Lifeboat Monument, St Annes

The Lifeboat Monument is a Grade II listed sandstone structure on South Promenade featuring a life-size figure of a lifeboatman carved in stone. The statue stands on a rocky pedestal and faces the sea, with information panels nearby explaining the maritime events and those commemorated.

Thirteen lifeboatmen from St Annes died in December 1886 while attempting to rescue the crew of the German ship Mexico from treacherous sandbanks offshore. The memorial was constructed several years after this disaster using funds collected to honor those lost during the rescue operation.

The monument displays the names of all crew members who lost their lives, preserving their memory in the community. Visitors passing by can read their stories carved into the stone and understand the sacrifice these rescuers made.

The monument sits directly along South Promenade and is easily accessible to visitors walking along the seafront. The information panels are best read in daylight and calmer weather, and the site works well as a stop during a longer walk along the promenade.

The monument was funded through a disaster relief fund that raised a substantial amount of money following the tragedy. Only a modest portion of this total sum was dedicated to building the stone memorial itself.