Full name: Captain James Cook Born: 27th October 1728 Place of Birth: Marton, Cleveland Occupation: Explorer and Commander in the Royal Navy Died: 14th February 1779

Captain James Cook was a renowned explorer from the 18th Century and was born on 27th October 1728 in Marton, Cleveland, but spent much of his early years in Whitby, Yorkshire where he became an apprentice for a shipping company involved in the coal trade.  Cook took an interest in mathematics and became a skilful navigator before volunteering for the Royal Navy in North America in 1755, which involved the surveyance of coastlines. 

Cook's outstanding skills were recognised and he became Master of HMS Pembroke in 1757 and after the fall of Quebec in 1759, Cook was appointed Master of HMS Northumberland, which involved survey work along the St. Lawrence river and Newfoundland coasts.

Whilst back in Britain, James Cook was appointed by the admirality to survey the coast of Newfoundland.  After crafting detailed maps of Newfoundland, Cook was appointed commander of HMS Endeavour, which involved leading an expedition to discover the Southern Continent and to observe the rare occurrence of Venus passing in front of the Sun. 

HMS Endeavour left from Plymouth on 25th August 1768 and arrived in Tahiti on 10th April 1769 and was the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand and an exploration of Australia's East Coast, which had never been seen before by Europeans. 

Cook confirmed that New Zealand was not part of a larger Southern Continent.  Captain Cook claimed the area for Britain and called it New South Wales before returning to Britain in 1771.  After what he believed to be an unsuccessful expedition, Captain Cook embarked on a second exploration to discover the Southern continent. Cook's two ships reached the Antarctic Coast but due to extreme weather conditions, the ships had to turn back. 

Captain Cook embarked on a third voyage in an attempt to discover the North West Passage, which was supposed to join the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but the trip was unsuccessful and Cook spent his time exploring Hawaii.

Unfortunately, on 14th February 1779 Cook was killed on the island after a dispute with a local after it was believed a boat had been stolen from his ship.