James Cook

James Cook (October 27, 1728 – February 14, 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, and map maker. He made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, in which its main shorelines were mapped. His most notable accomplishments were the discoveries of the east coast of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the mapping of New Zealand.

Early Life

James Cook was born in relatively humble circumstances at Marton in North Yorkshire, near what is today recognised as the town of Middlesborough. Cook was one of five children born to a local woman and a Scottish immigrant farm labourer, Grace and James Sr. As a child, Cook moved with his family to a farm at Great Ayton where he was educated at the local school, his studies financed by his father's employer. At 13 he began work with his father, now as the farm's manager.

Related Topics:
Marton - North Yorkshire - Middlesborough - Scottish - Great Ayton

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1745 when he was 16, Cook left home to be apprenticed in a grocer/haberdashery in the fishing village of Staithes. According to tradition, it was there that Cook first felt the lure of the sea, while gazing out the shop window.

Related Topics:
1745 - Grocer - Haberdasher - Staithes - Sea

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After about a year and half in Staithes the shopowner, a Mr. Anderson, apparently finding the young James unsuited to the trade, took him to the nearby port town of Whitby and introduced him to prominent local shipowners and Quakers, John and Henry Walker. Their business was involved in the coal trade, and Cook was taken on as a merchant navy apprentice in their small fleet of vessels plying coal along the English coast. His first assignment was aboard the collier Freelove, and he spent several years on this and various other coasters sailing between the Tyne and London.

Related Topics:
Whitby - Quakers - Merchant navy - Collier - Coasters - The Tyne - London

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For this new apprenticeship, Cook applied himself to the study of algebra, trigonometry, navigation, and astronomy, skills he would need one day to command his own ship.

Related Topics:
Algebra - Trigonometry - Navigation - Astronomy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His three-year apprenticeship completed, Cook began working on trading ships in the Baltic Sea. He soon progressed through the merchant navy ranks, starting with his 1752 promotion to Mate (officer in charge of navigation) aboard the collier brig Friendship. In 1755 he was offered command of this vessel, but within the month he volunteered for service in the British Royal Navy.

Related Topics:
Baltic Sea - 1752 - Brig - 1755 - Royal Navy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Kingdom of Great Britain was re-arming for what was to become the Seven Years War, and Cook saw his opportunities for career advancement more readily to come from military service. This necessitated however starting over in the naval hierarchy, and on June 17 he began as able-bodied seaman aboard HMS Eagle under the command of Captain Hugh Palliser. He was very quickly promoted to Master's Mate.

Related Topics:
Seven Years War - June 17 - Able-bodied seaman - HMS ''Eagle'' - Hugh Palliser

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~