James Munn’s wife was pregnant with their second child when he died
The memorial to James Munn at Trinity Church(Image: LancsLive)
The annual regatta at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham remains a popular event today but almost 200 years ago it was the scene of a tragic accident.
James Munn, the eldest son of Stacksteads Mill owner Robert, died aged 34 on July 22 in 1871 at Lytham Regatta. The official Fairhaven Regatta in Lytham was first held in 1900 but watersports activities had been held at the lake for many years.
James was buried at the Church of the Holy Trinity seven days later and a monument to him was erected at the church, paid for by public subscription, in 1873.
Carvings on the monument reveal it was created by J Rawson of Bury whose family business is still going strong today.
James, who was born in 1836 and baptised at the same church, fathered two children with Mary Elizabeth; girls called Edith and Eliza. Sadly, Eliza was born two months after her father’s tragic death.
Holy Trinity Church
The monument at Trinity Church is Grade II listed. Historic England’s listing states: “Monument to James Munn (1836-1871), dated 1873. Richly carved sandstone pinnacle in Gothic style. Square section, with stepped base, weathered plinth, elongated angle-buttressed corners, polished shafts flanking arched panels with attenuated moulded and crocketed gablets tapering to a band which forms the base to an octagonal spirelet.
“The panel on the south face bears a bust of James Munn, the springing of the arches display carved heads, an the side panels are lettered, that on the west side stating that the monument was erected by public subscription. History: James Munn (eldest son of Robert Munn, owner of Stacksteads Mill) died at Lytham Regatta 1871.”
The Munns were a family of cotton spinners and manufacturers who owned Stacksteads Mill. The mill, built three years before James was born by his dad Robert and Robert’s brother John, is now known as Toll Bar Business Park.
Stacksteads Mill is now a business park
Join our LancsLive WhatsApp group
LancsLive now has its very own WhatsApp community to deliver the latest news straight to your phone.
Breaking news, opinion and top stories are being sent directly to our community and we want you to be part of it. Get the latest news as it breaks from across Lancashire. Users who want to join must have WhatsApp downloaded to their phone.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in. No one will be able to see your personal information in the community and you will only receive messages from the LancsLive news team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest stories from across the county.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking ‘Exit Group’, simple as that.
Join our new Whatsapp community! Click this link to receive daily LancsLive breaking news and top stories. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.