Turret Ship Turret Crown (1895–1924)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Turret Crown
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: C104273
• Vessel Type at Loss: Steel-hulled propeller, package & bulk freighter (“turret ship”)
• Builder: Wm. Doxford & Sons, Sunderland, England (Hull #233)
• Year Built & Launched: 1895
• Specifications: Length: 253 ft (77.1 m) Beam: 44 ft (13.4 m) Depth: 19 ft (5.8 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 1,827 GT
• Date Lost: November 2, 1924
• Location of Loss: Meldrum Point, North Side of Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron
• Cause of Loss: Storm, ran aground (possibly intentional)
• Loss of Life: None
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Unknown

Vessel Description & History

The Turret Crown was a steel-hulled “turret ship”, a rare and distinctive vessel type designed by William Doxford & Sons in Sunderland, England. Built in 1895, she was originally British-owned and later sold to Canadian interests in 1916.

Turret ships were a unique design of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by their rounded, inward-sloping Hull sides. This design was intended to:

• Improve stability in rough waters
• Reduce cargo capacity loss due to Hull design restrictions
• Allow for lower tolls in canals based on width measurements

These ships were not widely built, and by the 1920s, they were largely outdated compared to modern freighters.

Final Voyage & Loss

On November 2, 1924, the Turret Crown was sailing on Lake Huron when she encountered a severe snowstorm and gale. Near Meldrum Point on Manitoulin Island, she ran aground and stranded  Some reports suggest she may have been intentionally beached to prevent further damage • Over the winter of 1924–1925, storms battered her Hull, breaking her up beyond repair. In 1925, the wreck was cut up and removed for scrap, ending her career.

Final Disposition & Salvage

• Declared a Total Loss after stranding.
• Severely damaged by winter storms.
• Scrapped on-site in 1925.
• No known remains exist today.
• No confirmed modern wreck site.
• Any remnants were likely removed during the scrapping process in 1925.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Meldrum Point, Manitoulin Island, has been the site of multiple shipwrecks, as its location in Lake Huron’s storm-prone waters made it a hazardous area for navigation. Turret ships were an unusual vessel design, and Turret Crown was one of the last to sail on the Great Lakes.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
• Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD): https://greatlakeships.org
• David Swayze Shipwreck File: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org
• Great Lakes Vessel Database (BGSU): https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessels

Conclusion

The Turret Crown was one of the few turret ships to operate on the Great Lakes, serving for nearly 30 years before she ran aground in a storm near Manitoulin Island in 1924. Despite attempts to save her, winter storms destroyed her Hull, leading to her scrapping the following year. Today, no known remains exist, but her unique design and final wrecking make her a historically significant vessel in Great Lakes maritime history.