Warrior was built in 1912 as a naval pinnace. She is a handsome and roomy vessel, representing a true ship in miniature, distinctly different from modern pleasure yachts. Her hull is robustly constructed using double-diagonal teak on oak.

Early records of Warrior, including her Dunkirk log, were destroyed when an incendiary bomb struck her while she was still under naval command on the River Thames at Greenwich, following the Dunkirk evacuation. At that time, Warrior served as a coastal defence vessel and was used by Commander C.A. Lund in 1942 to instruct naval officers in navigation and seamanship at H.M.S. King Alfred.

After World War II, Warrior passed through five owners. In the late 1960s, Stanley Crabtree had her completely refitted at Dickie's Yard in Bangor, Wales. In earlier years, she featured a fine figurehead of an Indian warrior, which was carefully maintained in its original colours even when the vessel was painted battleship grey. Unfortunately, this figurehead was lost during her restoration.

In 1972, John and Mary Hornshaw purchased Warrior from Stanley Crabtree at Glasson Dock, Lancaster. In May 1973, John Hornshaw, his son Michael, and a professional skipper sailed Warrior through the Bay of Biscay to Gibraltar. The Hornshaws lived aboard the vessel in the Mediterranean, exploring areas from Palma de Mallorca to the Greek Islands, Malta, and the Spanish mainland coast.

In 1985, they sailed Warrior back across the Bay of Biscay independently and lived on board in Torquay until the vessel was sold in May 1989.