Today in Kimberley's History
January 15th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
As the Siege of Kimberley entered its ninety-second day, difficult decisions had to be made to preserve the town's dwindling food supplies. Thousands of civilians left the safety of Kimberley, while those who remained faced increasingly harsh rationing and uncertainty.
1900 – A Town Under Growing Pressure
92 days into the Siege of Kimberley
On 15 January 1900, Winifred Heberden recorded that Kimberley's leaders were making difficult choices to extend the town's food supplies.
In The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley, October 1899 to February 1900, she described how Cecil Rhodes had persuaded Colonel Robert Kekewich to allow groups of African mine workers to leave Kimberley and attempt to return to their homes beyond the Boer lines.
Before departing, the men were paid their wages, fed, and carefully briefed on the dangers ahead. Mr Fynn, one of Rhodes's agents who spoke several African languages, spent hours answering questions and reassuring those who feared the journey.
Earlier, a group of Coloured residents had attempted the same journey under a white flag but returned after becoming frightened. Encouraged to try again, they eventually disappeared beyond the Boer lines. By this stage of the siege, around 7,000 people had left Kimberley. Their departure eased pressure on the town's rapidly diminishing food stocks and helped the Commissariat continue feeding those who remained.
Did You Know?
Thousands of civilians left Kimberley during the siege with the agreement of both British and Boer commanders, reducing the strain on the town's limited food supplies.
Hunger Changes Everything
Food shortages continued to dominate daily life. Dr Jack Heberden found himself treating an increasing number of men who refused to eat horse meat, despite it being one of the few reliable sources of protein left in Kimberley.
Many survived on little more than bread, coffee and occasional mealie meal porridge, arriving at sick parade weak from malnutrition. With hospitals already overcrowded and medical supplies running low, there was little doctors could do beyond desperately searching for alternative food.
Winifred noted that Jack had heard rumours that small stocks of bacon, ham and cheese had been hidden away somewhere in Kimberley, and he hoped they might be released for the sick. The episode illustrates how difficult it is for many people to overcome their reluctance to eat unfamiliar foods, even when they are hungry.
Did You Know?
Horse meat remained controversial throughout the siege. While many residents eventually accepted it, others refused to eat it despite worsening shortages.
Signs of Change Beyond the Siege Lines
Although relief had still not arrived, there were encouraging signs beyond Kimberley's defences. From Beaconsfield, British observers reported seeing shells bursting near Scholtz's Nek, accompanied by sustained artillery fire during the previous night.
Even more significant was the sight of around 80 Boer wagons moving away from the laagers surrounding Kimberley towards Piet Cronjé's main force at Spytfontein. No one inside Kimberley knew exactly what these movements meant, but many hoped they indicated that British pressure elsewhere was beginning to force the Boers to redeploy their troops.
Winifred also recorded an interesting local detail: the Boers had reportedly begun referring to Barkly West as "New Boshof", reflecting their temporary control over parts of the surrounding district. Within a month, the movement of Boer forces would prove to be an early sign that the siege was entering its final phase.
Did You Know?
As British reinforcements gathered under Lord Roberts, Boer commanders increasingly had to shift troops between different fronts, gradually weakening the forces surrounding Kimberley.
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Kimberley's Story Continues
These are just two of the many events that helped shape Kimberley. Every date on the calendar reveals another chapter in the city's remarkable history.
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