Joan, thank you for your enquiry, in response to which I can tell you that James Cook, serving as Master of HMS Pembroke, sailed to Halifax, N.S. in early 1758 as part of the British fleet sent to capture Louisbourg. I am confident that Cook never had the time, nor the opportunity, to explore the coast to the south of Halifax, and especially the area near Oak Island. Good Luck with your research.

As a blood relative of James Cook’s sister Margaret, the idea that Cook was Freemason was very interesting. I found myself wondering after watching “Curse of Oak Island” if Cook visited the Island on his many journeys around the world. I researched a little but couldn’t find any mentions of Oak Island being in his ships logs. Is there any information on his ships logs that l can get a copy of for my Cook family tree? Many Thanks in advance.

Want to read for research purposes

Danny, Cook's visit to Australia was one of the spin-offs from the voyage to Tahiti to observe the Transit of Venus. Cook's visit was in 1770, but there were no plans to use it for a pemal colony until the American War of Independence prevented the transportation of felons. The chief proponent of the use of Ausatralia was a chap called James M Matra. He had been on Cook's Endeavour voyage (1768-1771) and thereafter carved out a career as a minor diplomat serving in Constantinople and later in Tangier. From 1783 he was a strident advocate for the use of Australia, and his efforts may have contributed to the First Fleet taking the first prisoners to Australia in 1788.

Greetings
I am writing from New York, and I know the connection between Australia and our Revolution, but i am trying to find out whether Cap’n Cook’s discovery of Australia is somehow directly linked to the British victory of the Seven Years War (1756-1763) in that Britain wanted to expand further or it was because of the increase Massachusetts rebellion that made it difficult to transport convicts to the 13 colonies... and that Britain desperately needed to find new land?

Thanks

Dan, the Captain Cook Society does not hold a copy of Roy H Clemens book, so I am unable to provide you with details of the contents. The review of his book, which was published in "Cook's Log" in 1998, is repeated in full, at the top of this page. If you would like to obtain a copy of the book, I suggest that you contact the Library inb question. I have been unable to find a website for this library, but its postal address is 1611 Kewalo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, HI 96822
Whilst some freemasons sailed on Cook's ships, and are alleged to have held meetings on board, I suspect that they were all from different lodges. I have never heard any details given as to Cook's membership of a lodge, and believe that this claim is still to be proved. Circumstantial evidence relating to Cook's association with freemasonry can be found at the following website
http://georgemarkhamtweddell.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/captain-cooks-monument-easby-moor.html

To whom it may concern,
I respectfully ask for a copy of this article and any other information pertaining to the possibility that Captain Cook was Freemason. Do you have any information as to his rank, initiation dates, the lodge or order(s) to which he was assigned etc?

Your response is most appreciated.

Dan Hadley
0476931295





FOFM /G\