TODAY IN KIMBERLEY’S HISTORY 8 JUNE

Foundation stone laid for the DFA

Cape Times, 10 June 1901. Kimberley, June 8 – (From our Correspondent.)
This afternoon Mr Frederick Luke St Leger, general manager of the Cape Times Limited, and director of the DF Advertiser Limited, laid the foundation stone of the “Advertiser’s” new building, to be erected in Stockdale Street. There was a large attendance of the general public, including Colonel Harris MLA, and Mr A Stead MLA.

Mr St Leger, who was presented with a silver trowel by Mr Bonas, chairman of the company, on behalf of his co-directors, said that as an old Kimberley resident he felt compelled to accept the invitation of his co-directors, which he looked upon not only as a duty, but a pleasure.

Frederick Luke St Leger

After a reference to his long association with the Diamond Fields as diamond digger, banker, etc, Mr St Leger said he little thought in those days that he would ever be called upon to lay the foundation stone of the first brick newspaper office in Kimberley. There had been a number of newspapers started on the Diamond Fields, but the “Advertiser” was the only one which had survived for any lengthened period.

This, judging by its long and successful career, might be looked upon as one of the solid institutions of Kimberley. The speaker humourously remarked that of the many business enterprises with which he had been connected, the “Advertiser” had the most weighty and substantial board, he being the smallest man among the directors – (laughter) – and if there was a more weighty board in the country he would be pleased to see it. With such a Board as that the “Advertiser” was bound to be a success, and it stood today the best paper in South Africa outside Cape Town.

Old DFA Building in the 1940’s

The speaker went on to refer to the enterprise shown by the Board in the matter of obtaining news, and caused roars of laughter by referring to some of the articles published during the siege, such as the story of Waterloo, the history of the last Boer war [1880-1881], etc, as specimens of the endeavours put forward by the management to keep the readers of the journal supplied with the most up-to date news and foreign intelligence. It was extremely gratifying to find the efforts of the directors appreciated by the public.

Powering the only paper in Kimberley, a great responsibility rested upon the editor and staff and the Board, and no finer illustration of the public of their efforts could have been afforded then the erection of the substantial building soon to grace the spot on which they were standing.

Pictured is the building today and circa late 1940s, and the foundation stone.