In the years following the Great War, two rival firms operated side by side on the sands at Teignmouth, Devon, offering boat trips to Torquay, Brixham, and along the River Dart, an area renowned for some of the most beautiful river scenery in England. Bert Hockin was a notable competitor in the tourist trade during this period.

In 1924, Morgan Giles of Teignmouth designed and built Lady Cable for Alf Pittaway. According to Alf Broom, who served as her skipper for a time after the two rival firms merged, Lady Cable was a typical Morgan Giles design, essentially an extended 18-foot jollyboat, a specialty of the shipyard. The vessel was named after Lady Cable of Lindridge, Bishopsteignton, who had the honour of launching her.

Lady Cable served primarily as a passenger pleasure craft throughout most of her operational life. In 1926, she was hired privately to carry thirty Scotland Yard detectives on a trip to Slapton Sands, a mission described as mysterious.

By 1936, Lady Cable had been sold to C. & N. Mott of Torquay. Notably, she was the only boat from Torquay to participate in the Dunkirk evacuation. As documented in A. D. Divine's book Dunkirk, Lady Cable made seven trips from the beaches to larger transport ships, reportedly carrying 550 men. She returned to Dover filled with troops.

Following the war, Lady Cable resumed her role as a passenger pleasure craft during the holiday season, occasionally undertaking fishing expeditions. In 1987, Mrs. Irene Bolus purchased the vessel, with John Bolus serving as skipper. Under their ownership, Lady Cable was used for mackerel fishing trips and cruises around the bay.

Lady Cable was the subject of a BBC news report in October 2015.