Kimberley City Hall
Why Kimberley Matters
Over the years, we have noticed that many of our guests—whether visiting Kimberley for business or leisure—have wondered why this remarkable city has played such an important role in South Africa's history over the past 160 years.
These pages invite you on a coffee-table journey through Kimberley's past, from the discovery of the Eureka Diamond in 1867 and the Great Diamond Rush, through wars, political change and the rise of the world's diamond industry, to the city we know today. They are not intended to be an academic history, but rather an enjoyable introduction to the people, places and events that shaped Kimberley.
So, make yourself comfortable, pour a cappuccino or a cup of chai, and enjoy exploring the remarkable story of one of South Africa's most fascinating cities.
Kimberley City Hall in September 2003. Designed by Fergus Carstairs-Rogers and opened in 1899, the City Hall remains one of Kimberley's most important Victorian landmarks. Photo: © Richard Jones, September 2003.
A Victorian Landmark at the Heart of Kimberley
When exploring central Kimberley, make sure you take a turn past City Hall. With its elegant cream-and-white façade, imposing Corinthian columns and richly decorated pediment, it remains one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. But the City Hall is much more than an impressive Victorian building.
For more than 125 years, it has stood at the centre of Kimberley's civic life. It has witnessed the city's extraordinary diamond boom, the Siege of Kimberley, royal visits, changing political administrations and the transformation of South Africa itself. It also came remarkably close to disappearing.
Today, Kimberley City Hall is part of the Grade II Provincial Heritage Site encompassing City Hall and Market Square, which recognises the importance of this historic civic precinct. Its survival owes much to the determination of people who believed that Kimberley's history was worth preserving.
Built for a Growing Diamond City
Kimberley's first Town Hall was destroyed by fire on 29 March 1898, taking with it much of the municipality's early records. The loss created an opportunity to build something larger and more impressive for a town that had grown extraordinarily quickly since the diamond discoveries of the late 1860s. On 13 April 1898, the decision was taken to construct a new Town Hall. A competition was held, with a £100 prize for the winning design.
The successful architect was Fergus Carstairs-Rogers, one of Kimberley's most important early architects. His design was an ambitious Victorian building in the Roman Corinthian style, with a grand central entrance, monumental columns and an elaborately decorated pediment. The Directors of De Beers contributed substantially towards the cost of construction.
On 16 November 1898, the foundation stone was laid by the Mayor of Kimberley, Moses Cornwall, JP. The building was constructed by the local firm Grant and Downie and was completed remarkably quickly. Just ten months later, Kimberley's new Town Hall was ready. It was officially opened on 20 September 1899 by the Mayor, Robert H. Henderson. The timing could hardly have been more dramatic. Within weeks, Kimberley would be surrounded by Boer forces.
Town Hall During the Siege
The Second Anglo-Boer War began in October 1899, only weeks after the new Town Hall had opened. Kimberley was soon surrounded by Boer forces, and the Siege of Kimberley began on 14 October 1899. For the next four months, the town was cut off from the outside world.
The Town Hall became an important centre of civic life during the crisis, as Kimberley struggled to maintain essential services during the siege. The siege finally ended on 15 February 1900 when British forces entered Kimberley. The Town Hall had been open for less than five months. It had already become part of one of the most dramatic episodes in Kimberley's history.
Kimberley Town Hall, September 1899, shortly after its completion. The building was opened as Kimberley Town Hall, yet today the pediment bears the words “CITY HALL”. Kimberley achieved city status in 1913, but the date on which the lettering on the façade was changed from “TOWN HALL” to “CITY HALL” has not been established. In the distance at extreme right is the Post Office building, while the corrugated-iron building to the left of the Post Office is the Schmidt and Company building, which was destroyed in the fire of May 1900. Historic photograph; enhanced for clarity.
From Town Hall to City Hall
The building originally served as Kimberley's Town Hall and municipal headquarters. When Kimberley achieved city status in 1913, the building became known as City Hall. For decades, it was the administrative and civic heart of the city.
The building accommodated the council chamber, Mayor's parlour, committee room, City Clerk's office and other municipal offices, as well as the main hall and supper room. Mayors and councillors came and went, municipal staff worked within its offices and important civic occasions were held under its roof.
As Kimberley grew, however, the municipality increasingly needed more space. In 1962, municipal administration moved to the newly constructed Civic Centre. City Hall was no longer required as the city's main administrative headquarters. That was when its future became uncertain.
An early view of Kimberley Town Hall, built during the final years of the city's nineteenth-century diamond boom.
The Building That Almost Disappeared
For a time, City Hall stood largely unused. Without the daily activity of the municipality, maintenance declined and the building began to deteriorate. By the early 1970s, serious structural problems had developed. The façade above the Corinthian entrance was threatening to fall towards the street, while the rear corner of the building was also badly cracked.
The locally manufactured bricks and mortar had deteriorated after decades of exposure to Kimberley's extreme temperatures and weather. Demolition was considered. But a group of people believed that destroying City Hall would mean destroying an irreplaceable part of Kimberley's history. Among them was Alderman Lawrie Shuttleworth.
