Historical

20 July 1971, Basil Humphreys, (pictured), benefactor of Kimberley and son of William, dies. DID YOU KNOW Basil William Clayton Humphreys DSC. The son of William Benbow Humphreys and Maude Elizabeth Humphreys (nee Searle), Basil was born in Kimberley on ...

UPDATED: 19/07/2018 19 July 1897, An Indian trader named Kaledin, murdered in the Malay Camp. An unsolved murder. 19 July 1960, Dr Arthur Letele released from custody and deported from South Africa. DID YOU KNOW An Indian hawker named Kaledin was ...

18 July 1873, SA cricketer Bertie Powell born. 18 July 1878, The Thompson family attacked by Galeshewe at Cornforth Hill. 18 July 1889, De Beers Consolidated Mines pays Barney Barnato £5 338 650.00 for his Kimberley Mine and assets. DID ...

UPDATED: 17/07/2018 17 July 1890, Cecil Rhodes (pictured) becomes Premier of the Cape Colony. DID YOU KNOW Cecil Rhodes’ appointment at age 37 years as Premier of the Cape Colony on 17 July 1890 saw Kimberley acclaim him as “one of ...

UPDATE: 16/07/2018 16 July 1871, Esau Demoense discovers the world’s richest diamond mine, later named the Kimberley Mine. 16 July 1884, Vooruitzucht Estate, except the mining areas, handed over to the Council. 16 July 1894, Andrew Hudson Bain of Bains ...

13 July 1940, Salvation Army building in Crossman Road opened by Commissioner Cunningham. 13 July 1949, Springbok rugby player JWE “Klondyke” Raaff dies. 13 July 1990, Retired chief librarian Olive McIntyre dies. 13 July 1993, Artist Nellie Steenkamp dies. DID YOU ...

12 July 1888, Rescue attempts continue at the De Beers Mine disaster as hundreds of miners escape the underground fire. Pictured are GM of De Beers at the time of the disaster, Gardner Williams, and the Memorial at Gladstone cemetery. ...

11 July 1878, Louis Hond found guilty of illegal diamond buying. 11 July 1888, The world’s worst diamond mine disaster occurs at the De Beers mine, claiming 202 lives. DID YOU KNOW Wednesday 11 July 1888 is the worst day ...

UPDATED: 10/07/2018 10 July 1871, John Daniel Kestell (pictured) arrives in Kimberley as a youth. 10 July 1902, Presentation to Colonel RG Kekewich at the Eclectic grounds.  DID YOU KNOW Dr John Daniel Kestell, better known to his flock as “Vader”, was ...

UPDATED: 09/07/2018 9 July 1847, Henrietta Stockdale born in England. 9 July 1871, First baptism entry – Leonard Hinton – at the Catholic church in Bultfontein by Father Hidien. 9 July 1891, A big explosion occurs at De Beers Head ...