More information : 9th December 1886. MEXICO Barque. At 1pm on the afternoon of the 9th the German Barque MEXICO - Liverpool for Guayaquil, Ecuador with general and a crew of twelve was being driven before a severe gale with the visibility obscured by showers of sleet and hail. A low, sandy shore was sighted under her lee and the master Cpt. Burmester ordered two anchors to be put out. These did not stop her drift and he ordered the fore and main masts to be cut down. Eventually at about 3 o'clock the MEXICO held to her anchors off Ainsdale. At 9.o'clock she started drifting again and when the master heard the sound of breakers, he ordered his crew to lash themselves to the rigging of the mizzen mast and distress signals to be fired. Shortly after, the barque struck the Horse Bank. The signals were seen ashore and the lifeboats alerted.
Southport Lifeboat - ELIZA FERNLEY - Coxswain Charles Hodge was launched at 11.o'clock - about 1.am. she capsized. Of the sixteen lifeboatmen only two survived - Henry Robinson, John Jackson.
St. Anne's Lifeboat - LAURA JANET - Coxswain William Johnson was launched at 10.25 pm. She capsized not long after and all the thirteen lifeboatmen were lost. The upturned boat and most of the crew were found on Ainsdale Beach the next day.
Lytham Lifeboat CHARLES BIGGS - Coxswain Thomas Clarkson, was launched at 10.05 pm and despite being thrown on her port beam and some oars broken, she reached the wreck and took off the crew of twelve and safely landed them at Lytham.
A total of 44 men set out to rescue twelve, but 27 were not to return. This was the worst disaster in RNLI history. A disaster fund was set up for the 16 widows and 50 orphans. A memorial was erected on the promenade at St. Anne's in 1888 in memory of those tragically lost in the MEXICO disaster. (1)
Tonnage given as 484 gross tons. (1)
Ex. JOHN BULL. During an attempt to rescue the crew' the Southport lifeboat capsized drowning 14 of her 16 man crew and later news revealed that the St. Anne's lifeboat had also been found up onthe shore near Southport with the loss of all her hands. Several of the St. Anne's crew were Lytham men, one of whom, John Wignall, took a cab to make sure he did not miss the launch. No one knows exactly what happened during the hours of darkness and the furious storm, since no one survived. The Southport lifeboat lifeboat was transported 3.5 miles along the beach in order to launch to the westward of the wreck, and at about 1am was close to the wreck and about to let go her anchor when a heavy sea turned her over and she capsized. Queen Victoria personally received an account of the Lytham Lifeboat, and the German Emporer sent his thanks, a sum of money and gold medals. The Lytham lifeboat successfully saved the lives of the German seamen, her cox'n receiving the RNLI silver medal. (2)(3)
This disaster was broadcast on 'Coast' BBC2, 9.00pm on 5th August 2005. (4)
Built: 1860 (2)(3)
Builder: T R Oswald (2)(3)
Master: Capt. Burmester (1)
Crew: 12 (1)
Where Built: Sunderland (2)(3)
Owner: Temperley of London (1); Oetling Gebruder, Hamburg; misspelt in source 2 and 3 as Oetting Gebruder.
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss.
Additional Sources cited in Lawson-Booth List:
Lloyds Register 1886-7, No.1661(M)
World Ship Society Central Records
Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
WEB Wreck Index
The Lythamers, John Kennedy, 1986 p14-15 photo
Shallow Water, C R Bentend, p92
For Those in Peril, Elder & Murray, p46
Survivors: Tales of Famous Shipwrecks, p261
NMM Photo Collection Catalogue No.2
Fatal Call, B Cockcroft, 1995, p23-4 |