Additional material courtesy of Bill Blow

Technical

Official Number: 162899
Yard Number: 986
Completed: 1935
Gross Tonnage: 427
Net Tonnage: 160
Length: 160.3 ft
Breadth: 26.7 ft
Depth: 12.5 ft
Engine: 800ihp T. 3-cyl by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough
Boiler: Richardsons Westgarth & Co Ltd, Hartlepool
Built: Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, Middlesbrough

History

7.3.1935: Launched by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd, South Bank-on-Tees, Middlesbrough (Yd.No.986) for Shire Trawlers Ltd, London as WARWICKSHIRE.
3.1935: Completed for Warwickshire Fishing Co Ltd, Grimsby (William. A. Bennett, manager).
28.3.1935: Registered at Grimsby (GY133).
9.1935: As a result of the Abyssinian crisis and failure of British diplomacy, the Government authorised The Admiralty to procure twenty modern trawlers for conversion to minor war vessels.
12.1935: Following successful trials sold to The Admiralty.
23.12.1935: Grimsby registry closed. Fitted out as a “Gem” class anti-submarine trawler. Renamed HMS TURQUOISE (P.No.T.45).
19.2.1942: Escorting convoy on East Coast (Lieut. C. M. Newns RNVR), drove off E-boat attack; eighteen enemy survivors picked up.
10.1946: Sold to Saint Andrew’s Steam Fishing Co Ltd, Hull. Reclassed at Fleetwood and registered at Hull as St. OSWALD (H335) (MoT Minute R.G.No.11524/1946).
5.1948: Sold to Grimsby Merchants Amalgamated Trawling Co Ltd (64/64), Grimsby. George Edward Peniston appointed manager
5.1948: Hull registry closed.
8.5.1948: Registered at Grimsby (GY575).
23.5.1948: While steaming 22 miles south west of Vardö, struck a mine which caused serious bow damage and killed three crew members. Norwegian minesweeper KNM Lomma P.No.M317) escorted to Vardö.
29.9.1948: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to National Provincial Bank Ltd, London (A).
5.5.1950: Registered at Grimsby as WOOLTON (GY575) (MoT Minute R.G.No.11027/50 dated 24.4.1950).
27.5.1952: Mortgage (A) discharged.
3.7.1952: John Wilcock Robinson, Fleetwood appointed manager.
20.6.1952: Sold to Wyre Steam Trawling Co Ltd, Fleetwood.
30.6.1952: Vessel mortgaged (64/64) to Grimsby Merchants Amalgamated Trawling Co Ltd, Grimsby for the sum of £20,000 with interest at 5% (B).
4.8.1952: At Fleetwood. Landed 12,000 stone of cod and haddock from an eleven day Icelandic trip; grossed £5,004.
1.9.1953: Mortgage (B) discharged.
22.2.1954: Leslie Wheildon appointed manager.
21.8.1954: Company restyled Wyre Trawlers Ltd (Leslie Wheildon, manager) on purchase of Merchants (Fleetwood) Ltd by Associated Fisheries Group.
23.8.1954: Grimsby registry closed.
8.1954: Registered at Fleetwood (FD18).
10.1954: Registered at Fleetwood as WYRE WOOLTON (FD18).
15.4.1957: Sold to BISCO and allocated to Thos. W. Ward Ltd, Sheffield for breaking up at Preston.
16.4.1957: Sailed Fleetwood for Preston.
17.4.1957: Delivered.
1957: Fleetwood registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

S.T. Warwickshire GY133
Picture courtesy of The JJ Collection

S.T. St Oswald H335
Picture by Jonathan courtesy of The Mark Stopper Collection

HMT Turquoise
Picture courtesy of The Peter Green Collection

HMT Turquoise
Picture courtesy of The Peter Green Collection

S.T. Wyre Woolton FD18
Picture courtesy of The Fred Baker Collection

Changelog
08/01/2009: Page published. 6 updates since then.
05/11/2017: Removed FMHT watermarks from images.