RETURN OF THE ‘WHISKY’ BOMB

IN 1976, at the height of the Struggle, a petrol bomb was thrown through the glass window of the side door of 408 Innes Road, Durban, causing considerable damage. At the time (from 1962 to 1984) the gracious old home was the archbishop’s house and chancery. Lillishell Manor subsequently became the consulgeneral of India’s residence, now known as India House.

The intended target of the bomb was anti-apartheid activist, cleric, community leader and inspiration behind the Denis Hurley Centre, Archbishop Denis Hurley, who lived in Archbishop’s House.

Monsignor Paul Nadal was a close associate of Hurley and also a resident of the house.

Nadal told Illa Thompson, who sent in both pictures, that he remembered when the photograph was taken of Hurley inspecting the damage to his home.

Nadal recounted that Hurley noted the bomber had used an empty alcohol bottle for the bomb. “Pity the bomb contained petrol and not whisky!” he said.

In the current picture, taken by Thompson, Nadal and the current resident of 408 Innes Road, the Consul-General of India, Dr Shashank Vikram, recreate the 1976 petrol bomb scene.

The Independent on Saturday appeals to readers who have old pictures of Durban and other parts of the province to send them to us for consideration. If any readers are featured in the old picture, we will do our best to recreate the scene with them in it again. Readers sending pictures digitally – images should be about 1MB – can address them, with the relevant information, to satmail@inl.co.za

If the pictures are in hard-copy format, they can be posted to The Editor, Old Pictures, The Independent on Saturday, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023.