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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
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Postcard of Dartmouth with Ridalls Dartmothian on the far right.
 
 
Dartmothian
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
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Dartmothian (right) and My Queen
Photo: © Graham Thorne, September 1990
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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
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Totnes Princess
Photo: © Graham Thorne, October 1994
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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
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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
 
 
Dartmouth Princess (left) and Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dartmouth Princess in Dart Pleasure Craft service
Photo: © John Hendy 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
 
 
 
Dittisham Princess
(Ridalls: 1995-2000)
 
Dittisham Princess was built new for Ridalls in 1995. In 2000 she passed to Dart Pleasure Craft
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
Dittisham Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
Dittisham Princess (right) and Dartmouth Princess on the River Dart.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1997
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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