James Cook was born on 7 Nov 1728, in the village of Marton, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Much has been written about his life so only a brief mention will be made here. Up to the age of 18 he was brought up in a rural setting; there was no major industry in this part of Yorkshire. The red pins on the map shows the extent of his experiences as a youth:
The family moved to Airey farm at Great Ayton when Cook was 8 years old. He attended school for 5 years and became capable in mathematics and astronomy.
At age 13 he began working for his father at Airey farm. For leisure, he would climb a nearby hill, Roseberry Topping, which was within view of the farm. Roseberry Topping provides a good view of the North Sea and was used as marker by ships.
In 1746, at age 17, he accepted a sea apprenticeship in Whitby and first went to sea in 1747. His ship, the Freelove, lugged Tyne coal down to London and across to Norway, North Sea and Baltic routes.
In 1755, age 25, Cook joined the Royal Navy at Wapping, London.
In 1801, well after Cook's time, Middlesbrough [4] was a small farming township with a population of just 25. From 1829 onwards it experienced rapid growth.Â