UPDATED: 09/04/2024
9 April 1890, SA Cricket Association founded in Kimberley.
9 April 1900, The retirement of Edward Arthur Judge.
9 April 1912, First cross-country air flight in SA starts in Kimberley, ends in Klerksdorp.
9 April 1927, Union Tennis courts opened at No 2 Location.
9 April 1955, Auctioneer and Springbok rugby player JT Vigne, dies.
Civil Commissioner Judge retires after 44 years
“Today, Mr E A Judge, our venerable Civil Commissioner of Kimberley, retires on pension after faithfully serving the Government in various capacities for 44 years. Out of these years, he has served 18 in Kimberley, where his useful work, unostentatiously but thoroughly done, will not lightly be forgotten. He will be succeeded by Mr Egbert Garcia, late of Kingwilliamstown, who arrived in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon.
According to Kilpin, Mr Judge was appointed chief clerk to the Resident Magistrate of Simonstown in May 1856; clerk in the Colonial Secretary’s office, August 1857; visiting Magistrate Breakwater convict station, November 1860; Acting Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate, Namaqualand January 1862; transferred to Queenstown, 1868; acting at Kingwilliamstown (and Registrar of Deeds), January to March 1875; Inspector of Chests, August 1875; Acting CC of Cape Town and RM of Wynberg, March 1877; CC and RM of Paarl, May 1877; transferred to Worcester, November 1877; acting at Kingwilliamstown, March 1880 to February 1881; Civil Commissioner and Registrar of Deeds, Kimberley, May 1882. He has served also on the following commissions: Re boundaries of Dordrecht and settlement of Tambookie location, June and July 1870; re disturbance in Transkei between the Chiefs Kreli and Gangaligwe, November and December 1872; re railway affairs, Port Elizabeth, in May and June 1878; re northern border disturbances in November and December 1873; to Namaqualand re northern border and other matters, March and April 1879; re war expenditure (Basutoland and Transkei) July to November 1881; appointed manager of Vooruitzigt Estate February 1 1882; Chairman of Commission on re-arrangement of divisions in British Bechuanaland, 1896.
Besides these various appointments Mr Judge has been associated as chairman with the Divisional Council, Kimberley Hospital Board, Public Library, Board of Health, Gardens Committee, and wherever he has presided at the meetings of any of these institutions his advice and experience have proved of inestimable value. Mr Judge has also been one of the members of the Court of Summary Jurisdiction constituted during the siege.
A pleasing ceremony took place in the Civil Commissioner’s office on Saturday morning, when Mr Judge’s chief clerk, on behalf of the staff of the office, presented him, as a memento and as a mark of esteem and respect, with a useful present, in the shape of a combined portmanteau and dressing-case.
The card of presentation read as follows:
“Presented to E A Judge Esq, upon his retirement from the Public Service, by the members of his staff:
TW Harker
A Oakley Hill
AR Brand
B Shaw
FW Metelerkamp
AA van Breda”
Long may Mr Judge live to enjoy that pension which he has so well and faithfully earned.” (From the DFA 9 April 1900).
Note: Edward Arthur Judge was born in 1836 and died in 1934 at the age of 98 years. His unpublished memoirs are in the UCT archives.
UPDATED: 09/04/2019
9 April 1890, SA Cricket Association founded in Kimberley.
9 April 1900, The retirement of Edward Arthur Judge.
9 April 1912, First cross-country airflight in SA starts in Kimberley, ends in Klerksdorp.
9 April 1927, Union Tennis courts opened at No 2 Location.
9 April 1955, Auctioneer and Springbok rugby player JT Vigne, dies.
DID YOU KNOW
James Talbot “Chubb” Vigne (23 December 1868 – 9 April 1955) was a South African international rugby union player.
Born in Fort Beaufort to James and Eliza Vigne, he was educated at New College, Eastbourne, although some state he spent some years at school in Kimberley. He was one of eight children. He married Caroline Fitzgerald, the union producing six children, James, Chidlow, Michael, Patricia, Theodore and Dorothea.
He served in the Siege of Kimberley as a Corporal in the Town Guard.
Vigne first played provincial rugby as a centre for Griqualand West in the SA Rugby Board tournament in Kimberley in 1889, the forerunner to the Currie Cup. Although Griquas tied at the top of the table with Western Province, the latter won the title by virtue of having beaten Griquas.
Business commitments saw him move to Johannesburg in 1890 where he played for the Main Reef club and Transvaal, and was still there the following year (1891) when selected to play all three tests for South Africa against the touring British Isles side. The British Isles won the series 3-0.
Vigne returned to Kimberley in 1892 and played for the Kimberley Football Club as well as being an automatic selection for the Griqua side.
The final of the 1892 Currie Cup in Kimberley was between the unbeaten Griquas and Western Province, the latter having lost a point in their game against the Transvaal.
Combining at centre for Griquas were Chubb Vigne and the brilliant Ferdie Aston. Although Griquas lost 6-8, they should have won the game.
Vigne was outstanding:
“From one of those kicks Vigne fielded and replied. Dave Cope got to it, but before he could get in his kick Vigne arrived, snatched the ball away and scored under the posts.”
He once told the following story to Doc Craven: “I would often return to the clubhouse after a match and have a few beers, and sometimes a few beers too many. However, one evening I told everyone at the club that I would not be drinking anymore and I had nothing to drink that particular evening. On my way home, however, I stepped off the pavement and sprained my ankle. I was obliged to sit down on the pavement to recover from the sudden wrench. As it happened a prominent member of the club was passing at that moment and said “Chubb Vigne! – not again!!!” I was so disgusted that I returned to the club and sank a few beers!”
As a cricketer, he represented Griqualand West in four first-class fixtures. He scored 71 runs with a top score of 24, while his bowling resulted in the following amazing statistic. 4 overs, 2 maidens, 1 wicket for two runs.
After his international career, Vigne owned an auctioneers and furniture shop in Kimberley. At the time of his death he stayed at 6 Lodge Road.
He died on 9 April 1955, in Kimberley, at the age of 86, and was buried in the Pioneer cemetery.
From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt
Shortlink for this post: https://www.kimberley.org.za/?p=8603
