Lost!, aboard the 'THUNDERER' Man of War, Commanded by Boyle Wolsingham, in a most dreadful Hurricane.
Nathaniel was the second child of Captain James Cook and Elizabeth Batts, he was born on Friday the 14th day of December, 1764, at their Home at Mile End, Old Town, London.
Like his Father and elder Brother, he joined the Royal Navy, at the age of 15 years he was rated as a Midshipman aboard the Man-of-War, 'THUNDERER', under the command of Captain Boyle Walsingham.
On Tuesday the 3rd of October, 1780, the 'Thunderer' was lost with all hands in a most dreadful Hurricane, in the Caribbean Sea of the Coast of Jamaica.
A Monument was placed in Great St. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, by his Mother to commemorate her, Husband, Captain James Cook and their Children: Nathaniel's epitaph reads:-
In Memory
Of Mr. Nathaniel Cook, who lost with the
Thunderer Man-of-War, Captain Boyle Walsingham,
in a most dreadful Hurricane, in October, 1780;
aged 16 years.
********
Extract from the Mariner's Mirror, Nov 1962
Mitchell Library, Sydney - N387-06/2
In the same way Cook waited on his second voyage until the 'Resolution' was well away from home before entering Nathaniel on 19 September 1769 as Carpenter's servant, replacing Edward Terrell who was rated A.B. On this day the Endeavour reached her farthest south while on her way from Tahiti to New Zealand. The Carpenter, John Satterly, died On 12 February and Nathaniel was accordingly 'discharged', only to be re-entered next day in the same rating when Able Seamen George Nowell was made Carpenter.
Nathaniel was still in the 'Endeavour' on paper, when she returned to Deptford.
On Cook's third voyage Nathaniel was entered as A.B. on the books of the 'Resolution' on 28 January 1778 when the ship was still off the Sandwich Islands. Captain Cook being dead before the end of the voyage Nathaniel was still on the ship's books when the ship's company were mustered at Deptford by the Clerk of the Checque Official 21 October 1780.
