In 1768, a relatively unknown British naval officer named James Cook set sail on a voyage that would forever change the map of the world. Over the next twelve years, he would explore vast swathes of uncharted territory, challenge prevailing myths, and leave an indelible legacy on navigation, science, and British maritime history.
But who was Captain Cook—and why does his story still capture the imagination more than 250 years later? We examine the various phases of his story below!
From Yorkshire roots to the Royal Navy
Born in the small Yorkshire village of Marton in 1728, James Cook was the son of a Scottish farm labourer. His humble beginnings offered little hint of the greatness to come. After a brief apprenticeship in a local shop, Cook turned to the sea, joining the merchant navy and later enlisting in the Royal Navy in 1755.
His talents were quickly recognised. Cook’s skill in cartography and mathematics was exceptional. During the Seven Years’ War, he meticulously charted the treacherous waters of the St. Lawrence River, an achievement that played a key role in Britain’s capture of Quebec.
Fascinating fact? Cook’s charts of the Newfoundland coastline were so precise that they were still used more than a century later.
The Endeavour Voyage
In 1768, the Royal Society selected Cook to lead an expedition aboard HMS Endeavour. The mission had dual aims:
Scientific: Observe the transit of Venus across the sun from Tahiti, a rare astronomical event that would help calculate the distance between Earth and the sun.
Imperial: Search for the fabled “Terra Australis Incognita”, or “Unknown Southern Land”.
Accompanied by botanist Joseph Banks and other scientists, Cook reached Tahiti in 1769, before sailing onwards to New Zealand and Australia, charting coastlines never before seen by Europeans.
Green fact? Over 1,000 new plant species were documented on this voyage, many of which were sent back to Kew Gardens in London.
His landing at Botany Bay in 1770 marked Britain’s first recorded contact with the eastern coastline of Australia, paving the way for colonisation decades later.
Mapping the Pacific
Cook embarked on two more Pacific voyages between 1772 and 1779. He was the first European to:
Circumnavigate New Zealand, proving it was two separate islands.
Chart the Great Barrier Reef, narrowly surviving a shipwreck near modern-day Cooktown.
Cross the Antarctic Circle – three times – despite never sighting Antarctica itself.
Explore the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands.
His maps were so accurate that many remained in use into the 20th century.
Did you know? Cook’s charts were among the first to use chronometers to determine longitude precisely, revolutionising naval navigation.
A controversial legacy
Cook’s voyages brought Europe into closer contact with Polynesian cultures. His crews introduced European tools and knowledge, but also disease and disruption.
While he often aimed to establish peaceful relations, tensions sometimes turned violent. In 1779, during his third Pacific voyage, Cook was killed in Hawaii during a conflict over a stolen boat. He was just 50 years old.
Interesting fact? Some Indigenous Hawaiian oral histories regard Cook as both a revered visitor and a symbol of colonisation, reflecting the complex nature of his legacy.
Cook’s name lives on in countless places: Cook Strait, Cooktown, Mount Cook (New Zealand’s highest peak), and even a crater on the moon. Museums and monuments dedicated to his journeys can be found across the UK and the world.
In London, his story is deeply connected to Greenwich, the beating heart of Britain’s maritime legacy. The National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, and the Old Royal Naval College all offer insights into Cook’s world of navigation, exploration, and discovery.
If you’d like to learn more about the history of Maritime London, take a look at our fantastic tours of Greenwich.
Since 1933, Evan Evans provides unforgettable journeys and experiences to Britain’s most iconic locations. Journey deep into the heart of Britain’s incredible history, culture and legends on an expert-guided tour with London’s longest-running sightseeing operator.
