Sir Arthur Francis (Toby) Pridham was born on 03 June 1886 in Honiton, Devon. He went to Honiton Grammar School (which became All Hallows School at Rousdon, Devon), then on to H.M.S. BRITANNIA as one of the last boy entries. In 1911, be married Miriam Vidal Lewis and had three daughters, Anne, Elisabeth and Joan.
He served in the following ships:
1901 - H.M.S. BRITANNIA
1902 - H.M.S. ISIS
1903 - H.M.S. JUPITER (His Midshipman's Journal was presented to a later H.M.S. JUPITER in 1975 after his death)
1905 - H.M.S. CAESAR
1906 - RNC GREENICH
? - H.M.S. MAGNIFICENT
1906 - Navigation School
1907 - H.M.S. EXCELLENT
1907 - H.M.S. NATAL
? - H.M.S. BERWICK
1910 - H.M.S. EXCELLENT
? - H.M.S. RACEHORSE
? - H.M.S. SWIFTSURE
1912 - ITP Staff
? - H.M.S. FORMIDABLE
? - H.M.S. IRRESISTIBLE
? - The Admiralty
1913 - H.M.S. EXCELLENT
1913 - H.M.S. WEYMOUTH (in 1915, taking part in the destruction of the German cruiser, Königsberg up the Rufigi River, East Africa)
1916 - H.M.S. SHANNON
1917 - H.M.S. MARLBOROUGH (as First Lieutenant, in 1919, he was appointed temporary ADC to the Dowager Empress Marie of Russia during the evacuation of the Russian Royal Family and entourage from Yalta and Novo-Rossisk and during their journey into exile in Europe) He was given the Order of St Stanislas by HM the Dowager Empress.
1920 - The Admiralty
1922 - H.M.S. MARLBOROUGH (as Commander)
1924 - The Admiralty (Plans)
1927 - The Imperial Defence College
1929 - H.M.S. CONCORD (it is believed that this ship saw duty in China and sailed up the Yangste River to Hancow)
? - H.M.S. CALLIOPE (in the Mediterranean)
1929 - H.M.S. CURLEW
1930 - The Admiralty
1933 - H.M.S. EXCELLENT in Command
1936 - H.M.S. HOOD, Flag Captain and CSO (during this time, the Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was taken on board when Italy invaded Ethiopia. The HOOD also saw duty off Spain during the Spanish Civil War).
1938 - Rear-Admiral, Assistant Controller
1939 - Flag Officer, H.M.S. HUMBER
1940 - Vice President of the Ordnance Board. Awarded CB.
1941 - Vice-Admiral. President of the Ordnance Board
1946 - Retired and was knighted KBE by King George VI. He was also a Commander of the United States Legion of Merit.
He wrote and had published a book covering the rescue of the Russian Royal Family entitled "The Close of a Dynasty". It included many historic photographs.
Whilst Commanding officer of H.M.S. HOOD in Malta, his eldest daughter, Anne, was married to Lieutenant-Commander James Graham (Nat) GOULD on 28 July 1937. Note: To view an enlarged image of the wedding party, please click on the photo to the right.
His wife, Miriam, as the last descendant of the Vidal family, launched the survey ship H.M.S. VlDAL on 31 July 1951.
He died aged 88 on 27 January 1975 and, that summer, was buried at sea off Portland from H.M.S. JUPITER with the ashes of his wife, Miriam, who pre-deceased him in 1969, in the presence of his grandson, Lt Commander David GOULD and his grandson-in-law, Lt Commander John DYKES, First Lieutenant of H.M.S. JUPITER at that time.