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This New Zealand chronology was compiled by John Mitchell.

 

19/Jan/1693 Marriage of James Cook and Jean Duncan in Scotland; grand parents of the future James Cook
4/Mar/1694 Baptisement of James Cook in Scotland; future father of James Cook
10/Oct/1725 Marriage of James Cook and Grace Pace in Yorkshire; future parents of Captain James Cook
27/Oct/1728 Birth of James Cook at Marton-in-Cleveland, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
13/Feb/1743 Birth of Joseph Banks; became the scientist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his first voyage to New Zealand
26/Feb/1747 James Cook took his first voyage as an apprentice on the Freelove, a 341 ton collier
20/Apr/1750 James Cook signed on for the first time as a seaman having finished his apprenticeship
26/Nov/1754 Birth of Johann George Adam Forster; future naturalist on Commander James Cook's 2nd voyage to Pacific on Resolution
17/Jun/1755 James Cook volunteered for Royal Navy and joined HMS Eagle on June 25th
24/Jul/1755 Able Seaman James Cook promoted to Masters Mate on HMS Eagle 1 month after joining Royal Navy
29/Jun/1757 James Cook qualified as a "Master of any of his Majesty's ships" in England
30/Jun/1757 James Cook became Master of 24-gun Royal Navy frigate Solebay
18/Oct/1757 James Cook (Master RN) appointed Master of 64-gun warship Pembroke
21/Dec/1762 James Cook married Elizabeth Batts at Barking, England
25/May/1768 James Cook promoted to First Lieutenant and put in command of the Bark Endeavour for its voyage to Pacific and NZ
27/May/1768 First Lieutenant James Cook hoisted his commissioning pennant and took command of the bark Endeavour
26/Aug/1768 First Lt James Cook in Endeavour left Plymouth on scientific voyage to Tahiti and search for great southern continent
27/Jan/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook rounded Cape Horn in bark Endeavour on his first voyage to the South Pacific
12/Apr/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook sighted Tahiti on his first voyage to the Pacific in command of the bark Endeavour
13/Apr/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook arrived at Royal Bay, Tahiti in bark Endeavour on his first voyage to South Pacific
14/Apr/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook anchored in Matavai Bay, Tahiti; to observe the transit of Venus on first voyage to Pacific
3/Jun/1769 In Tahiti, First Lieutenant James Cook successfully observed transit of Venus
10/Aug/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook left the Society Islands and headed south-west on his voyage to New Zealand and Australia
24/Sep/1769 Seaweed observed from First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour giving promise of land (New Zealand)
7/Oct/1769 Young Nick's Head sighted from Endeavour by Nicholas Young, ship's boy, and named by First Lieutenant James Cook
8/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook anchored the bark Endeavour in Poverty Bay which he originally named as Endeavour Bay
9/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander went ashore at the future site of Gisborne
11/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook left Poverty Bay in Endeavour to begin the circum-navigation of the New Zealand coast
15/Oct/1769 Cape Kidnappers named by First Lieutenant James Cook after kidnapping of his interpreter's Tahitian servant
17/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant Cook turned the Endeavour northwards off NZ and gave the name Cape Turnagain to the land in sight
20/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook named Cape Gable End Foreland; anchored the bark Endeavour in Anaura or Tokomaru Bay
23/Oct/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's ship Endeavour anchored in Tolaga Bay
31/Oct/1769 East Cape, Cape Runaway and Hicks Bay named by First Lieutenant James Cook
1/Nov/1769 White Island named by First Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage to New Zealand and the Pacific
3/Nov/1769 Mayor Island and the Court of Aldermen named by First Lieutenant James Cook
4/Nov/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour arrived at Mercury Bay on his first voyage to New Zealand
9/Nov/1769 Scientists on First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour observed the Transit of Mercury at Cooks Beach, Mercury Bay
15/Nov/1769 The British flag was flown at Mercury Bay as First Lieutenant James Cook took formal possession of New Zealand
16/Nov/1769 Kauri Gum found by First Lieutenant James Cook
9/Nov/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour anchored at Waiomu in the Firth of Thames during his first voyage to Pacific
25/Nov/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour anchored in Bream Bay on his first voyage to New Zealand
27/Nov/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour passed Cape Brett which he named after Admiral Sir Piercy Brett
29/Nov/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour anchored at Motu Arohia Island in the Bay of Islands on his first voyage
6/Dec/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour struck a rock while leaving Bay of Islands but suffered no serious damage
10/Dec/1769 North Cape first sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook
17/Dec/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook and Frenchman Jean de Surville passed each other off North Cape without knowing each there
19/Dec/1769 North Cape given its name by First Lieutenant James Cook
25/Dec/1769 First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour lay off Three Kings Islands; Christmas was celebrated in the evening
30/Dec/1769 Cape Maria van Diemen sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage to New Zealand
1/Jan/1770 First Lt. James Cook (after battling foul weather for 3 weeks) able to close on Cape Maria van Diemen and resume survey
10/Jan/1770 Mt Karioi and Albatross Point sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook
11/Jan/1770 Mt Egmont (Taranaki) sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook and named by him on 13th of January
12/Jan/1770 Sugarloaves (Ngamotu) sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook near future sight of New Plymouth
14/Jan/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook sighted (what is now) Kapiti Island; named it Entry Isle on February 7th
15/Jan/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour entered Queen Charlotte Sound
16/Jan/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook anchored in Ship Cove (Queen Charlotte Sound) until February 6th repairing the Endeavour
23/Jan/1770 Cook Strait discovered when First Lieutenant James Cook climbed hill in Marlborough Sounds and sighted the eastern sea
6/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour left Queen Charlotte Sound after spending 21 days repairing his ship
7/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour sailed eastward through Cook Strait; James Cook named Cape Palliser
7/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook named what is now Kapiti Island as Entry Isle; had sighted it on January 14th
9/Feb/1770 The Endeavour again reached Cape Turnagain; James Cook proved to officers that they had circumnavigated North Island
14/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour passed Kaikoura Peninsula
16/Feb/1770 Banks Peninsula sighted; First Lt James Cook thought it might be an island and named it Banks Island on following day
17/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook off Banks Peninsula recorded in his log "This island which I have named after Mr Banks"
18/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour passed just north of future site of Oamaru but too far off to see land
25/Feb/1770 First Lt. James Cook sighted and named Cape Saunders and identified several bays nearby; one probably Port Chalmers Heads
25/Feb/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook named a hill on the Taieri Plain, Saddle Hill
4/Mar/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook, close into Otago coast on Endeavour named a harbour after sailing master, Robert Molineux
6/Mar/1770 Ruapuke Island sighted by First Lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage to New Zealand
10/Mar/1770 South Cape sighted & later named by First Lieutenant James Cook; almost grounded Endeavour on reef he named the Traps
11/Mar/1770 When Stewart Island sighted, First Lieutenant James Cook assumed (with some doubt) that it might be part of the mainland
11/Mar/1770 First Lt James Cook on Endeavour sighted and named the Solander Islands after Daniel Carl Solander (Swedish botanist)
14/Mar/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook sailed past Dusky Sound at dusk (hence the Sound's name) but did not enter
21/Mar/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook in Endeavour passed what Tasman named "Clyppygen Hoeck"; renamed Cape Foulwind, West Coast
