The Wynor was a small coastal steamship built at the yard of Peter McGregor in Kirkintilloch (Yard No 115) and launched in 1921. She measured 75.4′ x 18.7′ x 8.9′ and her tonnage was 113 gross tons, 53 net tons. She was powered by a 2 cylinder steam engine by Yeaman and Baggesen, Dundee delivering 30 nominal horse power.
Builder’s maker plate recovered from wreck
In February 1923 she was employed on trade routes on the east coast of Scotland for her owners J Stewart and Co Ltd., Glasgow. She left Leith on 6th February loaded with manure destined for Wick under the command of the skipper Alexander Wares with a crew of four men aboard plus one passenger. The trip north was difficult as she ran into a severe storm and had to stop off at five different ports for shelter.
On the 11th the storm worsened and, after riding out the night, she steamed into Portmahomack with some damage to her engine and her port light torn away. Her skipper ran her ashore on the sandy seashore close to the village and the engineer set to work on repairing the damaged engine while they waited for the new light to be delivered. A few days later they set out again to head north to Wick but the bad weather continued to buffet the ship as so, on 20th February, the Wynor was 20 miles north of Lossiemouth when she developed a leak and began to settle. A message requesting assistance was transmitted. The Lossiemouth steam drifter Sapphire answered the call and stood by the crippled steamship as the Wynor struggled to make headway and reach safety. Early the following morning it became obvious that she would not make it.
Evening Telegraph 22nd February
The crew launched their boat in the nick of time as, within three minutes of the six men pushing away from the ship, she sank beneath them and disappeared. The Sapphire’s skipper, David Gault, moved in to pick the men up but the sea conditions were very difficult and it took a number of attempts and more than an hour for all five men and the passenger to safely transfer across to the fishing boat.
Lloyds weekly casualty report
The wreck of the Wynor lies in position 57° 58.281’N, 03° 20.374,W (WGS84) oriented 000°/180°. She sits upright in 58 metres and is substantially in tact and rises 5 metres from the seabed. The bow has suffered some trawl damage and the hull plating is well rotted. The decking has rotted away exposing the engine room and the small bridge has collapsed off to one side.
Ship’s bell recovered from wreck
