She was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, being launched on 31 August 1916 and completing on 30 November that year.

In July 1915, the British Admiralty ordered three Parker-class flotilla leaders (i.e. large destroyers intended to lead flotillas of smaller destroyers in action) under the Sixth Emergency War Construction Programme, Seymour, Hoste and Saumarez, from the Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird.

[2] 515 long tons (523 t) of oil fuel were carried, giving a range of 4,290 nautical miles (7,950 km; 4,940 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[9][d] In 1917, Seymour was fitted to allow her to be used for minelaying,[11][12] with the ability to carry 80 mines,[13][e] although this capacity appears not to have been used in action.

[17] In October 1917, the Grand Fleet carried out another large-scale anti-submarine operation, in which destroyers and submarines were to be used to drive German U-boats that were returning to port from operations and passing to the east of the Dogger Bank into a large (several miles long) array of mine nets.

She was refitted at Pembroke Dock in June–July 1923, and in July 1924 was commissioned to take part in naval exercises before returning to reserve later that year.

[12] Seymour was sold to John Cashmore Ltd on 7 January 1930 for £9,650 and was removed to their works at Newport for scrapping on 13 February that year.