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James Cook was born in Marton, England.
His parents' names were James and Grace Cook. -
James and his family moved to Great Ayton.
James would have attended the local school, while his father worked as a farm labourer. -
Cook went to work in a grocery shop in Staithes.
It is here where Cook would have experienced, for the first time, life in a small but busy fishing village. The lure of the sea eventually contributed to James finding employment on a ship. -
James became an apprentice to a ship owner in Whitby, transporting coal between Newcastle and London.
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Cook joined the Royal Navy as an able seaman.
He fought in the seven year war against the French. -
Cook returned to England and married Elizabeth Batts.
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First son, James was born.
Died 1774 -
Second son, Nathanial was born.
Died 1780 -
First daughter, Elizabeth was born.
Died 1771. -
Cook and his crew of nearly 100 men left Plymouth in the Endeavour.
The purpose of this voyage was to observe the transit of venus, but Cook was secretly given orders, from the King, to search for the Great Southern Continent. -
Third son, Joseph was born.
Died 1768. -
Captain Cook landed in Rio de Janiero.
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Cook achored his ship at Matavai Bay, Tahiti.
It is here where Captain Cook observed the Transit of Venus. -
Cook circumnavigated New Zealand.
Cook was the first to accurately chart the whole of the coastline of New Zealand and discovered that New Zealand consisted of two main islands. -
Cook started to chart the east coast of Australia.
The Endeavour landed for the first time in what is now known as Botany Bay. Sir Joseph Banks (A Botanist) recorded and took samples of many new spieces of fauna and flora. -
The ship struck the Great Barrier Reef and sustained damage.
The ship was anchored off what is now know as Cooktown while it was repaired. It is here where the first kangaroo was sighted. -
More repairs were done in Batavia, Java.
Many of the crew died from dieases. -
The Endeavour's final stop, Cape Town, South Africa.
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Captain Cook arrived back in England, just off Kent.
The voyage successfully recorded the Transit of Venus. Cook charted the islands of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia and the scientists and artists made unique records of the peoples, flora and fauna of the different lands visited. -
Fourth son, George was born.
Died 1772. -
Captain Cook set sail from Britain once again in search of the Great Southern Continent.
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Cook arrived back at Portsmouth, England.
The second voyage was one of the greatest journeys of all time. During the three years the ships’ crews had remained healthy and only four of the Resolution’s crew had died. Cook disproved the idea of the Great Southern Continent; had become the first recorded explorer to cross the Antarctic Circle; and had charted many Pacific islands for the first time. -
Fifth son, Hugh was born.
Died 1793. -
Cook sailed in a repaired Resolution to search for the North West Passage.
This passage would provide a fast route to China to secure trading opportunities between the two countries. -
Cook sailed east, arriving at Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania).
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Returned to the Hawaiian Islands.
After a short period spent searching for the Northwest Passage Cook realised that it was too late in the year to make any progress and so sailed for warmer winter quarters in the Hawaiian Islands, arriving there in December 1778. -
Cook killed by Hawaiian Natives.
When Cook left Hawaii his ships ran into gales which broke a mast, forcing him to return to Kealakekua Bay for repairs on 11th February. This time the native people were less friendly and stole the cutter of the Discovery. The next day, the 14th February 1779, Cook went ashore to take the Hawaiian king into custody pending the return of the cutter but a fight developed and Cook, four of his marines and a number of natives were killed. Cook’s remains were buried at sea in Kealakekua Bay. -
The ships, Resolution and Discovery, arrived home in England.
The voyage was written up and published and Cook’s life was gradually commemorated in articles, books, medals and monuments.
