Captain Cook's Endeavour replica comes 'home' to Whitby

A replica of the ship Captain James Cook used to sail to Australia and New Zealand has arrived in Whitby to form part of a new tourist attraction.

The full-scale copy of Endeavour was towed 40 miles by sea from Middlesbrough, arriving late on Friday.

It is set to be transformed into a floating museum due to open later this year to mark the 250th anniversary of Cook's first expedition to the Pacific.

Yorkshire-born Cook began his maritime career in Whitby.

Crowds of people lined the harbour walls and watched from the surrounding cliffs as Endeavour arrived to a cannon salute and the sound of ringing bells.

The replica, which was built in 1993 and had been based in Stockton-on-Tees, was bought by businessman and ex-Naval officer Andrew Fiddler at auction in 2017.

Mr Fiddler said: "It was fantastic to see the Endeavour coming through the harbour entrance in full glory and receiving a great Whitby welcome, knowing she will be staying put in her rightful home.

"We can now look forward to the final stage in her transformation, from being a rundown function venue to becoming an engaging and entertaining attraction."

Unlike its Australian counterpart, the UK replica was never built to be sailed which is why it had to be towed down the coastline.

The original Endeavour was first registered as the Earl of Pembroke when she was built in Whitby by ship builder Thomas Fishburn in 1764.

She was built as a Whitby Cat designed to haul coal before the Navy commissioned and re-registered her as HM Bark Endeavour.

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