GB 0103 MS ANGL 7 - Cook Navigation Manuscript

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0103 MS ANGL 7

Title

Cook Navigation Manuscript

Date(s)

  • c1760 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 volume containing 20 leaves

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Born in Marton, Cleveland, 1728; became an apprentice to shipowners in Whitby; became master of his own ship, HMS Northumberland, 1759; the following winter, while laid up in Halifax, studied mathematics and attained a sound knowledge of astronomical navigation; went on to become an eminent circumnavigator and made many geographical discoveries, including establishing knowledge of the Southern Pacific; kept a crew at sea without serious losses from sickness and death, which was unusual at that time; killed by natives of Hawaii, 1779.

From c1750 Masters of HM Ships were required by the Admiralty to keep Remark Books of details of coasts and ports they visited. James Cook followed this practice when serving in HMS Pembroke and HMS Northumberland on the North American Station from 1758 to 1762.

Archival history

GB 0103 MS ANGL 7 c1760 Collection (fonds) 1 volume containing 20 leaves Cook , James , 1728-1779 , explorer
Born in Marton, Cleveland, 1728; became an apprentice to shipowners in Whitby; became master of his own ship, HMS Northumberland, 1759; the following winter, while laid up in Halifax, studied mathematics and attained a sound knowledge of astronomical navigation; went on to become an eminent circumnavigator and made many geographical discoveries, including establishing knowledge of the Southern Pacific; kept a crew at sea without serious losses from sickness and death, which was unusual at that time; killed by natives of Hawaii, 1779.

From c1750 Masters of HM Ships were required by the Admiralty to keep Remark Books of details of coasts and ports they visited. James Cook followed this practice when serving in HMS Pembroke and HMS Northumberland on the North American Station from 1758 to 1762.

Unknown.

Manuscript, c1760, entitled 'Directions for sailing from the harbour of Halifax to Quebec, by James Cook, Master of His Majesty's Ship Northumberland'. The text is written in Cook's hand throughout. Pasted into the manuscript are a table showing latitude and longitude of capes etc (f 17r) and a list of names, mostly of native chiefs encountered in the Pacific on Cook's first and second voyages (f 18r).

Open.

Normal copyright restrictions apply.
English
Paper manuscript bound in gold stamped brown calf. One hand throughout. 26.5cm.

Dorothy K Coveney, A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College London (London, 1935).

British Library, Manuscript Collections, holds log books, journal, drawings, charts, maps, letters and papers, summarised on the National Register of Archives. The National Maritime Museum, Manuscripts Section, holds drafts of a narrative of Cook's second voyage, 1772-1775 (Ref: REC/20). The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby, holds letters. The National Library of Ireland, Dublin, holds a journal, 1772-1775. The National Library of New Zealand, Alexander Turnbull Library, holds a log book, 1755-1756 (Ref: qMS 537-39). The National Library of Australia holds a journal, letterbook, notebook and papers, 1768-1778 (Ref: MSS 1-6, 108). The National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, holds directions for sailing from the island of Scaterie to Quebec, 1760 (Ref: MG 18, M). Peabody and Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA, holds correspondence, 1766-1776 (6 items). The Huntington Library, San Marino, California, holds a fragment of journal relating to the discovery of Botany Bay, 1770 (Ref: HM 965). Other Remark Books of James Cook, or fragments, or other papers of Cook survive at the Hydrographic Department, Ministry of Defence, Taunton, and at Harvard University, Houghton Library.

Andrew David, 'James Cook's Manuscript Sailing Directions in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the St Lawrence River' (typescript, 1979) at University College London Special Collections discusses manuscripts relating to Cook, including the one at University College London.

Sources: Andrew David, 'James Cook's Manuscript Sailing Directions in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the St Lawrence River' (typescript, 1979); National Register of Archives. Description revised by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. 1999, revised Jul 2001 Armed forces Canada Coastal zones Cook , James , 1728-1779 , Captain RN , Explorer Exploration Geographical exploration Geography Geomorphology Halifax (Canada) HMS Northumberland International relations Land forms Military organizations Navigation North America Nova Scotia Organizations Quebec State security Topography Travel

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Unknown.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Manuscript, c1760, entitled 'Directions for sailing from the harbour of Halifax to Quebec, by James Cook, Master of His Majesty's Ship Northumberland'. The text is written in Cook's hand throughout. Pasted into the manuscript are a table showing latitude and longitude of capes etc (f 17r) and a list of names, mostly of native chiefs encountered in the Pacific on Cook's first and second voyages (f 18r).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Dorothy K Coveney, A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College London (London, 1935).

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

British Library, Manuscript Collections, holds log books, journal, drawings, charts, maps, letters and papers, summarised on the National Register of Archives. The National Maritime Museum, Manuscripts Section, holds drafts of a narrative of Cook's second voyage, 1772-1775 (Ref: REC/20). The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby, holds letters. The National Library of Ireland, Dublin, holds a journal, 1772-1775. The National Library of New Zealand, Alexander Turnbull Library, holds a log book, 1755-1756 (Ref: qMS 537-39). The National Library of Australia holds a journal, letterbook, notebook and papers, 1768-1778 (Ref: MSS 1-6, 108). The National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, holds directions for sailing from the island of Scaterie to Quebec, 1760 (Ref: MG 18, M). Peabody and Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts, USA, holds correspondence, 1766-1776 (6 items). The Huntington Library, San Marino, California, holds a fragment of journal relating to the discovery of Botany Bay, 1770 (Ref: HM 965). Other Remark Books of James Cook, or fragments, or other papers of Cook survive at the Hydrographic Department, Ministry of Defence, Taunton, and at Harvard University, Houghton Library.

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

University College London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area