Today in Kimberley's History
April 5th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
On 5 April 1886, the Phoenix Hotel welcomed its first guests, opening its doors in the rapidly growing municipality of Beaconsfield. More than a century later, it remains one of Kimberley's oldest continuously operating hotels, while another 5 April—sixteen years later—saw thousands of Kimberley residents gather at the railway station to bid a final farewell to Cecil John Rhodes.
1886 – The Phoenix Hotel Opens for Business
Less than a month after being established on 8 March 1886, the Phoenix Hotel welcomed its first patrons on 5 April, becoming one of the newest landmarks in the rapidly developing municipality of Beaconsfield. The timing could hardly have been better. Although the great diamond rushes had begun more than a decade earlier, Beaconsfield remained a thriving commercial centre serving the neighbouring Dutoitspan and Bultfontein mines. Stagecoaches, freight wagons and horse-drawn carts travelled daily along Cape Town Road, bringing merchants, prospectors, government officials and visitors through the district.
Historic Cape Town Road, Beaconsfield, in the early 1900s. The Phoenix Hotel can be seen on the left, overlooking Market Square. More than 140 years later, the building still stands.
Standing on the corner of Cape Town Road and Central Road, overlooking Beaconsfield's Market Square, the Phoenix quickly established itself as the social heart of the young municipality. Its spacious public bar became a lively meeting place where mining news, business deals and local gossip were exchanged, while the comfortable upstairs bedrooms, opening onto a wide wrap-around balcony, were regarded as some of the finest accommodation on the Diamond Fields.
By 1902, the hotel's reputation was firmly established. The Kimberley and Beaconsfield Business Directory praised both the quality of the establishment and the hospitality of proprietor George Giloi, noting:
"At his establishment you may meet everyone in Beaconsfield and hear the 'gup' of the whole village, and above all things you may obtain a cool and wholesome drink."
The directory went on to describe the bedrooms as "as well furnished and comfortable as any upon the Diamond Fields," while praising the dining room as one of the best in the district.
The Phoenix witnessed many of Kimberley's defining moments. During the Siege of Kimberley (1899–1900), its underground cellars became a refuge for residents escaping Boer shellfire. Through economic booms and downturns, changing ownership and the gradual decline of the surrounding mines, the hotel continued to serve the community. Later owners included members of the Mehl family, particularly Goldie Mehl, followed by Ed Parker and Neville Lunt, each contributing to the hotel's long and colourful history.
Today, the Phoenix Hotel remains one of Kimberley's oldest surviving commercial buildings. Its original nineteenth-century public bar is still in use, and the building stands just 1.1 kilometres from the Solomon Edwardian Guest House, making it one of the city's most accessible and rewarding heritage landmarks.
The Phoenix Hotel in the early twentieth century. The prominent rooftop sign, wrap-around balcony and original verandah made it one of Beaconsfield's best-known landmarks.
The Phoenix Hotel today. Established in March 1886, it remains one of Kimberley's oldest surviving hotels and is located just 1.1 km from the Solomon Edwardian Guest House. Note the sign to the Bultfontein Mine.
Did You Know?
The Phoenix Hotel has welcomed guests for more than 140 years. Its original public bar remains in use today, making it one of the oldest continuously operating hotel bars in Kimberley.
1902 – Kimberley Bids Farewell to Cecil Rhodes
Three days after the death of Cecil John Rhodes, Kimberley gathered to pay its final respects as his funeral train paused at the city's railway station on 5 April 1902. Rhodes had built his fortune in Kimberley and transformed the diamond industry through the creation of De Beers Consolidated Mines. It was therefore fitting that the Diamond City should play a central role in his final journey to burial in the Matobo Hills of present-day Zimbabwe.
Procession at Kimberley Station, waiting to pass Cecil Rhodes' funeral carriage - 1902. (Photo Public Domain)
His specially adapted railway carriage arrived at Platform One shortly before dawn. The Kimberley Regiment formed a Guard of Honour, while the Griqualand West Brigade Band, under Herr Carl Rybnikar, played the Dead March as mourners filed silently past the coffin. Leading citizens, including Acting Mayor Robert Henderson, members of the Town Council, Colonel David Harris, and representatives of De Beers joined the ceremony. By the time the train departed later that morning, an estimated 15,000 Kimberley residents had paid their respects. Among them was Njuba, a son of the late Ndebele King Lobengula, then employed by De Beers.
One particularly moving tribute came from the Women of Kimberley, whose wreath bore the simple inscription:
"Thy Will be Done"
"With Deepest Sympathy from the Women of Kimberley"
Shortly before 10:45 am, the Guard of Honour presented arms as the train slowly departed northwards. For the final time, Cecil Rhodes left the city that had made his name.
The funeral train departs Kimberley Station carrying Cecil Rhodes on the next stage of its journey to the Matobo Hills. 5 April 1902
Can't find a Kimberley connection for a particular date? Our Today in Kimberley's History collection is continually expanding as we research Kimberley's rich history. If you know of a notable local event that occurred on a specific date, we'd love to hear from you using the Contact Us page.
Kimberley's Story Continues
The Phoenix Hotel and Kimberley Railway Station represent two very different aspects of the city's remarkable history. One has welcomed travellers continuously since the Victorian era, while the other witnessed some of South Africa's most significant historical moments. Together they remind us that Kimberley's story lives on through the buildings, streets and landmarks that continue to shape the Diamond City today. Join us tomorrow as we explore another fascinating chapter in Kimberley's rich past.
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