Lady in White moves into new home
Durban's famous Lady in White has taken up permanent residents at Durban's Maritime Museum.
THE famous lady in White bronze monument has a new home!
This week saw the momument take up permanent residence at Durban’s Maritime Museum. The statue was commissioned in 1995 by Sam Morley who wrote the book Durban’s Lady in White and money collected mainly by the war veterans who had heard her sing during the war.
This local lady became recognised and loved worldwide for her selfless self-imposed task of singing a welcome and farewell to every warship, troop ship and hospital ship that sailed through local waters during World War II. With the aid of only a megaphone, her trained soprano voice carried well across the water to those lining the decks to hear her, bringing them cheer and fortitude.
Most people never knew her name, Perla Siedle Gibson, they only knew her as the Lady in White. She was issued with a special Allied Dockside permit between 1939 and 1945 and given prior knowledge of the secret movement of the conveys due to arrive in Durban.
The statue, made by local artist Barbara Siedle , who is also niece of the Lady in White, was installed 21 years ago on T jetty in Durban Harbour. It used to be visited by many visiting tourists and locals alike, but since the new security restrictions took effect, access by the public became more and more difficult until eventually it was decided to move her to her present positing at the Maritime Museum. There she has been welcomed as an added attraction to the museum displays.
