4 February 1884, West Indian Samuel Trott, murders storekeeper John Jackson in Dutoitspan village. 4 February 1900, The Highland Brigade, including Lt FG Tait (pictured), leaves Modder River camp en route to Koodoosberg Drift. The murder of John Jackson in ...
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UPDATED: 02/12/2024 2 DECEMBER 1912, Beaconsfield amalgamates with Kimberley in 1912. 2 DECEMBER 1971, “Singing” Sam Smith, GW representative for cricket, bowls and rugby, dies. 2 DECEMBER 1978, Rapid Bird Guide for Southern Africa launched by author Dr Richard Liversidge. Beaconsfield ...
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19 November 1871, Fr Hidien, Catholic priest who began the first two hospitals in Kimberley, dies. 19 November 1886, Michael King kills the one-armed Charles Murray in Dutoitspan village. 19 November 1892, Kimberley Town Bowling Club opens, the 2nd in SA. 19 ...
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4 October 1884, William Griffin murders Grace Kelt at “The Flag is Ours” Club in Dutoitspan village. Pictured is a drawing of Dutoitspan village in the 1870s Murder at “The Flag is Ours” Club This tragic headline appeared in the ...
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UPDATED: 25/09/2024 25 September 1886, William Hendricks accidentally kills his wife Sophy after a drunken spree. He was found not guilty of murder. 25 September 1907, Alexander McGregor Museum officially opened. 25 September 1908, Salvation Army leader General William Booth, visits Kimberley. ...
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UPDATED: 23/09/2024 23 September 1871, Theatre Royal in Dutoitspan Village opens. 23 September 1887, The Queen’s Theatre opens. 23 September 1918, The first case of Spanish Flu in Dutoitspan Mine compound detected. 23 September 1942, Colonel Sir David Harris, cousin of Barney Barnato ...
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UPDATE: 24/04/2024 24 April 1884, South Africa’s first industrial strike begins, by miners. 24 April 1941, Steam tram derails at Kenilworth terminus. Pictured is the Kimberley Central Diamond Mining Company shaft circa 1886 – at the Kimberley Mine (Big Hole). ...
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UPDATED: 08/03/2024 8 March 1886, Phoenix Hotel in Beaconsfield established. 8 March 2017, Two policemen and one former policeman killed in a city shootout. PHOENIX HOTEL 138 YEARS OLD TODAY In the early 1880s, and as the Dutoitspan and Bultfontein ...
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21 September 1888, Detective Robert Murray dies in a fire on Barkly Road. 21 September 1905, The first principal of Girls High School, Miss E.L. Redford, dies. TRAGIC DEATH OF A POLICEMAN Robert Murray was born in Ireland, the eldest ...
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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 ...
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