Today in Kimberley's History
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Lord Charles Somerset dies - 1831
Lord Charles Somerset was the Governor of the Cape Colony from 1814 to 1826. He arrived in the Cape on 6 April 1814 as Governor with a mandate to further develop the colony and to improve conditions for the inhabitants. He was one of the British officials of the time that earned a lot of money even compared with the annual salary of the town secretary of Bathurst, a small town in the Eastern Cape, then an administrative centre established by the British Government for the 1820 British Settlers. Lord Somerset had a distinct sense of responsibility towards the country he had been sent to govern.
In 1814 he asked botanist Dr MacKrill who had a leaning towards geography to tour the Cape Colony and assess the potential to produce crops for export. In 1818 he launched the South African public library in Cape Town. He mediated between Xhosa chiefs and English settlers in Eastern Cape. The government purchased a farm, Somerset Farm, which was under the supervision of Dr MacKrill. Somerset Farm provided crops and horses for the soldiers that were guarding the border of the colony. Local farmers as well as the 1820 Settlers began to feel unfairly treated. In 1825 Lord Charles decided to close the farm before the end of his term because of the charges that were laid against him by the farmers. Lord Charles Somerset died on 20 February 1831.
Lord Charles Somerset was the Governor of the Cape Colony from 1814 to 1826. He arrived in the Cape on 6 April 1814 as Governor with a mandate to further develop the colony and to improve conditions for the inhabitants. He was one of the British officials of the time that earned a lot of money even compared with the annual salary of the town secretary of Bathurst, a small town in the Eastern Cape, then an administrative centre established by the British Government for the 1820 British Settlers. Lord Somerset had a distinct sense of responsibility towards the country he had been sent to govern.
In 1814 he asked botanist Dr MacKrill who had a leaning towards geography to tour the Cape Colony and assess the potential to produce crops for export. In 1818 he launched the South African public library in Cape Town. He mediated between Xhosa chiefs and English settlers in Eastern Cape. The government purchased a farm, Somerset Farm, which was under the supervision of Dr MacKrill. Somerset Farm provided crops and horses for the soldiers that were guarding the border of the colony. Local farmers as well as the 1820 Settlers began to feel unfairly treated. In 1825 Lord Charles decided to close the farm before the end of his term because of the charges that were laid against him by the farmers. Lord Charles Somerset died on 20 February 1831.
5 days since lifting the Siege of Kimberley, 1900
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
At 4 o'clock to-day Jack got an official message saying that the Colonel had given permission for him to join a Column going out to Barkly at once. Off he went, attended by Bamford (Batman) and Woodruffe (Ambulance).
After dinner news came that the first train had arrived in Kimberley. It proved to be a Construction one with a party of Royal Engineers on board. Having only left Modder River at 2 p.m. on Friday last week. It shows how quickly the work of re-laying the line, etc., can be carried out. Some people have already left for Modder River in carts, so we have been able to send off letters by them to be posted there.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
At 4 o'clock to-day Jack got an official message saying that the Colonel had given permission for him to join a Column going out to Barkly at once. Off he went, attended by Bamford (Batman) and Woodruffe (Ambulance).
After dinner news came that the first train had arrived in Kimberley. It proved to be a Construction one with a party of Royal Engineers on board. Having only left Modder River at 2 p.m. on Friday last week. It shows how quickly the work of re-laying the line, etc., can be carried out. Some people have already left for Modder River in carts, so we have been able to send off letters by them to be posted there.
Sol Plaatje Museum officially opened - 1992
The first museum in South Africa to focus on a black nationalist leader, the Sol Plaatje Museum, was opened on 20th February 1992 in Kimberley. The museum is located in Angel Street (in the former Malay Camp) in the very house that Sol Plaatje lived until his death in 1932. He is buried in the West End Cemetery.
The first museum in South Africa to focus on a black nationalist leader, the Sol Plaatje Museum, was opened on 20th February 1992 in Kimberley. The museum is located in Angel Street (in the former Malay Camp) in the very house that Sol Plaatje lived until his death in 1932. He is buried in the West End Cemetery.