-
James Cook was born the son of a labourer in a tiny cottage in Marton in Cleveland. James had a brother, John and two sisters Christiana and Margaret.
-
-
The family moved to Aireyholme farm near the village of Great Ayton where James' father became the bailiff.
-
James attended the nearby Postgate School at Great Ayton. Here Cook learned well, especially arithmetic.
-
James obtainseda position as an assistant in a general dealers shop belonging to Mr. William Sanderson at Staithes. Here he hears dales of the sea and seamanship.
-
James wass apprenticed to Captain Walker, Cook went to sea on the 341 ton coal-carrying ship 'Freelove'.
-
At the age of 23 Cook iwas promoted to Mate on the 'Friendship', another of Walker's collier vessels.
-
James volunteered for service as an ordinary seaman with the Royal Navy.
-
Cook joined HMS Solebay at Leith in Scotland.
-
James was drafted to HMS Pembroke. The Pembroke crossesdthe Atlantic in record time but 29 men were lost on the way from scurvy - a fact which was to influence Cook's care for the welfare of his later crews.
-
Cook married Elizabeth Batts at St Margaret's church, Barking in Essex.
-
James Cook, sailed on his first voyage of discovery on board the Whitby-to bserve the transit of Venus over the sun's disc in Tahiti. .
-
The eastern seaboard of Australia is sighted at Point Hicks.
-
Cook landed and, because of the great profusion of plants and flowers he re-named Botany Bay. He first named the area South Wales, but later changed it to New South Wales He charted the eastern coastline of Australia and continued to New Guinea and Java.
