HM Bark Endeavor was formerly called the ‘Earl of Pembroke’
350 tons and was a small Merchant Collier built to transport coal around the coast of Britain. She was built in Whitby, North Yorkshire in June 1764 by Thomas Fishburn, and was obtained by the Royal Society of London for use in a scientific study to observe the ‘transit of Venus across the sun’ in 1769. She was renamed HM Bark Endeavor and underwent a major re-fit at Deptford on the Thames in 1768.The expedition was supported by both Royalty, George III Granting on 24th March 1768 the sum of £4,000 to defray expenses, and by the Royal Navy which under took to provide a ship. However they still had to find a person to command her the royal society wanted the noted hydrographer and cartographer Alexander Dalrymple a civilian but the lords of the admiralty rejected this because it was against the rules of the navy. They instead choose Her Captain for the voyage
a forty year-old experienced seaman by the name of James Cook who, until that time, had never commanded a vessel of his own.
She was bought on the 29th March 1768 for 2,212 pounds15 shillings and 6 pence
for the hull and 94 pound and 10 shillings for mast and spars later
reduced to 56 pounds and 17 shillings she was taken to the ways at
Deptford dockyard to be dismasted and docked. On the 5th of April she was
registered on the navy list as a Bark by the name of the Endeavour. she was to
have had a crew of seventy men but Cook was informed that besides Charles
Green and his servant, Joseph banks esq. and his suite of eight
people were to sail with him on the 3rd of August a decision was taken to
increase the crew to 85 men including 12 marines. After the return of the
Endeavour on the 18th of July 1771 she was paid of at Woolwich and docked,
resheathed and refitted in all respects as a store ship to carry supplies to the
Falklands. In 1775 she was sold from service with the Royal navy.1790 the
Endeavour was sold at Dunkirk and entered the whaling trade as La Liberte, she
was declared unseaworthy after an accident in 1790 and was condemned at
Newport Rhode Island. so ended the life of a fine ship but wait she lives
on in the Australian Replica.
HM Bark Endeavour leaving Whitby
Also, Whitby
still carries its proud tradition on ship building, albeit on a smaller scale.
A local firm: Parkanol who mostly build steel trawlers, still
have the craftsmen capable of building a 1/5th scale of the Endeavour
They are hoping to launch it by Easter 2002 .
Hopefully she will be finished in time to sail out and greet the Australian Endeavour when
she arrives here for the summer.
I might even get to go on board this time if there are not too
many tourists about :0(
Whitby built replica
Finally, my attempt at building the Endeavour built at 1/64th
scale or 3/16th to the foot it took five months to build I even had the wife
helping me tying all the ratlines to the shrouds.
A BIG THANK YOU
Love.
Hull planked and painted.
View from the stern
Ships boats and spare masts, ships boats are plank on frame not
carved.
Making the main mast
Spiders nest?
Endeavour on her base a dry dock. Finished
Can you see Captain Cook? how many crew can you see.
We could have used these when we were doing all the rigging!!
If you fancy building the Endeavour buy the book Anatomy of a
ship Captain Cooks Endeavour by Karl Heinz Marquardt For Valuable information.
HM Bark Endeavour
