UPDATED: 16/09/2024
16 September 1901, Frans Matlap dies during blasting operations at De Beers mine.
16 September 1920, Andrew Kiddie, the founder of the bakery, dies.
16 September 1925, Architect Daniel W Greatbatch dies.
16 September 1964, Clarence Edward Crowther installed as the sixth Dean of Kimberley at St Cyprian’s Cathedral.
The death of Kimberley’s most famous architect
Daniel Westwood Greatbatch (pictured) was born in Blandford, Dorset, England, in 1869 to Edward Daniel Greatbatch and Mary Ann Greatbatch (nee Westwood), and came to the Cape Colony with his parents in 1880. He continued his education at St Andrew’s College, Grahamstown and was articled to Sydney Stent whom he accompanied to the Diamond Fields in 1885.
Greatbatch remained four years with Stent before joining RS Day. In 1889 he worked for a short time in Johannesburg, returning to Kimberley in 1890 and assuming Day’s practice.
In 1891 he won the competition for the design of the Kimberley Exhibition Building “part shed, part Winter Palace” and in 1893 adjudicated the East London town hall competition. He remained in Kimberley during the Anglo-Boer War, becoming a member of the Town Guard during the Siege of Kimberley.
Daniel Westwood Greatbatch
In about 1900 he was appointed architect to the De Beer’s Company, the Hospital Board and the Kimberley Public School; he was elected to the Kimberley Town Council in 1901 and in 1904 supervised the erection of the Honoured Dead Memorial, Kimberley for Baker & Masey.
Greatbatch built a flourishing practice in Kimberley over the next decade, designing offices, hotels and houses for leading citizens. With the outbreak of the First World War his practice slowed down and in 1918 Greatbatch took William Timlin into partnership who had remained in Greatbatch’s office after completion of his articles.
In 1921 Greatbatch left for England. His practice was continued by Timlin under the style of Greatbatch & Timlin. According to Yuill, Greatbatch had a great impact on pre-1914 architecture in Kimberley. A member of the South African Association of Engineers and Architects in 1894, a member of the Society of Architects (London) South African branch in 1895 and a Fellow of the Cape Institute of Architects in 1914, Greatbatch was also a keen freemason.
He married Laura Fletcher at St Cyprian’s Cathedral on 12 February 1896.
(From the website: www.artefacts.co.za).
UPDATED: 16/09/2021
16 September 1901, Frans Matlap dies during blasting operations at De Beers mine.
16 September 1920, Andrew Kiddie, the founder of the bakery, dies.
16 September 1925, Architect Daniel W Greatbatch dies.
16 September 1964, Clarence Edward Crowther installed as the sixth Dean of Kimberley at St Cyprian’s Cathedral.
(Pictured is the first Kiddies Bakery building on the corner of Currey Street and the then Jones Street).
Andrew Kiddie and his bakery
Andrew Cameron Kiddie (Senior) was born in Dundee Scotland in 1856 and came to South Africa on account of his ill health in 1879 aged 23 years.
Arriving in Port Elizabeth he joined fellow Dundee citizens Messrs Jobson in their business, a mobile bakery and “shop” travelling with the railway workers as the railway made its way towards Kimberley from Worcester. This “shop” catered for the needs of the thousands of people working the line.
When the railway reached Kimberley, so too did the business, the Jobson brothers setting up a permanent shop on De Beers Road. Andrew Kiddie left the Jobsons and joined with Alexander Roy in his grocery/bakery on the corner of Jones Street and Currey Street. (Jones Street is now Phakamile Mabija Road). Upon Roy’s retirement in 1894 the business was taken over by Kiddie and a Mr Robertson, this partnership lapsing in 1900. (Roy had originally bought the bakery from a Mr Shippard, the bakery having started in 1884).
Now in total control of the bakery he rebuilt over time the bakery building in Currey Street. During the siege of Kimberley (1899-1900) the bakery worked long hours to provide the necessary requirements for the townfolk, but the toughest time for the business was during the Spanish Flu epidemic in October/November 1918. Kiddie locked himself in the bakery to avoid the influenza epidemic and worked day and night ensuring that Kimberley still had bread available on a daily basis.
It was then known as Andrew Kiddie Bakers, Grocers and Confectioners.
It was said about the bakery: “The business has a high class status. Kiddie adopted every means towards providing for his customers with due dispatch and there are eight horses, two wagons, two carts in constant use delivering the bread and groceries.” They also roasted and ground their own coffee beans and the manager, Mr McCurdy, “gave his every attention to detail”.
The first Kiddies Bakery building on the corner of Currey Street and the then Jones Street.
The family home at 11 Currey Street was built in 1911 and still exists today as Pembury Lodge.
He loved horses and bought a farm in the Free State where he bred pedigreed horses and donkeys, his knowledge of horses being such that he became a judge of horse flesh at the annual agricultural shows in Kimberley.
Although his passion may have been baking and horses, he had time for other pursuits, being a member of the Chamber of Commerce as well as of the Diamond Fields Scottish Association. He was also a Director of the Diamond Fields Advertiser before it was bought out by the Argus Group.
A distinguished person he was held in high regard by the townfolk. Two years prior to his death he was very ill, having numerous operations, but sadly succumbed to his illness at 9.45 pm on Thursday 16 September 1920. He was buried in the West End cemetery. Left to mourn his passing was his wife, three sons and two daughters.
(The bakery later became known as Andrew Kiddie and Sons. In the 1940s the business became Andrew Kiddie (Pty) Ltd. The bakery was taken over by Bokomo in 1963, but kept the name Andrew Kiddie.)
From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt
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