Today in Kimberley's History
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39 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1899
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
News came in that the Dutch farmers in Griqualand West have all risen. Also that there has been some fighting at Kuruman.
The shells being manufactured at De Beer's Workshops at the rate of 10 a day are proving to be a great success. On each shell, with the date, is the message: 'With C.J.R.'s (Cecil John Rhodes's) Compliments.'
We have had now no news from anywhere for over a fortnight.
Have had a 'Siege Trophy' given to me in the shape of a brooch. It is made of the copper binding of a shell thrown into Kenilworth. From this is suspended one of the iron 'chocolate drop' shaped pieces from the inside of the shell - this particular piece having killed the horse of a Sergeant in the Cape Police.
The search lights are signalling every night in the hope of getting some response from the troops coming up. Bets are freely offered and taken, but the date of the arrival of our Relief seems to be as uncertain as ever; and the disloyalty of some of the Colonial towns makes it more so.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
News came in that the Dutch farmers in Griqualand West have all risen. Also that there has been some fighting at Kuruman.
The shells being manufactured at De Beer's Workshops at the rate of 10 a day are proving to be a great success. On each shell, with the date, is the message: 'With C.J.R.'s (Cecil John Rhodes's) Compliments.'
We have had now no news from anywhere for over a fortnight.
Have had a 'Siege Trophy' given to me in the shape of a brooch. It is made of the copper binding of a shell thrown into Kenilworth. From this is suspended one of the iron 'chocolate drop' shaped pieces from the inside of the shell - this particular piece having killed the horse of a Sergeant in the Cape Police.
The search lights are signalling every night in the hope of getting some response from the troops coming up. Bets are freely offered and taken, but the date of the arrival of our Relief seems to be as uncertain as ever; and the disloyalty of some of the Colonial towns makes it more so.
