Friday 1 January 2010

Double lifeboat disaster ends in the death of 27 crewmen

Coxswain William Johnson looks out to sea atop the memorial to the 1886 St Annes lifeboat disaster which stands on the seafront at St Annes in Lancashire.




When the Hamburg-registered barque, Mexico went aground in a gale near Southport in Lancashire on December 9, 1886, two lifeboats were lost while making rescue attempts. The Eliza Fernley from Southport capsized with the loss of 13 of her sixteen crew, while the St Annes lifeboat, Laura Janet was launched to assist. At some point, this craft was overturned by waves and all fourteen crew members drowned. It was the largest loss ever incurred by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. All the crew of the Mexico were later saved by a third lifeboat.

6 comments:

Harnett-Hargrove said...

You have great finds on the blog... thanks!

I'm thinking.... isn't a finger pointing upward one symbol for John the Baptist, also?

Laurie said...

Thanks, Jayne. The John the Baptist link is new to me. Can you think of a source for it, please.
Best wishes
Laurie

Harnett-Hargrove said...

I reckon I was thinking of Lenny's St John the Baptist painting where he has his index finger pointing up... also the (supposed) relic of his finger, here in the US.
Thanks for following me! I have been following your this blog for a while,hanging on every post... But will spend some time with your others, too, that you post on more often.
A great new years to you! -J

@eloh said...

Framed in blue sky like the sea itself. Stately and haunting.

Dorene from Ohio said...

I've awarded you the "Happy 101" award. You can read about it and pick it up here:

http://graveyardrabbitofsanduskybay.blogspot.com/2010/01/happy-101-award.html

Nishant said...

John the Baptist painting where he has his index finger pointing up..

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