replica HM Bark Endeavour, entering Whitby harbour on 31 March 2004. She is a replica of the Whitby-built ship in which Cook made his first circumnavigation between August 1768 and July 1771.

		Statue of James Cook, RN, FRS, on West Cliff, Whitby.
			Website and photos © Peter McGrath