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TODAY IN KIMBERLEY’S HISTORY – 10 NOVEMBER

UPDATE – 10/11/2023

10 NOVEMBER 1952, Mass funeral at West End cemetery for those killed in the Mayibuye uprising.
10 NOVEMBER 1977, Sabotage attack by MK made on an admin building in Galeshewe township.

Tragedies in Kimberley over time

Kimberley has had her fair share of disasters since 1871.
The following are the known casualties of various tragedies.

SINGLE TRAGEDIES

De Beers Mine Disaster 11 July 1888 – 202
Saulspoort Dam Crash 1 May 2003 – 51
Kimberley Mine explosion 9 June 1899 – 30
2nd Carter’s Ridge battle 28 November 1899 – 25
1st Carter’s Ridge battle 25 November 1899 – 18
10 AA Gun runaway 12 October 2007 – 9
SADF vehicle crash 5 August 1986 – 6

OVER TIME TRAGEDIES

Spanish Flu Epidemic Oct/Nov 1918 – 4483
Siege of Kimberley Oct 1899- Feb 1900 – 1648

KILLINGS/MURDERS

Mayibuye Uprising 8 November 1952 – 13
Miner’s Strike 29 April 1884 – 7
Market Square shootout 2 January 1983 – 4

UPDATE – 10/11/2016

10 NOVEMBER 1952, Mass funeral at West End cemetery for the killed in the Mayibuye uprising.
Read more about the Mayibuye Uprising
Mayibuye Uprising in No 2 Galeshewe - 8 November 1952

DID YOU KNOW

The interest of the late Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer in horse racing and in breeding of racehorses is well known. Their racehorse stud farm on the fringes of Kimberley, Mauritzfontein, formerly the Rhodes’ and De Beers horse breeding farm (and a remount depot in the Anglo-Boer War), was an ideal retreat for the family, and came into the news when the brilliant racehorse Horse Chestnut was winning races by the proverbial mile. Horse Chestnut, sired by Fort Wood, had been bred on the farm. It had been a blessing for Harry Oppenheimer that he had seen the offspring of Fort Wood race, and race well.

In fact, Horse Chestnut was probably the best horse South Africa had ever seen.

South Africa’s most famous race, the “Durban July”, has been won on at least four occasions by the Oppenheimer couple. Tiger Fish won in 1959, King Willow in 1965, Principal Boy in 1975, and Spanish Galliard in 1992. After the death of Harry in 2000, Bridget won the “July” with Grey’s Inn in 2004 and Hunting Tower in 2007.

The Oppenheimer’s went to Mauritzfontein “…six or seven times a year. There is the quarterly Board meeting of De Beers for a start. I always try to attend that, and I always take the opportunity to stay at my farm. I love the Karroo-like country, particularly in the mornings and evenings. My farm faces east and I like to look at the distant hills across the Free State. I am trying to preserve game there; there are a great number of Springbok there naturally and I’m bringing in zebra and so on.”

Mr Oppenheimer’s great interest in horse racing, coupled to his support for the Chief Race Steward of the then Griqualand West Racing Club, “Sailor” Malan, saw him donate the land in 1957 – the course still used today for the regular Kimberley racing. He was a pallbearer at the funeral of his good friend “Sailor” Malan in 1963 after Sailor’s sad and early death. Malan had leased the De Beers farm “Benaauwheidsfontein” for sheep farming, adjacent to Mauritzfontein.

UPDATE – 10/11/2016

DID YOU KNOW

The Kenilworth Defence Force, formed in early November 1899, was primarily responsible for defences within and around Kenilworth village (Kenilworth was created as a model village by Cecil John Rhodes for employees of the De Beers Mining Company in 1887).

Capt. J. Adams was the Commanding Officer based at Kenilworth Fort (Fort Rhodes) and protected the northern and eastern flank of the village. Capt. T. L. Angel and his cyclists (the “Flying Cherubs”) occupied Kenilworth Village with the primary task of protecting the western flank of Kenilworth which was in close proximity to the Boers on Dronfield and Felsteads farm.

The Kenilworth Defence Force stood down on 28 February 1900.

From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt

Aeon Computer Kimberley

About Steve Lunderstedt

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