Herman Diedrich Spöring ( 1730 - 1771)

Spöring joined Captain Cook’s first voyage on the Endeavour on 23 July 1768. He was initially employed as Official Secretary, but took over the duties of landscape artist Alexander Buchan after he died in 1769. Spöring also completed many botanical and zoological drawings to for Joseph Banks, whom he had befriended at the British Museum prior to sailing. Spöring possibly studied medicine at the University of Åbo (1748-1753) and surgery at the University of Stockholm. He was also a talented watchmaker which proved useful on the Endeavour where he was able to repair delicate sailing instruments.