The Mexico monument at St Anne’s was, and is, a focal point for collective mourning and a means of continuous celebration of the heroism of the lifeboatmen lost in the disaster of 1886. Although the monument formalized these processes they really began very soon after the disaster happened as emotive depictions of the event and its aftermath appeared across various print media. It is a common conception that as a nation (and I speak here perhaps more of England than Britain collectively) we have latterly become far more likely to express emotion both as individuals and collectively. Critics of this perceived trend suggest that we have become emotionally incontinent, less inclined to traditional English stoicism and reserve. However, a quick study of newspapers relating to national events over the preceding 150 years shows that the desire to express emotion collectively over a national event has been with us for a long time The mourning and commemoration surrounding the Mexico ...