Historical

19 January 1900, The Long Cecil gun, designed by American George Labram, and built in the De Beers Workshops, is tested. 19 January 1906, South Africa’s first Inter Colonial Poultry Conference in Kimberley. DID YOU KNOW Dissatisfaction with the superiority ...

UPDATED: 17/01/2019 17 January 1885, First mining compound opened at the Kimberley Mine by the French Company. (Pictured is the Bultfontein Mine compound in circa 1905). DID YOU KNOW It has always been believed, quite erroneously, that De Beers Consolidated ...

UPDATED: 16/01/2019 16 January 1889, Kimberley awarded the cricket Currie Cup by England. 16 January 1891, Fabricius has five men working the new Wesselton mine. 16 January 1900, Soup kitchen opened at the Hull St Convict Station. Pictured is the Wesselton Mine ...

UPDATED: 15/01/2019 15 January 1877, Murderer William Danster executed in Kimberley. 15 January 1897, Secretary of De Beers CM, William Henry Craven dies in the USA. 15 January 1901, Catholic Bishop Anthony Gaughren OMI dies. 15 January 1942, Springbok rugby player AFW ...

UPDATED: 14/01/2019 14 January 1871, First official mail from Cape Town to Klipdrift dispatched. DID YOU KNOW It was on 15 October 1870 that the first mail was dispatched from the Diamond Fields to Cape Town, this via Bloemfontein and ...

DID YOU KNOW The use of aircraft in warfare came of age in the Great War, the intrepid flyers of both the Allies and the Germans becoming instant media and public heroes with many individuals receiving the highest gallantry decorations ...

DID YOU KNOW? That Kimberley’s link with the Royal Air Force and the Battle of Britain in WW 2 is not just with Group Captain AG “Sailor” Malan? Two other Kimberley men involved were Sir Christopher Quentin Brand and Albert ...

12 January 1915, The Union (of SA) Defence Force move in strength into German SWA. The forces include the Kimberley Regiment. DID YOU KNOW By the end of the Boer Rebellion, generally dated in January 1915, additional SA Field Post and ...

UPDATED: 11/01/2019 11 January 1905, Two books signed by Florence Nightingale donated to Library. 11 January 1916, 24 recently planted trees destroyed on Main Rd Beaconsfield. 11 January 1965, Body of five-year-old girl recovered from Otto’s Kopje mine. DID YOU ...

UPDATED: 10 January 2019 10 January 1884, Dynamite explosion kills two miners at the De Beers Mine. 10 January 1887, Irvine Grimmer (pictured) takes 16 wickets for 83 runs for Strayklips vs WP CC. DID YOU KNOW Irvine Grimmer is not ...