Today in Kimberley's History
July 3rd
"Every day has a story about Kimberley's past."
On this day...
3 July marks a day of innovation and new beginnings in Kimberley's history. On this day, the city laid the foundations for one of South Africa's oldest golf clubs, while just eleven years later Kimberley's first motor car made its historic debut on the streets of the Diamond City. Together, these stories capture the spirit of a community eager to embrace new ideas, new technology and new pastimes as Kimberley continued to grow and prosper.
1890 – Kimberley Golf Club is Founded
On 3 July 1890, a group of Kimberley's leading citizens gathered at the Queen's Hotel on Stockdale Street to establish what would become one of South Africa's oldest golf clubs. At the meeting, John Blades Currey was elected President, Justice William Henry Solomon was elected Vice-President, David Skirving was elected Club Captain, and Stephen Stokes accepted the roles of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer.
The club's first course occupied an enormous stretch of open ground on the northern edge of Kimberley. Today, much of that land is occupied by familiar landmarks, including Belgravia Junior School, Diamantveld High School, the Honoured Dead Memorial, the MOTH Centre, Kimberley Junior School, and parts of Monument Heights. In those pioneering days, golfers faced a rugged landscape of rocky outcrops and scrub, and it was not uncommon to use dynamite to remove boulders from the fairways.
From these humble beginnings, Kimberley Golf Club grew into one of South Africa's most respected golfing institutions. More than a century later, the club continues to serve the city, preserving a sporting tradition that began in the heart of the Diamond Fields during Kimberley's boom years.
Did You Know?
Kimberley's first golf course was so rocky that explosives were occasionally used to clear the fairways, making it one of the most unusual golfing landscapes in South Africa.
1901 – Kimberley's First Motor Car Takes to the Streets
On 3 July 1901, the streets of Kimberley witnessed a sight unlike anything they had ever seen before. The city's first motor car, a Panhard et Levassor, was driven through Kimberley by Alpheus Williams, the son of Gardner F. Williams, General Manager of De Beers Consolidated Mines. For a community accustomed to horse-drawn carts, ox wagons and bicycles, the arrival of a self-propelled motor vehicle was nothing short of extraordinary. The noisy machine attracted curious crowds and, according to contemporary accounts, caused considerable alarm among Kimberley's horses and dogs, many of which had never encountered a motor car before.
Gardner Williams, first general manager of De Beers, at the wheel of his Panhard et Levassor automobile, c 1901
The vehicle had been imported by Gardner Williams, who recognised that the motor car represented the future of personal transport. Although primitive by modern standards, it placed Kimberley among the first South African towns to experience the motor age. The Panhard et Levassor was itself a remarkable piece of engineering. Built by the French company founded by René Panhard and Émile Levassor, it embodied the revolutionary "Système Panhard"—a design featuring a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels through a gearbox. This layout proved so successful that it became the standard configuration for motor cars throughout most of the twentieth century and remains the basis of many vehicles today.
The Panhard et Levassor being delivered to the Mine Museum in 1964.
Kimberley's Panhard survived long after its pioneering journey through the city's dusty streets. In 1964 it was presented to the Kimberley Big Hole Mine Museum, where it remains one of the museum's most treasured exhibits. It was last driven during Kimberley's Centenary Celebrations in 1971, delighting spectators once again. Those who witnessed the demonstration recalled one amusing characteristic—it consumed more water than petrol.
Just months after Kimberley's first motor car appeared, Cecil John Rhodes acquired a steam-powered motor vehicle for travelling between Muizenberg and Groote Schuur, illustrating how rapidly the new technology was beginning to capture the imagination of South Africa's industrial leaders.
Kimberley's first motor car is now preserved in the Kimberley Mine Museum. Purchased by De Beers in 1901, the pioneering Panhard et Levassor introduced the motor age to the Diamond City and remains one of South Africa's oldest surviving motor vehicles.
Did You Know?
Kimberley's first motor car, a 1901 Panhard et Levassor, is preserved in the Kimberley Big Hole Mine Museum. Its innovative front-engine, rear-wheel-drive design became the blueprint for motor vehicles around the world, and the car was still being driven during Kimberley's Centenary celebrations in 1971.
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
Every day in Kimberley's history reveals another chapter in the remarkable story of the Diamond City. From pioneering sporting clubs and engineering firsts to the people whose vision shaped the city, these moments remind us that Kimberley's influence has extended far beyond its famous diamond mines. Join us tomorrow as we uncover another fascinating event from Kimberley's rich and enduring past.
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