John Gore (seaman)
Encyclopedia
Captain John Gore was a British American
sailor who circumnavigated the globe four times with the Royal Navy
in the 18th century and accompanied Captain James Cook
in his discoveries in the Pacific Ocean
.
, it is believed he was born in the British
Colony of Virginia in either 1729 or 1730. He first appears in the record books in 1755, joining HMS Windsor
at Portsmouth
as a midshipman
.
Five years later Gore took his lieutenant's exam and was appointed master's mate
of HMS Dolphin
. Aboard the Dolphin Gore circumnavigated the globe twice—first under John Byron
and then Samuel Wallis
. His experience in the Pacific Ocean and on extended navy expeditions led to him being called up to join James Cook
's mission to record the Transit of Venus in Tahiti
and search for Terra Australis
in 1768 aboard HMS Endeavour
.
Gore had previously been part of the Royal Navy crew aboard Wallis's Dolphin that had "discovered" Tahiti and he became valuable to Cook for his knowledge of the island. In 1769 Gore became the first recorded person on the expedition to shoot and kill a person of Māori descent, following an altercation over a piece of cloth as the Endeavour charted the coast of New Zealand
. Later, on 14 July 1770 Gore subsequently became famous for being the first person to shoot and kill a kangaroo
(for scientific research) as the expedition made its way up the eastern seaboard of Australia
.
Returning to England, in 1772 Gore joined the botanist Joseph Banks
(who had also been on Cook's first Pacific voyage) in a private scientific expedition to Iceland
and the Hebrides
. Gore and Banks may have become friends as evidence shows that Banks was the executor of Gore's will. The trip did not return until after Cook had sailed on his second Pacific voyage.
However in 1776 Gore answered the call from Cook and the admiralty once again and joined HMS Resolution as First Lieutenant
for Cook's third voyage. As the Resolution explored the Pacific in search of the famed Northwest Passage
, Gore would sight the American continent of his birth from the west coast. Later, following Cook's death in Hawaii
, Charles Clerke
, captain of Resolution's sister ship HMS Discovery
took command. Gore then assumed command of Discovery in Clerke's place. When Clerke himself died shortly after, Gore took responsibility for the entire expedition (unaware that his place of birth had declared its independence
from Great Britain two years previously) and brought the ships home to England on 4 October 1780—more than a year after assuming command.
In recognition of his achievements John Webber
, who had previously painted Cook, took Gore's portrait as the navy made him an honorary Post-Captain
. Moving further in the footsteps of Cook, he was offered the late Captain's vacant rooms at the Greenwich Hospital. In 1790, having circumnavigated the globe four times, he died. Gore was survived by a son, who 40 years later moved to Australia but little is known of his wife, Ann Gore. His grandson, Graham Gore, continued the expeditionary heritage, perishing in John Franklin
's ill-fated attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage, nearly 70 years after his grandfather had attempted the same.
Gore Point and the Gore Peninsula in the Alaska
n Kenai fjords
were named for John Gore by Captain Nathaniel Portlock, a fellow veteran of Cook's third voyage who explored the Pacific Northwest of America in the late 18th century.
British American
British Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in the United Kingdom . The term is seldom used by people to refer to themselves and is used primarily as a demographic or historical research term...
sailor who circumnavigated the globe four times with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in the 18th century and accompanied Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
in his discoveries in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
History
Although little is known about John Gore prior to his service with the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, it is believed he was born in the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
Colony of Virginia in either 1729 or 1730. He first appears in the record books in 1755, joining HMS Windsor
HMS Windsor (1695)
HMS Windsor was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 31 October 1695.On 18 November 1725 she was ordered to be taken to pieces and rebuilt according to the 1719 Establishment at Deptford, and she was relaunched on 27 October 1729...
at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
.
Five years later Gore took his lieutenant's exam and was appointed master's mate
Master's mate
Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master...
of HMS Dolphin
HMS Dolphin (1751)
HMS Dolphin was a 24-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1751, she was used as a survey ship from 1764 and made two circumnavigations of the world under the successive commands of John Byron and Samuel Wallis. She was the first ship to circumnavigate the world twice...
