Kimberley, Northern Cape

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Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War. Notable personalities such as Cecil John Rhodes, made their fortune here, and the roots of the De Beers corporation can also be traced to the early days of the mining town.

[edit] History

In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found a small brilliant pebble on the banks of the Orange River, on the farm De Kalk leased from local Griquas, near Hopetown. The pebble was purchased from Jacobs by Schalk van Nierkerk, who later sold it in London^[1], and turned out to be a 21.25 carat (4.25 g) diamond. Nierkerk sold the first diamond for £500, and then three years later sold another diamond also found in the De Kalk vicinity for £11,200. The second diamond was promptly resold in the London markets for £25,000.^[2] In 1871, an even larger 83.50 carat (16.7 g) diamond was found on the slopes of Colesberg Kopje by Esau Damoense (or Damon), the cook for prospector Fleetwood Rawstone's "Red Cap Party," who was sent to dig on the hill as a punishment for being drunk. This find led to a diamond rush into the area, the vicinity of Colesberg Kopje becoming known as New Rush, later renamed Kimberley.

[edit] The Big Hole

The Big Hole, a prominent tourist attraction in Kimberley

As miners arrived in their thousands, the hill disappeared, and became known as the Big Hole. From mid-July 1871 to 1914, 50,000 miners dug the hole with picks and shovels, yielding 2,722 kg of diamonds. The Big Hole has a surface of 17 hectares (42 acres) and is 463 metres wide. It was excavated to a depth of 240m, but then partially infilled with debris reducing its depth to about 215 m; since then it has accumulated water to a depth of 40 m leaving 175 m visible. The underground Kimberly Mine was mined to a depth of 1097 metres. A popular local myth claims that it is the largest hand-dug hole on the world, however Jagersfontein Mine appears to hold that record.^[3] There is currently an effort in progress to register the Big Hole as a World Heritage Site.^[4]

A sign next to the Big Hole, reading "If all the diamonds recovered from the Kimberley Mine could be gathered together they would fill three cocopans such as these"

A town, New Rush, was formed in the area, and was renamed to Kimberley on 5 July 1873, after the British Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time, John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley. By this time Kimberley was the second largest town in South Africa, it had a total population of 13,000 whites and 30,000 blacks.^[5] The British, who had control of much of South Africa, were quick to annex the area of the diamond mine, which became the British colony of Griqualand West. The Boers were upset by this, because they wanted it to be a part of the Orange Free State as it lay inside the natural borders created by Orange and Vaal Rivers.

Du Toit Span Road Kimberley, 1899

The various smaller mining companies were algamated by Barney Barnato into De Beers, and The Kimberley under Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd. In 1888, the two companies merged to form De Beers Consolidated Mines, which to this day today still retains a monopoly over the world's diamond market.^[6]

Very quickly, Kimberley became the largest city in the area, mostly due to a massive African migration to the area from all over the continent. The immigrants were accepted with open arms, because the De Beers company was in search of cheap labour to help run the mines. Another group drawn to the city for money was prostitutes, from a wide variety of ethnicities who could be found in bars and saloons. It was praised as a city of limitless opportunity.^[7]

Five big holes were dug into the earth, which followed the kimberlite pipes, which are named after the town. Kimberlite is a diamond-bearing blue ground that sits below a yellow colored soil.^[8]The largest, The Kimberley mine or "Big Hole" covering 170 000 m², reached a depth of 240 m and yielded 3 tons of diamonds. The mine was closed in 1914, while three of the holes – Du Toitspan, Wesselton and Bultfontein – closed down in 2005.

[edit] Commerce

The city housed South Africa's first stock exchange, the Kimberley Royal Stock Exchange, which opened on 2 February 1881.^[9]

On 2 September 1882, Kimberley became the first town in the southern hemisphere to install electric street lighting.^[10]

The rising importance of Kimberley led to one of the earliest South African and International Exhibitions to be staged in Kimberley in 1892. It was opened by Sir Henry Loch, the then Governor of the Cape of Good Hope on the 8th of September. It presented exhibits of art, an exhibition of paintings from the royal collection of Queen Victoria and mining machinery and implements amongst other items. The exhibition aroused considerable interest at international level, which resulted in a competition for display space.

South Africa's first school of mines was opened here in 1896 and later relocated to Johannesburg, becoming the core of the University of the Witwatersrand. In fact the first two years were attended at colleges elsewhere in Cape Town, Grahamstown or Stellenbosch, the third year in Kimberley and the fourth year in Johannesburg. Buildings were constructed against a total cost of 9,000 pounds with De Beers contributing on a pound for pound basis.

