Lifeboat Monument, St Annes facts for kids
 |
|
 Location in Lytham St Annes
|
|
| Coordinates | 53°44′56″N 3°02′02″W / 53.74898°N 3.03381°W |
|---|---|
| Location | South Promenade, St Annes, Lancashire, England |
| Designer | W. B. Rhind |
| Material | Sandstone on an ashlar plinth |
| Opening date | 23 May 1888 |
|
Listed Building – Grade II
|
|
| Official name: Lifeboat monument approximately 100 metres south east of St Annes Pier | |
| Designated: | 15 February 1993 |
| Reference #: | 1196340 |
The Lifeboat Monument in St Annes stands on the South Promenade in St Annes, Lancashire, England. This monument remembers 13 brave lifeboatmen from St Annes. They died trying to save the crew of a German sailing ship called the Mexico. The Mexico got stuck on a sandbank during a big storm in December 1886.
Another lifeboat from Southport also faced tragedy. It lost 14 of its 16 crew members in the same disaster. The monument shows a lifeboatman looking out to sea. He stands on a base that looks like a rock. This monument is a special historic building. It is protected by law as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
A Terrible Storm and Rescue Attempt
On December 9, 1886, a huge storm hit the coast. A German sailing ship, the Mexico, got stuck on a sandbank. This sandbank was off the coast near Ainsdale, close to Southport.
Three lifeboats rushed out to help the ship. They were the Laura Janet from St Annes, the Eliza Fernley from Southport, and the Charles Biggs from Lytham. The Lytham lifeboat successfully rescued the crew from the Mexico.
However, the other two lifeboats, the Laura Janet and the Eliza Fernley, overturned in the storm. All 13 crew members of the St Annes lifeboat were lost. Only two of the 16 crew members from the Southport lifeboat survived. This was the worst disaster ever for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Building the Monument
After this terrible event, John Unwin, who was the mayor of Southport, started a special fund. This fund raised a lot of money, about £31,000. Most of this money went to help the families of the men who died.
In January 1887, the fund gave £200 to each of the three local towns. This money was for them to build monuments. The St Annes committee asked W. B. Rhind to design their monument. The monument was officially revealed on St Annes Promenade on May 23, 1888. John Talbot Clifton did the unveiling.
What the Monument Looks Like
The monument is made from sandstone. It has a base that is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) wide and 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall. On top of this base is another part that looks like a tall rock. This rock-like part is about 3 meters (10 feet) high.
Standing on this rock is a large statue of a lifeboatman. He is bigger than a real person. The lifeboatman statue faces out towards the sea. On the south side of the monument, there is a special stone panel. This panel lists the names of all the brave men who were lost.
Below their names, there is an important message:
- THE CREW OF THE ST ANNES LIFEBOAT
- WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN A GALLANT ATTEMPT
- TO RESCUE THE CREW
- OF THE GERMAN BARQUE "MEXICO"
- WRECKED OFF SOUTHPORT
- ON THE NIGHT OF THE 9TH DECEMBER 1886
Why the Monument is Important
The Lifeboat Monument was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on February 15, 1993. A Grade II listing means it is a building or structure of national importance. It has special historical or architectural interest.
Other Memorials
Three other memorials were also built to remember this event. Two of them are in Southport, and one is in Lytham. All of these are also Grade II listed buildings.
- In Southport Cemetery, there is the Lifeboat Memorial. It looks like a stone chest.
- On the Southport Promenade, there is the Monumental Obelisk. This monument remembers other events too, not just the lifeboat disaster.
- The Lytham Memorial is in the churchyard of St Cuthbert's Church. It looks like a tall, pointed tower.
