Today in Kimberley's History
January 17th
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
The seventeenth day of January reflects two very different aspects of Kimberley's history. In 1885, the city's diamond industry introduced the first closed compound for African mineworkers, a system that would profoundly shape labour relations for decades. Fifteen years later, life during the Siege of Kimberley showed both the dangers of war and the determination of residents to maintain morale despite daily bombardment.
1885 – Kimberley's First Closed Compound Opens
On this day in 1885, the French Company, operating at the Kimberley Mine, officially opened the first closed compound for African mineworkers in Kimberley. A total of 110 workers were marched into the new compound, where they would live and work for the next six months without being permitted to leave.
The compound system was introduced primarily to reduce diamond theft by limiting contact between mineworkers and the outside world. Workers lived within fenced, closely supervised accommodation near the mines, where entry and exit were tightly controlled.
The idea quickly spread across the Diamond Fields. On 27 April 1885, Barney Barnato's Kimberley Central Diamond Mining Company opened its own compound, while similar facilities were soon established at Bultfontein Mine by both the Hatton Company and the Bultfontein Mining Company.
Although the system was regarded by mining companies as an effective security measure, it also imposed strict controls on the freedom and daily lives of African workers. The compound system became one of the defining features of Kimberley's diamond industry and later influenced labour practices elsewhere in southern Africa.
Did You Know?
Kimberley's closed compound system was developed to protect diamonds from theft but became one of the most influential labour systems in South African mining history.
(Photo Public Domain)
(Photo Public Domain)
1900 – Sport in a Besieged Town
94 days into the Siege of Kimberley
On 17 January 1900, Kimberley's defenders launched another artillery sortie while the town continued to endure regular shelling.
In The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley, October 1899 to February 1900, Winifred Heberden recorded that Dr Jack Heberden accompanied troops advancing towards Tollpan near Olifantsfontein before dawn. British artillery succeeded in shelling a Boer laager, scattering many of its occupants before Maxim machine guns prevented them from regrouping. During the engagement, one Boer briefly displayed what appeared to be a white flag, but as firing continued from nearby positions, British troops concluded that the signal was not genuine and resumed firing.
Remarkably, Jack's only casualty that morning was an artilleryman who suffered a fit, fell over his gun and broke his nose. Elsewhere, Boer artillery fired around 50 shells into Kimberley before breakfast. Once again, the bombardment caused little damage.
Yet despite the constant threat, life continued. That afternoon, residents attended an athletics meeting at the Artillery Camp, where sporting competitions offered a welcome escape from the realities of the siege. Visitors enjoyed fresh peaches and grapes supplied by Cecil Rhodes from Kenilworth, while soldiers competed in events including horseback tug-of-war and rapid artillery drills demonstrating how quickly a field gun could be dismantled and moved.
Winifred also noted that whisky had completely disappeared from Kimberley, with only small hidden reserves occasionally appearing at private gatherings. Ever the practical engineer, George Labram jokingly suggested that if people wanted whisky instead of guns, perhaps he could try making it from wood shavings. Her account reminds us that humour remained an important weapon against the strain of siege life.
Did You Know?
Sporting events, concerts and theatrical performances were regularly organised during the Siege of Kimberley to maintain morale among soldiers and civilians living under constant bombardment.
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
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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