[edit] Siege of Kimberley

Soup ration ticket from the Siege of Kimberley

On 14 October 1899, Kimberley was besieged at the beginning of the Second Boer War. The British forces trying to relieve the siege suffered heavy losses. The siege was only lifted on 15 February 1900, but the war continued until May 1902. By that time, the British had built a concentration camp at Kimberley to house Boer women and children.^[11]

[edit] Flying

In 1913, South Africa's first flying school opened at Kimberley and started training the pilots of the South African Aviation Corps, later to become the South African Air Force.

[edit] Modern day

The Kimberley Comprehensive Urban Plan (1998) estimates that Kimberley has 210,800 people representing 46,207 households living in the city.

[edit] Kimberley Mine Museum

Restored locomotive at the Kimberley Mine Museum

Today, the Kimberley Mine Museum, situated next to the Big hole, is an important tourist attraction that houses a rich collection of articles and information from the early days of the city.

Pride of place is Cecil John Rhodes's grand railway carriage that carried him as governor of the Cape of Good Hope to the Rhodesia that he created. Also at the mine museum is the first house built in the developing Kimberley, as well as the first church.

Barney Barnato, Cecil John Rhodes's partner in the developing De Beers, had a boxing academy. This academy sits alongside the Rhodes rail carriage. On its walls is the framed original cheque signed by Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato for £4,5 million pounds to establish the De Beers Consolidated mines.

[edit] Sport

Kimberley has a rich history of sport. In 1965, Karen Muir became the youngest person to break a world record in any sport. This age group record stands to this day.^[12] She set it in August 1965 at the junior world champions in Blackpool, England in the 110 metres (360 ft) backstroke at the age of 12. She went on to break many more world records but was denied a role in world swimming when she lost the opportunity to represent her country at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City as a result of South Africa being excluded due to its racial apartheid policies. Kimberley also saw a world record broken in the municipal pool which now bears Karen Muir's name. It was Johannesburg's Anne Fairlie who beat Karen Muir and Frances Kikki Caron in world record breaking time.

World War I memorial in Kimberley

Kimberley has contributed to much of cricket's history having supplied several international players. There was Nipper Nickelson, Xenophon Balascas born in Kimberley to Greek parents and Ken Viljoen, Ronnie Draper and in more recent times Pat Symcox and the Proteas coach Micky Arthur.

Frank Dobbin known as Uncle Dobbin was a member of Paul Roos's original Springboks in the tour to England in 1906/1907. His memory lives in his old colonial-style home in Roper street, bearing a simple brass plaque with the name 'Dobbin'. Later Springboks to wear green and gold included Ian Kirkpatrick, Tommy Bedford and Gawie Visagie, brother of Ammosal-based Springbok flyhalf Piet Visagie. Kimberley is home to the Wildeklawer Griquas rugby team.

Brian Davis, son of civic leader Edgar Davis, was part of the 4x400 metres relay which won a gold medal at the Rome Olympics.

Ester Nell and Joan Carter won gold medals at the Olympics and Empire Games in the high jump.

Cycling had Joe Billet and Steve Viljoen, while Harold Clarke ran the mile at the Empire Games at Helsinki. Elsie McDonald was a Springbok bowler.

Kimberley hosted a match from the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.

[edit] Other

Flamingos on an artificial island in Kamfers Dam

The McGregor Museum, which celebrated its centenary in 2007, houses a wealth of knowledge about the history and ecology of the Northern Cape.

Kamfers Dam to the north of the town is an important wetland containing a breeding colony of Lesser Flamingos. Conservation initiatives in the area aim to bring people from the city in touch with its wildlife.

Kimberley Airport services the area, with regular scheduled flights from other parts of the country.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

• Official homepage
• Kimberley, turbulent city by Brian Roberts (1976, published by David Phillip & Historical Society of Kimberley and the Northern Cape)
• Google Maps view of Kimberley
• "Diamond Mines of South Africa" by Gardner Williams (General manager De Beers), Chapter 15 (25 page history + images).
• Griquas Rugby
• The Kimberley Mine Museum

[edit] References

v • d • e  Provincial capitals of South Africa Cape Town (Western Cape) · Kimberley (Northern Cape) · Bhisho (Eastern Cape) · Pietermaritzburg (KwaZulu-Natal) · Bloemfontein (Free State) · Mafikeng (North West) · Johannesburg (Gauteng) · Nelspruit (Mpumalanga) · Polokwane (Limpopo)

Coordinates: 28°44′31″S 24°46′19″E / 28.742°S 24.772°E / -28.742; 24.772