Better conceiv'd than describ'd : the life and times of Captain James King (1750-84), Captain Cook's friend and colleague /Steve Ragnall.

Better Conceiv'd than Describ'd is the first full biography of James King - the interesting, though tragically short-lived, Royal Navy Officer in the reign of George III. Captain James King's adventurous life saw him lay claim to Alaska in the name of George III, fight as a frigate captain in the American War of Independence and test the marine chronometer that revolutionised navigation. Starting in the small town of Clitheroe (in Lancashire), and taking us to the edges of the then known world on a great voyage of discovery, this book shows the development of James King not only as a sailor but also as an astronomer sponsored by the Board of Longitude, while also examining the death of Captain Cook at the hands of the Hawaiians. With cameo appearances from Horatio Nelson, the infamous William Bligh, society artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, diarist Fanny Burney and statesman Edmund Burke, this is a 'who's who' of Georgian society and shows the importance of patronage in the second half of the 18th century.

Record Details

Publisher: Matador,
Pub Date: 2013.
Pages: xiv, 253 p., [16] p. of plates :

Holdings

Order
Call Number
92KING, JAMES
Copy
1
Item ID
PBH5420
Material
BOOK
Location
Onsite storage - please ORDER to view
Order
Call Number
92KING, JAMES
Copy
2
Item ID
PBH6073
Material
BOOK
Location
Onsite storage - please ORDER to view
Close

Your Request

If an item is shown as “offsite”, please allow eight days for your order to be processed. For further information, please contact Archive staff:

Email:
Tel: (during Library opening hours)

Click “Continue” below to continue processing your order with the Library team.

Continue