Captain James Cook FRS was a British explorer, cartographer and naval officer famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and to New Zealand and Australia in particular.

James Cook was born on 7 November 1728 in the village of Marton in the North Riding of Yorkshire and baptised on 14 November in the parish church of St Cuthbert, where his name can be seen in the church register.

In 1736, his family moved to Airey Holme farm at Great Ayton. For leisure, he would climb a nearby hill, Roseberry Topping. In 1745, when he was 16, Cook moved 20 miles (32 km) to the fishing village of Staithes.

After 18 months, Cook travelled to the nearby port town of Whitby, where he was taken on as a merchant navy apprentice and began his sea-going career.