Today in Kimberley's History
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First mail dispatched from Cape Town to the Diamondfields - 1871
On 14 January 1871 the first mails from Cape Town to the receiving station at Klipdrift (now Barkly West) were dispatched. The post office at Klipdrift was opened five days later on 19 January 1871
On 14 January 1871 the first mails from Cape Town to the receiving station at Klipdrift (now Barkly West) were dispatched. The post office at Klipdrift was opened five days later on 19 January 1871
91 days since beginning of 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.
Sunday. There is now a 'Milk Depot' opened where you take your Permit for fresh or condensed milk. The latter is coming to an end and is strictly limited to one tin only per week, and is no longer allowed to adults, so old people must feel the deprivation severely. There is a fair supply of fresh milk still, but only half a bottle a day is given to each medically certificated case at the rate of sixpence a bottle. The hospital uses a great deal as there are now over 50 cases of typhoid there.
The Boers snipe at our cattle every day now, so two of our 7-pounders go out behind the cattle in addition to the Police Maxim, which so far has been sufficient.
The Cold Storage Chamber has had a good deal more meat put into it, as the risk of losing all our livestock grows greater every day. Moreover, the veld is wretched, and almost entirely eaten up within available distance.
The heliograph is freely used with the Relief Column, but we are told little or nothing, and are afraid that there is nothing to tell.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Sunday. There is now a 'Milk Depot' opened where you take your Permit for fresh or condensed milk. The latter is coming to an end and is strictly limited to one tin only per week, and is no longer allowed to adults, so old people must feel the deprivation severely. There is a fair supply of fresh milk still, but only half a bottle a day is given to each medically certificated case at the rate of sixpence a bottle. The hospital uses a great deal as there are now over 50 cases of typhoid there.
The Boers snipe at our cattle every day now, so two of our 7-pounders go out behind the cattle in addition to the Police Maxim, which so far has been sufficient.
The Cold Storage Chamber has had a good deal more meat put into it, as the risk of losing all our livestock grows greater every day. Moreover, the veld is wretched, and almost entirely eaten up within available distance.
The heliograph is freely used with the Relief Column, but we are told little or nothing, and are afraid that there is nothing to tell.