27/Mar/1770 First Lieutenant James Cook anchored Endeavour in Admiralty Bay after completing circumnavigation of the South Island
1/Apr/1770 The bark Endeavour left New Zealand at conclusion of First Lieutenant James Cook's first visit
9/Mar/1771 1st Lieutenant Cook's bark Endeavour made her best ever day's run covering 210 miles (338Km) on her return to England
12/Jul/1771 The bark Endeavour arrived back in England at conclusion of First Lieutenant James Cook's first voyage to Pacific
14/Aug/1771 Captain James Cook received by King George III in London; rewarded with a Commander's commission
15/Aug/1771 The Endeavour (Commander Cook's vessel on his discovery of NZ) commissioned as a store ship for the Falkland Islands
12/Apr/1772 Anders Sparrman arrived at Capetown; hired by Johann Forster as a naturalist for Cmdr Cook's 2nd voyage on Resolution
12/Jul/1772 Crozet (Marion du Fresne expedition), unaware of Cook's claim, claimed New Zealand for France calling it Austral-France
13/Jul/1772 Commander James Cook left England in Resolution at start of his second voyage; Tobias Furneaux commanding Adventure
8/Sep/1772 Commander James Cook's Resolution & Tobias Furneaux's Adventure crossed equator heading for NZ on Cook's 2nd voyage
22/Nov/1772 Commander James Cook departed from the Cape of Good Hope in Resolution heading for New Zealand on his second voyage
17/Jan/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution and Adventure (Furneaux) crossed the Antarctic Circle for first time in history
8/Feb/1773 Cook's Resolution and Adventure (Furneaux) parted company in a gale in Antarctic waters; did not meet until 18th May
25/Mar/1773 NZ sighted by James Cook (2nd voyage) on Resolution; William Bligh (of future Bounty fame) was master of Resolution
26/Mar/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution (462 tons) arrived at entrance of Dusky Sound on his second voyage to New Zealand
27/Mar/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution anchored in Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound; named after his Lt.Richard Pickersgill
28/Mar/1773 Maori of Ngati-Mamoe tribe seen by officers of Commander James Cook's Resolution in Cascade Cove, Dusky Sound
28/Mar/1773 Men from Commander James Cook's Resolution started clearing scrub for an observatory on Astronomers Point, Dusky Sound
1/Apr/1773 Maori family that had been befriended by Commander Cook on April 6th departed from Dusky Sound; never to be seen again
6/Apr/1773 Commander James Cook on Resolution (462 tons) made first contact with a Maori family in Indian Cove, Dusky Sound
7/Apr/1773 Tobias Furneaux arrived at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound in Adventure; had parted from Cook's Resolution Feb 8th
12/Apr/1773 Maori family in Dusky Sound paid a return visit to First Lieutenant James Cook's camp in Pickersgill Harbour
23/Apr/1773 Lt.Pickersgill & 3 companions of Cook's Resolution climbed peak behind Cascade Cove (Dusky Sound) collecting specimens
29/Apr/1773 James Cook's Resolution left Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound after 5-week stay but did not clear entrance till May 11
18/May/1773 Commander James Cook on Resolution rejoined Tobias Furneaux on Adventure at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound
20/May/1773 Commander James Cook on Resolution released a ram and a ewe at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound
7/Jun/1773 Commander James Cook (Resolution) & Tobias Furneaux (Adventure) left Queen Charlotte Sound bound for the Society Islands
23/Sep/1773 Manuae (Hervey Islands) in the Cook Group discovered and named by Commander James Cook
21/Oct/1773 Commander James Cook and Tobias Furneaux sighted NZ in vicinity of Table Cape on their return from the Society Islands
30/Oct/1773 Cook (Resolution) & Furneaux Adventure) lost sight of each other's ships in Cook Strait; did not meet again on this trip
2/Nov/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution passed through Cook Strait, sighting the entrance to Port Nicholson (Wellington)
3/Nov/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution once again anchored in Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound on his second voyage
23/Nov/1773 Commander James Cook's men ex Resolution went ashore at Ship Cove and found the remains of a cannibal feast
25/Nov/1773 Despairing of meeting Adventure again, Commander Cook left Ship Cove in Resolution and did not return until Oct 1774
