Today in Kimberley's History
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Beaconsfield Town Hall opened - 1888
The truly magnificent Beaconsfield Town Hall was opened on 11 June 1888 as a memorial to the volunteer military forces of the Diamond Fields who died in the 1878-1879 colonial uprisings. In 1897 a Jubilee wing was added to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee while in 1902 a clock tower was added to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII. Unfortunately the Beaconsfield Town Hall was demolished in 1968.
That same year – 1888 – saw Barney Barnato being elected in November to the Cape Legislative Assembly as the parliamentarian representing Beaconsfield, a post that would become the long time parliament seat of his cousin many years later – Sir David Harris. The amalgamation of the mines in 1888-1889 saw both Dutoitspan and Bultfontein mines cease production in order to reduce output and the town suffered as a result of massive unemployment. By 1891 the population of Kimberley had halved and in Beaconsfield it had been trimmed by a third. Many miners had gone north to the gold fields.
The last Mayor of Beaconsfield was Thomas Pratley who was in the chair from 1904 until formal amalgamation with Kimberley on 2 December 1912 when Ernest Oppenheimer became the first Mayor of a combined city. The first combined council meeting was on 4 December 1912.
The truly magnificent Beaconsfield Town Hall was opened on 11 June 1888 as a memorial to the volunteer military forces of the Diamond Fields who died in the 1878-1879 colonial uprisings. In 1897 a Jubilee wing was added to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee while in 1902 a clock tower was added to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII. Unfortunately the Beaconsfield Town Hall was demolished in 1968.
That same year – 1888 – saw Barney Barnato being elected in November to the Cape Legislative Assembly as the parliamentarian representing Beaconsfield, a post that would become the long time parliament seat of his cousin many years later – Sir David Harris. The amalgamation of the mines in 1888-1889 saw both Dutoitspan and Bultfontein mines cease production in order to reduce output and the town suffered as a result of massive unemployment. By 1891 the population of Kimberley had halved and in Beaconsfield it had been trimmed by a third. Many miners had gone north to the gold fields.
The last Mayor of Beaconsfield was Thomas Pratley who was in the chair from 1904 until formal amalgamation with Kimberley on 2 December 1912 when Ernest Oppenheimer became the first Mayor of a combined city. The first combined council meeting was on 4 December 1912.
Primary information source courtesy of Kimberley Calls...and Recalls Facebook Group
Beaconsfield Town Hall opened on 11 June 1888. (Photo Public Domain)
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The Jubilee wing was added in 1897 (to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee). The clock tower was added in 1902 (to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII). The building was demolished in 1968. (Photo Public Domain)
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