Historical

UPDATED: 26/05/2023 26 May 1873, Formation of the Griqualand Mounted Police in Kimberley. 26 May 1884, SA cricketer Louis Stricker born in Beaconsfield. The formation of the Mounted Police In the early days of the diamond fields, Nicholas Waterboer’s territory ...

UPDATED: 25/05/2023 25 May 1875, Police Constable Pieter Sam executed in Kimberley for murdering two prisoners. This is the first execution in Kimberley. 25 May 1893, Air Vice Marshal Sir Christopher Quintin Brand born in Beaconsfield. 25 May 1984, Sister ...

UPDATED: 24/05/2023 24 May 1870, Jan Christian Smuts born in Riebeeck West. His first political speech was in Kimberley on 29 October 1895. 24 May 1932, Sol Plaatje’s last public speech in Kimberley. Sol Plaatje’s last speech in Kimberley Solomon ...

UPDATED: 23/05/2023 23 May 1886, Foundation stone of All Saints Church in Beaconsfield laid. 23 May 1900, Presentation to Town Council by Dr R Harris of Cecil Rhodes’ portrait. 23 May 2013, Sylvia Lucas inducted as Premier of the Northern ...

UPDATED:  22/05/2023 22 May 1878, Some 100 Griqua casualties in the battle of Driefontein at Griquatown. 22 May 1880, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, founder of Anglo American Corporation, is born in Germany. 22 May 1937, Marjorie Timlin, wife of William, killed ...

19 May 1879, Presbyterian Church foundation stone laid by Sir Walter Frere, New Main Road. 19 May 1881, First sod turned for the new Newton reservoir by Moses Cornwall. (Pictured is the reservoir wall in 1899 being used by the ...

18 May 1876, The Lanyon Theatre opens. 18 May 1881, Meeting called to form the Kimberley Club. 18 May 1906, Statue of Queen Victoria in the Public Gardens unveiled. (Pictured is the statue in its original position at the entrance ...

UPDATED: 17/05/2023 17 May 1900, The great Market Square fire. 17 May 1900, Mafeking relieved by a column that included the Kimberley Mounted Corps. 17 May 1906, Foundation stone of Belgravia School laid by Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson. 17 May 1938, ...

UPDATED: 16/05/2023 16 May 1899, Headmaster of Kimberley Boy’s High School, LC Wilkes, dies of typhus. Typhoid fever claims Boys High Headmaster Leopold Complin Wilkes (pictured) was the second Headmaster of Kimberley Boy’s High School, serving in that capacity from ...

UPDATED: 15/05/2023 15 May 1915, Ernest Oppenheimer rescued from a mob. Ernest Oppenheimer forced to leave Kimberley The resignation of Ernest Oppenheimer as Mayor of Kimberley and as a Town Councillor on 12 May 1915 as a result of the ...