| Authorised form of name | Cook; James (1728 - 1779) |
| Dates | 1728 - 1779 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Marton, Cleveland, England |
| Date of birth | 27 October 1728 |
| Place of death | Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii |
| Date of death | 14 February 1779 |
| Research field | Maritime discovery |
| Mathematics |
| Astronomy |
| Activity | Career:
After a short time in a haberdashers shop in Staithes, he was apprenticed to Whitby shipowners and spent several years serving as a merchant seaman, primarily in the North Sea. Joined Royal Navy (1755), became a Master (1759); conveyed the expeditions of Daniel Solander and Joseph Banks; in New Zealand on occasions (between 1769 and 1777); departed Plymouth in search of Northwest Passage (1776)
|
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 29/02/1776 |
| Age at election | 47 |
| RSActivity | Medals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1776 |
| Relationships | Son of an agricultural worker |
| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB
Journal Book Original, President's Address on award of Copley Medal 1776, pages 182-219
Authority:
Birth date from DSB
References:
G E Fogg, 'The Royal Society and the Antarctic' in NR 2000 vol 54 pp 85-98
Harold B Carter, 'The Royal Society and the Voyage of HMS Endeavour 1768-71' in NR 1995 vol 49 pp 245-260
Robin J H Clark and Michael J Kelly, 'New Zealand, New Zealanders and the Royal Society' in NR 1994 vol 48 pp 263-281
Sir Raphael Cilento, 'Sir Joseph Banks, FRS, and the Naming of the Kangaroo' in NR 1971 vol 26 pp 157-161
Egon H Kodicek and Frank G Young, 'Captain Cook and Scurvy' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 43-63
G E R Deacon and Margaret Deacon, 'Captain Cook as a Navigator' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 33-42
I Kaye, 'Captain James Cook and the Royal Society' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 7-18, plate
P M S Blackett, 'Opening of the Cook Gallery at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, on 17 July 1968' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 1-4
Sir Richard Woolley, 'Captain Cook and the Transit of Venus of 1769' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 19-32
William T Stearn, 'A Royal Society Appointment with Venus in 1769: the Voyage of Cook and Banks in the Endeavour in 1768-1771 and its Botanical Results' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 64-90
John Thomas, 'Josiah Wedgwood's Portrait Medallions of Fellows of the Royal Society' in NR 1963 vol 18 pp 45-53, plate
Patricia Fara, 'Letters from a scientific emperor', review of Neil Chambers, 'The letters of Sir Joseph Banks: a selection 1768 - 1829' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 264-265
L B Glyn, 'Israel Lyons: a short but starry career. The life of an eighteenth-century Jewish botanist and astronomer' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 275-305
N J W Thrower, 'Samuel Pepys FRS (1633-1733) and The Royal Society' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 3-13
M Croarken, 'Astronomical labourers: Maskelyne's assistants at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1765 - 1811' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 285 - 298
Notes:
Index to BR gives birth date as November 1728. |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/31994819 |
| Code | NA8183 |
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| AB/1/2/1/130 | Letter to James West from Mr Robertson | 15 August 1768 |
| M/052 | Cook, James | 1784 |
| A/0184 | Cook, James | |
| IM/000937 | Cook, James | nd |
| IM/000942 | Cook, James | nd |
| IM/005683 | Cook, James | nd |
| IM/000940 | Cook, James | 2002 |
| MM/7/21 | Letter from James King, Serle Street, to the Board of Longitude | 3 March 1781 |
| EC/1775/27 | Cook, James: certificate of election to the Royal Society | |
| IM/004320 | Cook, James | September 2004 |
| IM/000939 | Cook, James | nd |
| CB/1/1/203 | Letter from Daines Barrington to Charles Blagden at Mrs Nelmes, St James Churchyard | 26 June 1775 |
| NLB/3/962 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to J U Poole, care of Messrs Poole & Company, 33 Spencer Street, Clerkenwell | 25 November 1889 |
| MC/22/155 | Letter from Arthur Kitson, Groombridge, Sussex, to [Robert William Frederick] Harrison | 28 April 1907 |
| L&P/5/257 | Paper, 'Observations made at King George Island, in the South Seas' by Charles Green and James Cook | 1771 |
| MS/391/175 | Bond of James Cook to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 7 March 1776 |
| L&P/5/115 | Letter, 'Update on Endeavour voyage' from James Cook to Charles Morton | 30 November 1768 |
| L&P/5/241 | Paper, 'Extracts from his journals, beginning 9 November 1770' by James Cook | 1771 |
| L&P/6/172 | Letter, 'Of the tides in the South Seas' from James Cook to John Pringle | 2 April 1776 |
| L&P/7/238 | Paper, 'That Captain Cook sought for Cape Circumcision under the proper meridian' by William Wales | 1782 |
| MOB/041 | Terrestrial globe by W & TM Bardin | c.1807 |
| IM/000941 | Cook, James | 2002 |
| IM/000938 | Cook, James | nd |
| IM/005682 | Cook, James | nd |
| MM/3/76 | Letter from Daines Barrington to Rev D Horsley | 30 March 1774 |
| MM/7/17 | Board of Longitude Resolution | 4 November 1780 |
| MM/7/18 | Committee of the Board of Longitude | 27 November 1780 |
| L&P/4/386 | Paper, 'Eclipse of the Sun 5 August 1766, observed at Newfoundland' by James Cook, communicated by John Bevis | 5 March 1767 |
| S/0059 | Cameo of Cook, James | 1968 |
| MOB/033 | Astronomical quadrant by John Bird | c.1767 |
| AP/6/14/1 | Unpublished letter, on artificial freezing of seawater from Mignonneau to [Sir Joseph Banks] | 4 April 1792 |
| P/0284 | Portrait of Cook, James | |
| MOB/029 | Regulator clock by John Shelton | 1760s |
| L&P/5/301 | Letter, 'An account of the flowing of tides in the South Sea, observed from the bark Endeavour' from James Cook to Nevil Maskelyne | 5 February 1772 |
| L&P/6/163 | Letter, 'How health was kept on board the Resolution' from James Cook to John Pringle | 5 March 1776 |
| S/0065 | Cameo of Rennell, Thomas | 1826 |