Today in Kimberley's History
​July 23rd
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Opening of the Kimberley Public Library - 1887
The tender for the new Kimberley Public Library building was awarded jointly to Messrs Westlake and Coles and Messrs Smith and Bull. The entire cost of the building had been defrayed by public donations, the building itself having cost £5533.15s 11d. The new Library building was officially opened on 23 July 1887.
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Kimberley Public Library building opens 1887. (Photo Public Domain)
Andries Pretorius dies - 1853
​Former Commander-General of the Boers in Natal and later Republican statesman, Andries Wilhemus Jacobus Pretorius, died on his farm in the Magaliesberg area. In 1838, Pretorius led a Voortrekker commando to defeat Zulu warriors in the battle of Blood River. Apart of his military achievements, Pretorius was also instrumental in the establishment of the short-lived Natal Republic as well as the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR or Transvaal Republic). He was described by Theal as "the ablest leader and most perfect representative of the Emigrant Farmers". His son Marthinus Wessel Pretorius founded the city of Pretoria and named it after his late father.
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Andries Wilhemus Jacobus Pretorius. (Photo Public Domain)