was a currier in Bermondsey; her cousin, also Charles Smith, was a
clockmaker of repute in Bunhill Row. Her mother, Mary Smith, married
first John Batts of Wapping, and secondly, John Blackburn of Shadwell.
Miss Batts is described as of Barking in the Marriage Register, so may
perhaps have been living with relations there, and may have met Cook when
on a visit to her mother in Shadwell, where he was residing. The
engagement must have been very short, for from the time of his joining
the Navy in 1755 to his return from Newfoundland in 1762, his leave on
shore had been very limited, and, with the exception perhaps of a day or
two between leaving the Eagle and joining the Solebay, and again when
leaving the latter ship for the Pembroke, none of his time was spent in
London. There is a story that he was godfather to his wife, and at her
baptism vowed to marry her, but as at that time, 1741, Cook was assisting
his father on Airy Holme Farm, the tale is too absurd, but has for all
that been repeatedly published.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cook lived for a time in Shadwell, and
then removed to Mile End Old Town, where Cook purchased a house, which
was their home till after his death. This house, which he left to his
wife, has been identified as Number 88 Mile End Road, and a tablet has
been placed on the front to mark the fact.

CHAPTER 5. 1763 TO 1767. NEWFOUNDLAND.

The commission as Governor of Newfoundland, which now included Labrador
from Hudson's Straits to the St. John's River, the island of Anticosti,
the islands off the Labrador coast, and the Madelines in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, had again been conferred on Captain (afterwards Admiral Lord)
Graves. He had early recognised the fact that it was necessary to have a
thorough survey of the coasts of his territory, and therefore made an
application to the Board of Trade to have the one commenced as far back
as 1714 by Captain Taverner, but only carried on in a desultory fashion,
put in hand and completed as quickly as possible. This application
resulted in a Representation from the Board to His Majesty, dated 29th
March 1763, to be found in the Shelbourne manuscripts, asking that an
allowance should be made for the purpose.

Graves had seen during the previous year the work done by Cook at Harbour
Grace and Carbonera, and had evidently made up his mind that he had found
the man for his purpose, in which opinion he would be backed up by
Colville and further