Curio

State Library of New South Wales

Coffin-shaped ditty box

1779
Carved wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl shell, silver stand
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
DR 2

‘A labour of love’

Cook’s sudden, violent death caused profound shock and grief among his crew. During the homeward voyage, sailors on board HMS Resolution carved this tiny coffin-shaped ditty-box from a fragment of the ship’s timber. It holds a lock of Cook's hair and a watercolour sketch of his last moments alive.

On the ship’s return to England, the ditty-box was presented to Cook’s widow Elizabeth. It was then passed on to members of her family, along with the story of how it was made. The ditty-box eventually came into the possession of Thomas Hart, who in 1912 recorded the story in a written statement, which he placed in a sliding compartment in its base:

‘One week after Captain Cook’s murder his head was brought to the ship by a native chieftain the mutilated and mortified head the horrified ships company recognised their beloved Captain’s features. A few locks of hair were snipped off and the head swathed in linen was placed into a box hurriedly made by the Carpenter. This was heavily weighted and with … the tears of the crew consigned to the sea.

‘On the long homeward voyage … this box was made to preserve the tress of hair. It was a labour of love for each one to add his portion and naturally a coffin-shaped “diddy-box” suggested itself as being appropriate. One dug out the centre, two or three carved various parts, others beat out coins for the plates or ground the flaps into place to enclose and cover the hair and picture drawn by a crew member … Originally is also contained buttons, braid and tokens of or relating to Captain Cook. It was presented to Mrs Cook on arriving in England, where possibly the engraving was done or deepened.’

Carving around the sides

Carved around the sides of the box are the words, ‘Made of Resolution oak for Mrs Cook by crew.’

Storage in the base

Stored within a sliding compartment in the base of the ditty box are several documents, including a description by ‘Thomas Hart’ of how the box was made and a statutory declaration signed by London antiquarian bookseller, C Albert Maggs, dated 19 August 1912 stating that Thomas Hart was a relative of Mrs Cook.

Plaques on the lid

The two silver plaques on the lid read: ‘Quebec Newfoundland Greenwich Australis’ and ‘Lono and the Seaman's Idol’. Lono is a Hawaiian god of fertility and music.

A third plaque

Underneath the box is a third plaque which reads: ‘Captain James Cook slain at Owhyhee, 14 February, 1779’.