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This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
G.H.Ridalls & Sons
Brief History of the Company
(to be completed)
:-
Ridalls were acquired by
Dart Pleasure Craft
for the 2000 season, along with the
Dartmouth Princess
and
Dittisham Princess
.
My Queen
passed to Rackleys in 2002, who operate the Exmouth-Starcross ferry.
Ships on this Page
(to be completed)
:-
Dartmouth Princess
(built: 1990 - Ridalls: 1994-2000)
- ex-
Devon Belle II
Dittisham Princess
(1995-2000)
My Queen
(built: 1929 - Ridalls: 1995-2000)
- to
Dart Pleasure Craft
in 1987
Totnes Princess
(1985-1999)
- ex-
Eastern Belle
Queen of Helford
(built: 1940 - Ridalls: 19??-1994)
Dartmothian
(built: 1938 - Ridalls: 1982-1997)
- built as
Seymour Castle
of
River Dart SB Co
Heart's Content
(built: 1938)
Associated Pages:-
Devon Excursion Ships
- Devon Header Page
Dart Pleasure Craft
Devon Dock, Pier & SS Co
Devon Princess Cruises
Devon Star Shipping
Plymouth Boat Cruises
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
References:-
Passenger Steamers of the River Dart
- Richard Clammer & Alan Kittridge - Twelveheads Press 1987
Trip Out Guides
- Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
Thanks to Graham Thorne for assistence with this page
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Ridalls Fleet List
(
To Be Completed
)
Heart's Content
(built: 1938)
Postcard of the
Heart's Content
at Totnes.
Queen of Helford
(Ridalls: 197?-1994 - built: 1960)
Queen of Helford
was built by Blackmore & Sons in 1960, providing excursions from Falmouth to Helford for the Timmins family of Penryn. She joined the Ridalls fleet in the mid-1970s, and remained until 1994, passing to
K.J.Bridge
of Plymouth. By 1997 she had been replaced in the
K.J.Bridge
fleet by
Devon Belle
(ex-
Dartmothian
of Ridalls) and had joined P.J.McColl of Falmouth. In 2002 she passed to D.Gold, Dartmouth, and then in 2004 to
Tamar Cruising & Cremyll Ferry Co
, later renamed
Tamar Belle
.
Queen of Helford
in Falmouth service.
Tamar Cruising's
Tamar Belle
, 1960, ex-
Queen of Helford
, approaches the quay at Cremyll
Photo: © Graham Thorne
Click to open larger image in new window
Dartmothian
(Ridalls: 1982-1997 - built: 1938)
The 60ft
Seymour Castle
was built by Ferris & Bank, Dartmouth, in 1938, for the
River Dart SB Co
. She was sold to Tony & Hilary Soper in 1972 for use on bird watching cruises as the
Scomber
. After a spell at Plymouth for
K.T.Bridge
as the
Southern Comfort of Plymstock
, she returned to the Dart in 1982 for Ridalls as the
Dartmothian
. Between 1997 and 2000 she ran as the
Devon Belle
for
K.J.Bridge
at Plymouth.
Dennis postcard T.0601 of
Seymour Castle (3)
in
River Dart SB Co
ownership
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard of Dartmouth with Ridalls
Dartmothian
on the far right.
Dartmothian
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
Click to open larger image in new window
Dartmothian
(right) and
My Queen
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
Click to open larger image in new window
Totnes Princess
(Built: 1946 - Ridalls: 1985-1999)
In May 1957,
the May Queen
was bought by the Millbrook Steam Boat & Trading Company and renamed
Eastern Belle
.
She passed to Dart Pleasure Craft in 1980, and then to Plymouth Boat Cruises in 1985 when
Dart Pleasure Craft
pulled out of Plymouth services.
Plymouth Boat Cruises
soon sold the
Eastern Belle
to G H Ridalls & Sons at Dartmouth. She became their
Totnes Princess
and remained on the Dart until 1999. Since 2001 she has run in the Isle of Man for Captain Stephen Carter's Laxey Towing Company bearing the traditional Manx name
Karina
.
Postcard of
Eastern Belle
.
Totnes Princess
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
Click to open larger image in new window
Totnes Princess
Photo: © Graham Thorne, October 1994
Click to open larger image in new window
My Queen
(Ridalls: 1987-2000)
My Queen
was built in 1929 and was a Dunkirk veteran. Between 1962-1970 she served with
George Wheeler Launches
on the Thames. In 1975 she passed to W.Jackson, also on the Thames.
My Queen
was bought by
Dart Pleasure Craft
in 1975, and was given a covered cabin in 1982. She was used to take President Mitterand of France on a tour of Dartmouth Harbour in 1984, the 40th Anniversary of D-Day. In 1987 she was in service with
G.H.Ridalls & Sons
, remaining with them until 2000 when the company was bought by
Dart Pleasure Craft
, although the acquisition did not include
My Queen
. After a period of disuse, she re-entered service with B.R.J.Rackley, who operate the Exmouth-Starcross ferry and local excursions. She remained with successors
J.& M.Rackley's
Exe to Sea Cruises
in 2007, by which time
My Queen
was 76 years old.
My Queen
(left) and
Dartmothian
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
Click to open larger image in new window
My Queen
on the River Dart, seen from Dartmouth Castle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart, seen from Dartmouth Castle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart, seen from Dartmouth Castle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
at Totnes on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
My Queen
in
Exe to Sea
service at Brixham in 2007
Photo: © Jerry Rackley
Click to open larger image in new window
Dartmouth Princess
(Ridalls: 1995-2000 - built 1990)
In 1990
K.J.Bridge
replaced their
Duke of Edinburgh
with the new
Devon Belle II (1)
. In 1994
Devon Belle II (1)
went to
G.H.Riddall
on the Dart as
Dartmouth Princess
in exchange for the
Queen of Helford
. She passed to
Dart Pleasure Craft
in 2000, retaining her name
Dartmouth Princess
.
Dartmouth Princess
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
Dartmouth Princess
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
Dartmouth Princess
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
Dartmouth Princess
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997