26/Nov/1773 Commander James Cook in Resolution departed from New Zealand off Cape Palliser at end of his second visit
30/Nov/1773 Captain Tobias Furneaux arrived in Queen Charlotte Sound on the Adventure (336 tons); Commander Cook had left on 25th
7/Dec/1773 Commander James Cook's Resolution in Pacific in position exactly opposite to London, England; toasts were drank
20/Dec/1773 Commander James Cook in Resolution crossed Antarctic Circle for second time on his second voyage to Pacific
23/Dec/1773 Departure of Captain Tobias Furneaux's ship Adventure from New Zealand; had failed to meet up with Commander Cook
26/Jan/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution crossed Antarctic Circle for third time on his second voyage to the Pacific
3/Feb/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution crossed Antarctic Circle for fourth time on his second voyage to the Pacific
6/Feb/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution crossed the Antarctic Circle for the fifth time on his second voyage to the Pacific
11/Mar/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution sighted Easter Island on his second voyage in Pacific (returning to England)
14/Mar/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution landed on Easter Island and traded goods for food (on his second voyage to Pacific)
16/Mar/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution left Easter Island after a 3 day visit (on his second voyage to the Pacific)
6/Apr/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution arrived at Marquesas Islands on his way home after his second voyage to the Pacific
22/Apr/1774 Commander James Cook in vessel Resolution anchored at Tahiti towards the end of his second voyage to the Pacific
5/Jun/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution passed Lord Howe's Island at the end of his second voyage to the Pacific
16/Jun/1774 Palmerston Island in the Cook Group discovered by Commander James Cook on Resolution on his 2nd voyage to the Pacific
14/Jul/1774 Captain Tobias Furneaux arrived back in England in Adventure after trip to New Zealand; part of trip with James Cook
10/Oct/1774 Commander James Cook in Resolution landed on and named Norfolk 'Isle' towards the end of his second voyage to Pacific
17/Oct/1774 Commander James Cook returned to New Zealand in Resolution for third time on his second voyage and sighted Mt Egmont
18/Oct/1774 Resolution anchored in Ship Cove; Commander James Cook found evidence of Furneaux's visit and tragedy at Grass Cove
22/Oct/1774 Bark Endeavour (Captain Cook's vessel on his 1st voyage to NZ) paid off after completing her 3rd trip to Falkland Is
5/Nov/1774 The southern entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound (later named Tory Channel) discovered by Commander James Cook
10/Nov/1774 Commander James Cook left Queen Charlotte Sound at the conclusion of his third visit to New Zealand on his 2nd voyage
7/Mar/1775 The bark Endeavour (Captain Cook's vessel for his 1st trip to NZ) sold by the Royal Navy for $1,290
30/Jul/1775 James Cook on Resolution anchored at Spithead, England ending his 2nd voyage to NZ and Pacific of 3 years 18 days
9/Aug/1775 Commander James Cook presented at St James Palace, London and promoted to Post-Captain
17/Mar/1776 Captain James Cook elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
13/Apr/1776 An agreement signed between J.Forster/Earl of Sandwich/Captain Cook that Forster to write scientific story of expedition
12/Jul/1776 Cook left England in Resolution at start of his 3rd voyage, followed by Discovery (Charles Clerke) 3 weeks later
1/Aug/1776 Captain Charles Clerke of Discovery left Plymouth, England, to join Captain James Cook in the Pacific
10/Nov/1776 Captain Charles Clerke of Discovery arrived at Cape of Good Hope 3 weeks after Captain James Cook; later met in Pacific
10/Feb/1777 Captain James Cook with Resolution and Discovery sighted New Zealand just south of Cape Farewell on his third voyage
12/Feb/1777 Captain James Cook's Resolution along with the Discovery arrived at Queen Charlotte Sound
26/Feb/1777 Captain James Cook's final departure from New Zealand on the Resolution along with Discovery (on his 3rd voyage)
29/Mar/1777 Mangaia in the Cook Islands discovered by Captain James Cook on his fourth voyage to the Pacific
31/Mar/1777 Atiu and Takutea in the Cook Islands discovered by Captain James Cook
3/Aug/1778 Death of William Anderson; artist on Captain Cook's 2nd voyage on Resolution and on 3rd voyage as Ships Surgeon
