"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."

On this day...

New Year's Day has witnessed moments of war, sport and community life in Kimberley's past. During the Siege of Kimberley, residents welcomed the new century with uncertainty and determination, while just a few years later, the city celebrated the opening of a new clubhouse for one of South Africa's oldest golf clubs.

1900 – New Year's Day During the Siege of Kimberley

78 days into the Siege of Kimberley

The new century dawned with little cause for celebration in Kimberley. The town had now endured 78 days under siege, and the uncertainty of war weighed heavily on its residents.

In The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley, October 1899 to February 1900, Winifred Heberden recorded the anxieties of New Year's Day. Rumours swept through the town that the Kimberley Light Horse had been captured by Boer forces. Fearing for the safety of her husband, Dr Jack Heberden, she hurried to Schmidt's Drift Barrier in search of reliable news. Fortunately, the rumour proved unfounded, and Dr Heberden returned home safely later that day.

Elsewhere, British troops continued strengthening the town's defences around Otto's Kopje, clearing trees and scrub that might provide cover for Boer marksmen. Long-range shelling continued, while the Boers attempted to tempt British soldiers into an ambush by leaving a flock of sheep within sight of their positions. The unusual ploy was quickly recognised and ignored.

As evening fell, officers gathered to hear Queen Victoria's Christmas and New Year message. In it, she paid tribute to Kimberley's defenders with the words: "I watch with admiration your determined and gallant defence." Winifred Heberden's diary offers a deeply personal window into life during one of South Africa's most famous sieges, reminding us that behind every military campaign were ordinary families living each day with uncertainty, hope and resilience.

Did You Know?

By New Year's Day 1900, Kimberley had been under siege for 78 days. The town would remain isolated for another six weeks before being relieved on 15 February 1900.

1908 – Kimberley Golf Club Opens its New Clubhouse

On this New Year's Day in 1908, Kimberley Golf Club officially opened its impressive new clubhouse, marking another milestone in the city's growing social and sporting life.

Founded in 1890, Kimberley Golf Club is one of South Africa's oldest golf clubs. Its first clubhouse was little more than a converted laundry, but as membership increased, a more substantial building became necessary. Designed by Kimberley architect Daniel W. Greatbatch, the elegant new clubhouse was completed in 1907 and formally opened on New Year's Day 1908 by C. E. Nind.

Golf in Kimberley's early years presented unique challenges. The town's semi-arid climate made it almost impossible to maintain grass greens, so players competed on carefully prepared sand "browns", which were smoothed before putting. Grass greens were introduced only gradually as irrigation techniques improved.

The club also became known for encouraging young golfers. One of its oldest competitions, the Rhodes Challenge, was donated by Cecil John Rhodes in 1897 and continues to be contested today, making it one of South Africa's longest-running golf trophies.

Kimberley Golf Club remained at its historic original site until 1960, when it moved to its present course alongside the N12 on the road to Johannesburg.

Did You Know?

When Kimberley Golf Club opened its new clubhouse in 1908, golfers still played on sand "browns" instead of grass greens—a distinctive feature of many early golf courses in South Africa's dry interior.