slab and plaque; The work of engraver, stoneworker and gilder fitted together.

Making the memorial plaque

The granite slab containing a brass plaque with gilded lettering was made in stages, before being finally placed on Swavesey village green to mark the site of the burial. Making the stainless steel burial capsules was difficult but they arrived on time and from a long way: Mobile near the gulf of Mexico. The memorial slab and plaque had several people involved in its making.   There some delays but it too arrived just in time.
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wpe6.jpg (46369 bytes) wpe7.jpg (40872 bytes) The brass plaque was first engraved with words explaining the contents of the buried capsule and a list of sponsors. Each of the sponsors had contributed to the cost of making the book and several of them had helped in the final stages of the burial ceremony. The Harsco organisation being particularly helpful by making two stainless steel capsules for the burial process. One buried and one for the Swavesey/Cambridgeshire archives.

Stonemasons cut and polished the granite slab surround. The circular saw cut the edges of the granite and also made grooves for a depression to set the brass plate into. The stone mason then cut the depression very carefully by hand. wpe9.jpg (50937 bytes)
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wpeC.jpg (34698 bytes) Meanwhile, after firing, the lettering on the plaque was gilded by hand with gold leaf. Any gold dust that did not stick being carefully 'hoovered' up.

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Because of tight schedules and inevitable delays the plaque and granite slab were 'married' on the Hugill's dining table! The glue to attach the engraved brass plate to the granite was made from a fine sand and cement mixture and PVA glue. We hope it will last for a 100 years. To be sure the brass did not come off the granite, there were six screws attached to the back of the brass plate and set through holes in the stone, then screwed down from the back.
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The granite was covered with masking tape for protection, then the whole thing turned over so that a wooden cradle could be made for a concrete base to be poured. The concrete mixing and pouring was done by Mr Graham Dawson whose son also laid the memorial slab as the last action of a long day.

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		Meanwhile, after firing, the lettering on the plaque was gilded by hand with gold leaf. Any gold dust that did not stick being carefully 'hoovered' up.

Because of tight schedules and inevitable delays the plaque and granite slab were 'married' on the Hugill's dining table! The glue to attach the engraved brass plate to the granite was made from a fine sand and cement mixture and PVA glue. We hope it will last for a 100 years. To be sure the brass did not come off the granite, there were six screws attached to the back of the brass plate and set through holes in the stone, then screwed down from the back.
		The granite was covered with masking tape for protection, then the whole thing turned over so that a wooden cradle could be made for a concrete base to be poured. The concrete mixing and pouring was done by Mr Graham Dawson whose son also laid the memorial slab as the last action of a long day.