Cook's Ships

A table of Cook's Voyages In Whitby Ships

SHIP RATING DATES   PURPOSE
Freelove Apprentice 29.9.1747 17.12.1747 Collier
Freelove Apprentice 26.2.1746 22.4.1748 Collier
Three Brothers Apprentice 14.6.1748 14.10.1748 Collier
Three Brothers Apprentice 14.10.1748 20.4.1749 Troopship to Holland & Ireland
Three Brothers Seaman 20.4.1749 26.9.1749 Norway
Three Brothers Seaman 27.9.1749 8.12.1749 Collier?
Mary of Whitby Seaman 8.2.1750 5.12.1750 The Baltic
Three Brothers Seaman 19.2.1751 30.7.1751 Collier
Friendship Seaman 31.7.1751 8.1.1752 Collier
Friendship Mate 30.3.1752 10.11.1752 Collier
Friendship Mate 2.2.1753. 4.2.1754 Collier
Friendship Mate 2.4.1754 28.7.1754 Collier
Friendship Mate 9.8.1754 19.12.1754 Collier
Friendship Mate 15.2.1755 14.6.1755 Collier

On 17th. June 1755 Cook joined the Royal Navy at Wapping.

References

Clifford E. Thornton, "Captain Cook in Cleveland", Middlesbrough Council, 1978.
C. Preston, "Captain James Cook R.N., F.R.S.", Whitby Literary Society, 1973.

 

Note: As pointed out on page 42 of the first reference above, J.C. Beaglehole in his "Life" (1974) made an error in dating Cook's first voyage above by ascribing it to the wrong year, overlooking the fact that the year commenced in March, rather than January - before the reform of the calendar.

 

Paul Capper

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 303, volume 7, number 4 (1984).

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Previous Comments:
Frank Tulic
When did Cook first board Endevour, and why did he not sail in a Navy ship on his first voyage.
Cliff Thornton
Hi Frank, thank you for your question. The Navy had purchased the Whitby collier "Earl of Pembroke" on 27 March 1768. On 7 April it was renamed as Endeavour. But it was not until 25th May that Cook received his commission to command the vessel. Two days later, on 27 May, Cook visited the Endeavour, lying in the Basin at the Naval Yard at Deptford. The collier ship was chosen for the expedition as it offered a large hold for carrying supplies, and its flat bottom meant that it could safely sit on a sandy shore when the tide went out. It was not as fast as a naval frigate, but speed was not required for the expedition. All three ships used by Cook in his three voyages of exploration, were ex-colliers, built at Whitby.
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