14/Feb/1779 Death of Captain James Cook at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii; murdered by natives (body dismembered and parts eaten)
21/Feb/1779 Resolution in Hawaii fired 10 minute guns (with colours half-staff up) when remains of Capt Cook committed to the deep
22/Aug/1779 Death of Charles Clerke; Captain of Discovery which accompanied Captain James Cook on his third voyage to New Zealand
30/Sep/1780 Vessels Resolution and Discovery arrived back in England after Captain James Cook's third voyage to New Zealand
02/Nov/1791 Captain Vancouver in Discovery and Captain Broughton in Chatham arrived at Dusky Sound to extend Cook's survey of 1773
15/Nov/1791 Captain Vancouver's expedition visited Astronomers Point, Dusky Sound where Captain Cook's men built observatory in 1773
8/Nov/1792 Robert Murry ex Britannia went to Astronomers Point, Dusky Sound where Captain Cook's men built an observatory in 1773
12/Nov/1792 Captain Raven and Robert Murray saw Maori in Acheron Passage, Dusky Sound; first since Captain Cook's sighting in 1773
10/Jan/1794 Death of George Forster of pneumonia in Paris; son of Johann Forster (both naturalists on Captain Cook's 2nd voyage)
30/Apr/1816 The British Admiralty finally gave Captain James Cook's map of New Zealand the recognition it deserved by publishing it
19/Jun/1820 Death of Sir Joseph Banks at Spring Grove, England; Botanist and co-explorer on Captain James Cook's first voyage to NZ
5/Feb/1827 Dumont d'Urville anchored Astrolabe at Captain James Cook's (55 years earlier) anchorage in Tolaga Bay
21/Nov/1853 Death of Te Horeta at Waiau, Coromandel; Ngati Whanaunga leader, as a child he had met Captain Cook (Mercury Bay, 1769)
18/Oct/1869 Original town name of Tutaenui replaced by Marton (named after Captain James Cook's birthplace)
2/Mar/1871 Governor Bowen suspected Admiralty Charts (ignored reef at entrance to Cascade Cove, Dusky Sound) Cook's charts did not
6/Feb/1873 Dr J.Hector (Govt Geologist) visited Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound and collected samples of trees cut on Cook's visit
2/Mar/1874 Capt Fairchild visited Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound, on board Luna; viewed probable site of Captain Cook's landing
2/Mar/1874 Capt Fairchild confirmed a reef at entrance Cascade Cove, Dusky Sound; on Cook's charts but not on recent Admiralty chart
14/Jan/1900 With help of a copy of James Cook's journal,Richard Henry photographed the site of Cook's landing in Dusky Sound in 1773
13/Jun/1901 Birth of John Cawte Beaglehole in Wellington; future Professor, historian and World authority on Captain James Cook
8/Oct/1906 James Cook memorial obelisk unveiled at Gisborne to commemorate James Cook's first landing in New Zealand
11/Feb/1913 Monument to Captain James Cook unveiled at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound by Governor; 2,000 people attended
23/Jan/1970 22ft 6in scale model of Captain Cook's Endeavour put into Lyttelton Harbour; being used on tour for Cook's bicentenary
12/Mar/1970 The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne arrived for Cook Bicentenary - Princess Anne's 1st visit
15/Mar/1970 3 seamen swept overboard from frigate Waikato while escorting Royal yacht Britannia in Cook Strait storm; one drowned
30/Mar/1970 The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne departed NZ after a visit for the James Cook Bicentenary
22/Feb/1971 Bark Endeavour II lost 4-day battle against gales and sunk off Parengarenga Harbour near North Cape; model of Cook's
10/Oct/1971 Death of J.C. Beaglehole; NZ historian, Professor of History and world renowned World expert on Captain James Cook
9/Oct/1990 Captain James Cook's landing site at Gisborne declared a National Historic Reserve
5/Jan/1996 The Australian-built replica of First Lieutenant James Cook's bark Endeavour arrived in the Bay of Islands
17/Feb/1996 The replica of James Cook's bark Endeavour arrived in Lyttelton for a visit
20/Mar/1996 Replica of Captain Cook's bark Endeavour arrived at Cook Cove in Dusky Sound; original entered Sound in 17730

Updated: February 2000

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Kia ora, I am very interested in attending the meeting next march, that Dame Anne Salmond will be speaking at. Is this at all possible? Thank you very much
Claire Grover, Kuaotunu
By Claire Grover on 11/3/2014 11:20:50 PM Like:6 DisLike:9
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