1986 Centenary Great Lifeboat Disaster

In 1886, 27 lifeboatmen from the St Annes and Southport Lifeboat crews lost their lives attempting to save the lives of the 12 men aboard the barque Mexico.

1986 was the centenary year of the tragedy in the Ribble Estuary. As part of the activities, Samuel Fletcher of Manchester ON393 was repainted by Blackpool Council in early RNLI livery and sent to Lytham as part of the centenary display. This is probably the last time she looked at her best.

Above picture shows ON393 freshly painted at Lytham 1986 by David Forshaw

ON393 + ON967 at Lytham 1986 by David Forshaw

 

Picture below show the boat at Stanley Park in 1980 before application of the RNLI livery