Countries with links to Cook

Sailors on the great Voyages came from many parts of Britain, from the Orkneys to Cornwall.

There were also sailors from the Azores, Brazil, Germany, India, Netherlands, North America, and Venice. Cook and his companions were directly associated with many countries:

Australia

Explored and charted the east coast

Canada

Charted St Laurence estuary and Newfoundland and Explored west coast during the 3rd Voyage

Finland

Herman Diedrich Spöring was secretary to Joseph Banks and assistant botanist and draughtsman. He came from Turku, the capital of what was then the Swedish Duchy of Finland

France

Along with France’s great explorers, Bougainville and La Perouse, explored the Pacific islands. France, at war with Britain during the 3rd Voyage, ordered her Navy not to attack Cook

Germany

The home of Johann Reinhold and Georg Forster, botanists on the 2nd Voyage

Ireland

Several crew members on all three voyages came from Ireland, where some Cook voyage collections remain in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin

Netherlands

Built on the work of many Dutch sailors who found Australia, especially Tasman who first sighted Tasmania and New Zealand

New Zealand

Circumnavigated and charted New Zealand. His charts in use for nearly two centuries

Russia

Third Voyage visited Kamchatka and Chukotka. Two of Cook's officers later served in the Russian navy. St. Petersburg holds extensive Cook collections

South Africa

The ships called at Cape Town in South Africa on every voyage, to replenish supplies and take on fresh supplies. The artist Hodges painted Table Mountain and the Bay

Sweden

The home of Dr Daniel Solander, Swedish botanist who sailed on the 1st Voyage, and Anders Sparrman on the 2nd Voyage

Switzerland

The artist Webber came from a Swiss family and trained in Paris and Berne. Important collection in Berne brought back by Webber

Tahiti

The island where Cook observed the Transit of Venus. Charted many other Pacific island groups, many for the first time. Tupaia, an important navigator and man of priestly rank, joined Endeavour intending to travel to Britain but died at Batavia (Jakarta).

U.S.A.

Explored Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Strait on the third voyage, and died in Hawaii