Captain Cook's Merchant Ships

The first book to tell the full story of Cook’s merchant ships, in their historical context. While the story of Endeavour is widely written about, Captain Cook sailed with eight ships, which began their lives as merchant ships. This detailed illustrated history tells the story of these ships and the people who sailed in them. In placing these ships and people in the personal, political, social, financial, scientific and religious contexts of their times, this book provides a readable and comprehensible account of the long eighteenth century. Using contemporary sources, this gripping narrative fills a gap in Cook history and attempts to catch something of that exciting, violent, gossipy but largely untaught and unknown period through which these vessels and their people sailed literally and figuratively between the old world and the new. AUTHOR: Stephen Baines studied Theology at Cambridge University and trained as a teacher in London. Having taught English for several years in a comprehensive school he moved to the Sixth Form College at Colchester where he introduced the International Baccalaureate. After retiring from full-time teaching he worked for two years part-time at Essex University, lecturing in Philosophy. He has written a book on the Carleton of Whitby as well as a number of articles. SELLING POINTS: . Original research fills a gap in Cook history . Puts the story of Cook’s ships in the context of the times . With many illustrations and genealogies, a number previously unpublished . Packed with fascinating and little-known snippets . With the lists of those who sailed on the vessels along with many other details of great interest to genealogists and historians . Culmination of many years of research 140 b/w illustrations