Today in Kimberley's History
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On 13 March 1888, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. (DBCML) was founded to exercise control over virtually all diamond production in South Africa. The company was registered in Kimberley, and was the merger of the De Beers Mining Company and Kimberley mines under the Kimberley Central Diamond Mining Company - managed by Barney Barnato.
On 13th March 1902 the Archdeacon of Kimberley, William Holbech, departed to become Dean of Bloemfontein. The Right Reverend William Arthur Holbech was born in England on the 14th December 1850. Educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford he was ordained as a priest in 1874 and became curate at St Marks Church Lakenham in England. He then became a mission priest in South Africa before being promoted to be Archdeacon in Kimberley, serving as the Rector of St Cyprian’s Church. He served during the Siege of Kimberley 1899-1900 and officiated at many of the funerals for those Anglicans that were killed or died during those 124 days of deprivation.
Shortly before the Anglo-Boer war ended in 1902 he was promoted to be the Dean of Bloemfontein before accepting the post of Bishop of St Helena in 1905. This position he held until his death in England on 7 March 1930 aged 79 years. (Source: Kimberley Calls...and Recalls Facebook Group) Extract from "The diary of a doctor's wife" by by Winifred Heberden
This interesting diary of the Siege of Kimberley covers the period 16th October 1899 to 21st February 1900. At the outbreak of the war, Winifred's husband, Dr. G.A. Heberden, (affectionately known as 'Jack' to his family and friends), was the District Surgeon of Barkly West; and when it was realized that the Anglo-Boer War was inevitable Dr. Heberden decided to offer his services to the Imperial Forces in Kimberley, and that night he tied his three year old son, Reggie, to his back with a blanket and, together with his wife and 19 year old cousin, Harry Gibbs, left everything they possessed behind and rode on horseback the 23 miles into Kimberley. Dr. Heberden was enlisted as Surgeon Captain under Imperial Orders. (The diary is available online in two parts: Part One and Part Two.) |
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