. Aboard the Dolphin Gore circumnavigated the globe twice—first under John Byron
John Byron
Vice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...
and then Samuel Wallis
Samuel Wallis
Samuel Wallis was a Cornish navigator who circumnavigated the world.Wallis was born near Camelford, Cornwall. In 1766 he was given the command of HMS Dolphin to circumnavigate the world, accompanied by the Swallow under the command of Philip Carteret...
. His experience in the Pacific Ocean and on extended navy expeditions led to him being called up to join James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
's mission to record the Transit of Venus in Tahiti
1769 Transit of Venus observed from Tahiti
On June 3, 1769, British navigator, Captain James Cook, British astronomer Charles Green and Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander observed and recorded the transit of Venus on the island of Tahiti during Cook’s first voyage around the world. During a transit, Venus appears as a small black disc...
and search for Terra Australis
Terra Australis
Terra Australis, Terra Australis Ignota or Terra Australis Incognita was a hypothesized continent appearing on European maps from the 15th to the 18th century...
in 1768 aboard HMS Endeavour
HMS Endeavour
HMS Endeavour may refer to one of the following ships:In the Royal Navy:, a 36-gun ship purchased in 1652 and sold in 1656, a 4-gun bomb vessel purchased in 1694 and sold in 1696, a fire ship purchased in 1694 and sold in 1696, a storeship hoy purchased in 1694 and sold in 1705, a storeship...
.
Gore had previously been part of the Royal Navy crew aboard Wallis's Dolphin that had "discovered" Tahiti and he became valuable to Cook for his knowledge of the island. In 1769 Gore became the first recorded person on the expedition to shoot and kill a person of Māori descent, following an altercation over a piece of cloth as the Endeavour charted the coast of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Later, on 14 July 1770 Gore subsequently became famous for being the first person to shoot and kill a kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
(for scientific research) as the expedition made its way up the eastern seaboard of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Returning to England, in 1772 Gore joined the botanist Joseph Banks
Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage . Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa and the genus named after him,...
(who had also been on Cook's first Pacific voyage) in a private scientific expedition to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
. Gore and Banks may have become friends as evidence shows that Banks was the executor of Gore's will. The trip did not return until after Cook had sailed on his second Pacific voyage.
However in 1776 Gore answered the call from Cook and the admiralty once again and joined HMS Resolution as First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
for Cook's third voyage. As the Resolution explored the Pacific in search of the famed Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
, Gore would sight the American continent of his birth from the west coast. Later, following Cook's death in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Charles Clerke
Charles Clerke
Captain Charles Clerke RN was an officer in the Royal Navy who sailed on four voyages of exploration.Clerke started studying at the Royal Naval Academy in Portsmouth when he was 13. During the Seven Years' War he served aboard HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Bellona...
, captain of Resolution's sister ship HMS Discovery
HMS Discovery (1774)
HMS Discovery was the consort ship of James Cook's third expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1776 - 1780. Like Cook's other ships, Discovery was a Whitby-built collier of 298 tons, originally named Diligence when she was built in 1774. Originally a brig, Cook had her changed to a full rigged ship...
took command. Gore then assumed command of Discovery in Clerke's place. When Clerke himself died shortly after, Gore took responsibility for the entire expedition (unaware that his place of birth had declared its independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
from Great Britain two years previously) and brought the ships home to England on 4 October 1780—more than a year after assuming command.
In recognition of his achievements John Webber
John Webber
John Webber was an English artist best known for his images of early Alaska and Hawaii.Webber was born on 6 October 1751 in London, educated in Switzerland and studied painting at Paris....
, who had previously painted Cook, took Gore's portrait as the navy made him an honorary Post-Captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
. Moving further in the footsteps of Cook, he was offered the late Captain's vacant rooms at the Greenwich Hospital. In 1790, having circumnavigated the globe four times, he died. Gore was survived by a son, who 40 years later moved to Australia but little is known of his wife, Ann Gore. His grandson, Graham Gore, continued the expeditionary heritage, perishing in John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
's ill-fated attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage, nearly 70 years after his grandfather had attempted the same.
Gore Point and the Gore Peninsula in the Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n Kenai fjords
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park covers an area of approximately on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Seward. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of...
were named for John Gore by Captain Nathaniel Portlock, a fellow veteran of Cook's third voyage who explored the Pacific Northwest of America in the late 18th century.