I have not been able to find time to add much to the blog recently as I have been focussing on writing for the PhD, but I thought I would add another short piece at the close of the year. It is particularly relevant as we have just passed the 134 th anniversary (9-10 December) of the Mexico Disaster. December 1886 would have been a particularly difficult time in the environs of St Anne's, Lytham and Southport as bereaved families tried to come to terms with the loss of loved ones and breadwinners, and communities mourned whilst local leaders instigated fundraising efforts for those families. Lytham Times , 15 December 1886 This year’s anniversary is obviously not a significant number, but it was nonetheless remembered on the 'St Anne's Past' and the 'Southport of Yesterday' Facebook sites. There are also moves to have more significant commemorations next year for the 135 th anniversary. Evidently the events of December 1886 still have resonance for many in bo...