Cargo SHIP WEARWOOD

4/5/2013

A photograph taken by my Grandad of the Wearwood the first ship he served on as a young man in 1934.

He joined her at Swansea on 9 July 1934 as a cabin boy returning to the UK on 16 August 1934 at Avonmouth. Two days later he was back on her again on a voyage to Canada returning this time to Swansea on 21 October 1934. He left her then to travel back to Manchester where on 3 November 1934 he boarded the SS Janeta as a Galley Boy on a voyage to Australia.

She was launched on 15 November 1929 and completed in January 1930. Built by Northumberland ship Building at Howden-on-Tyne (Yard No. 412) she was 4548 Tons, 116m long with a beam of 15.9m.

Her engines were supplied by North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd, Wallsend and generated 433nhp.

Her official number was 160727.

Subsequently renamed Harrow in 1946, Idkerberg in 1950, Carita in 1957 and Margariti in 1962 she was wrecked at Terschelling on 17 October 1967.

14 Comments

Tom Mason

19/2/2015 05:06:26 am

Hi, do you know if this ship was used on Atlantic convoys during WW11. My father served as a DEMs gunner on SS Wearwood around 1942 to 1945. I am trying to find out a little more about the convoys her was on.
Many thanks.
Tom.

Lisa Hooton

19/5/2016 11:48:01 am

Hi, I also have an interest in the Wearwood. I am early into my reseach but it is my understanding that my Grandfather was the Captain of this ship in 1930 and it was involved in a rescue of the crew of a schooner called Faustina in the North Atlantic that year for which my Grandfather and some of the crew received awards. If I credit your webpage please would I be able to use the photo for social media and family history purposes only. I would be very grateful.

Tom Mason

19/5/2016 03:34:04 pm

Hi Lisa, I have a copy of a photo of the SS Wearwood either before or after she was called Wearwood. I have been unable to find a date for the photo but she was named "ADRA" at the time. I wondered if it was another vessel but it would appear that the Wearwood and ADRA are one and the same ship. I am happy to let you have a copy of this. I have also seen on "Wrecksite EU" info about SS Wearwood being torpedoed and sunk on 11/08/1944 which conflicts with this site authors information so I'm not too sure about it. What is clear is that the SS Wearwood had several name changes during her life making it hard to trace actual dates, crews and manifests etc. Looking through my fathers pay book and other docs it seems he may have served on other ships. I am still trying to find out about these. Hope this is of some use. Regards.

Lisa Hooton

19/5/2016 04:44:34 pm

Hi Tom,

From what I can see there were two ships named Wearwood. Number one was built in 1912 by John Blumer & Co. Ltd. and had number 128817,this was the one that was torpedoed in 1944. The second was built by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co (1927) Ltd completed 1930 and had number 160727 and was the one that was lost in 1967 at Terschelling. I think this is where the confusion lies apart from ships being sold on and having name changes.

From what I can see of the Adra, it was renamed Svionia and beached in 1915 after being shelled by HM Submarine, it was subsequently damaged during salvage in 1919 and broken up in 1920 - but again it may not be the only ship named as such. Does this tie up with anything you have seen?

Lisa Hooton

19/5/2016 04:53:05 pm

Sorry Steve to hijack the thread but Tom - there was also a second ship Adra built in 1917 and sold to Greece in 1933, both were owned by C.T. Bowring & Company.

Gillian Butler

9/10/2018 09:35:33 pm

Hi Lisa, I have a newspaper article about the Faustina rescue by the Wearwood, as it was my grandad who was captain at the time - are we related!?
Unfortunately I don't have a date, or a photo.
Gill

Lisa Hooton

10/10/2018 08:53:35 am

Hi Gill, Anything is possible. My granddad was Frederick William Alderson Hurworth who (according to the articles I have seen) was captain at the time of the rescue. I do have a photo of my grandparents wedding which I could share but you would have to give me a while as my laptop is under repair.

My granddad remarried in the 1940s.

David

11/6/2016 04:04:07 pm

My Cousin Father arrived on a ship named Wearwood from Cardiff
Name
Jose Zorrilla
Race Spanish
Age at Arrival 32
Birth Date abt 1885
Arrival Date 13 Jan 1917
Arrival Place Astoria, Oregon, USA
Departure Place Union Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Vessel Wearwood

Reg Sutcliffe

29/1/2017 04:18:50 pm

I have also been carrying out research which has led me to this ship. My uncle was killed on this ship when it was docked in Salford at the Weaste Wharf and a derrick collapsed onto him on August 28th 1941. Hope this adds a little more to the history of this ship. I assume that it was used in the convoys as my uncle had only just joined the ship after being torpedoed on another convoy ship.

Susanne M Owen

14/2/2019 11:17:51 am

I have a model of WEARWOOD but built in 1912 so do not think it is the same ship?

Ray Ranns

5/4/2021 04:55:04 pm

I have come accross this thread.

I am interested in purchasing models of ships built by Blumer & co because of family connections. If you are interested in selling I can try to get in touch

Margaret Besent

2/4/2021 06:57:52 pm

Doing a bit of research about my husband's grandmother Nellie, born in Sydling St Nicholas. She had a brother called Frederick William Alderon Hurworth - my mother in law's uncle Fred who was a captain in the merchant navy - same one?

Lisa Hooton

2/4/2021 08:28:56 pm

Hi Margaret, yes, it's the same one, my grandfather was Frederick (my Mum's Dad) I've since discovered (prompted by this post) that he remarried and had another child. Both my Mum and her half brother are still living but due to Covid, we've been unable to arrange a meeting. Fred also adopted a daughter when he remarried. I'd have to sit down and think about how the relationships work! Please come back and we can exchange information but I have a feeling I got most of my information from a post you made on Ancestry website? Would be great to learn more/exchange information.

Gillian Butler

11/6/2021 07:58:00 am

Yes! There was an Aunt Nellie, my Dad and his sister had spoken of her (Fred's son and daughter, half siblings to Lisa's mum ).

Cargo SHIP WEARWOOD

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories