Mary Stainbank from Coedmore was commissioned to make up the plaque commemorating Winston Churchill’s speech at the Durban Post Office after his escape from Pretoria . He had been captured in 1899 at Chievely, near Estcourt, by the Boers when a train he was travelling in was ambushed, resulting in his capture.

The third image is the maquette drawn by Mary, prior to her sculpting the mould for the brass plaque. She often made changes but this maquette closely represents the final plaque, unlike the second maquette.

Churchill commemorative plaque outside the Durban Post Office.
Mary Stainbank’s maquette of the Churchill Plaque.
Mary Stainbank’s Churchill maquette that closely resembles the final plaque below.
Churchill’s Commemorative plaque outside the Durban Post Office.

 

Churchill Plaque – Post Office Building