Kimberley City Hall seen from across the road in September 2003, with the Civic Centre rising behind it. Photo: © Richard Jones, September 2003.
Lawrie Shuttleworth and the Fight to Save City Hall
Lawrie Shuttleworth was a former Mayor of Kimberley, a city councillor, a World War II pilot, a chartered accountant, and a passionate advocate for the preservation of Kimberley's heritage. He served on Kimberley City Council from 1968 until 1994 and was Mayor in 1972 and 1973.
In the early 1970s, he led a determined campaign to prevent City Hall from being demolished. A public poll was held in 1971, and the campaign succeeded. The support of Kimberley's Coloured community was particularly significant, as their votes helped defeat the proposal. City Hall survived. But saving it was only the beginning. The building now needed to be physically rescued.
Alderman Lawrie Shuttleworth DFC, former Mayor of Kimberley and lifelong campaigner for the preservation of the city's heritage. He played a leading role in the campaign that saved City Hall from demolition in the 1970s. Photographed one month before his 100th birthday with fellow Rotarian and disability campaigner Dorothy Anne Howitson. Photo: © Richard Jones, October 2014.
A Mining Solution for a Historic Building
The structural problems facing City Hall were severe. Ordinary drilling methods could not safely be used because vibration might have caused further damage to the fragile brickwork. Water-based drilling was also considered dangerous because it could wash away the already weakened mortar. Kimberley, however, had another great resource besides its historic buildings. It had the engineering expertise of the diamond mines.
Engineers from De Beers Consolidated Mines were consulted, together with specialists from the Diamond Research Laboratory in Johannesburg. The solution drew directly on techniques developed in mining. Long holes were drilled through the damaged sections of the building using specially adapted diamond-drilling equipment. Steel rods were then inserted and secured with fast-setting resin, effectively pinning the weakened structure together. The work was technically demanding.
Kimberley City Hall after restoration in the 1970s. The building was stabilised using diamond-drilling and structural pinning techniques adapted from the mining industry. The restoration was described in Restorica, the journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation.
Twenty-three holes, between approximately 3.2 and 4.5 metres long, were drilled beyond the major crack in the structure, followed by additional shorter holes to provide further support. The operation was completed with remarkably little vibration. The combination of diamond drilling, steel rods and resin stabilised the building and allowed the restoration programme to continue. In other words, the same diamond-mining technology that helped create Kimberley was adapted to save one of its most important historic buildings. That is a very Kimberley story.
Editor's note: The account of the structural rescue of Kimberley City Hall is based on an article originally published in Construction in Southern Africa in March 1976 and subsequently published in Restorica, the journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation, now the Heritage Association of South Africa. We are grateful to the University of Pretoria, the copyright holder, for permission to reproduce this historic account.
Royal Visitors to Kimberley
King George VI in 1947
The City Hall has also provided a backdrop to some extraordinary moments in Kimberley's history. On 18 April 1947, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and their daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, visited Kimberley during their extensive tour of Southern Africa. The royal family had an exceptionally busy day in the Diamond City.
Their itinerary included the Duggan-Cronin Gallery, a luncheon at the Kimberley Club, a visit to the Big Hole and De Beers, and a display of diamonds at the Consolidated Buildings. They also attended a major parade of ex-servicemen on Market Square, directly in front of City Hall.
The visit was part of a three-month journey through the British dominions of Southern Africa, covering thousands of miles. Sir Ernest Oppenheimer accompanied the royal family during their visit to the Big Hole. The two young princesses were also presented with diamonds by Mary Oppenheimer. For Kimberley, it was one of the great public occasions of the post-war years.
Ex-servicemen assembled on Market Square in front of Kimberley City Hall during the visit of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret on 18 April 1947.
Prince Philip in 1995
Almost half a century later, another member of the British Royal Family visited Kimberley. On 22 March 1995, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited during the State Visit to South Africa by Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Philip was welcomed to Kimberley by Northern Cape Premier Manne Dipico, together with other dignitaries, including Ethne Papenfus, Speaker of the Northern Cape Parliament, and Kimberley Mayor Herbert Rose. His itinerary included Harry Oppenheimer House and the Big Hole Mine Museum before a luncheon at the Kimberley Club. He later appeared on the balcony of the Kimberley Club, echoing the famous royal appearance during the 1947 visit. Members of the Galeshewe Choir performed during the occasion. Although the visit was brief, it created another link between Kimberley and the British Royal Family.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with Northern Cape Premier Manne Dipico during his visit to Kimberley on 22 March 1995.
Prince Philip meets members of the Galeshewe Choir during his visit to Kimberley in March 1995.
City Hall and Kimberley's Changing History
The story of City Hall is also the story of a changing Kimberley. The building was constructed during the confident years of the diamond boom and became the centre of municipal government in a rapidly expanding city. It survived war, political change and decades of changing municipal needs. It was later threatened by neglect and demolition. And it survived again.
The people associated with it also reflect Kimberley's changing history. Fergus Carstairs-Rogers represents the architectural confidence of late nineteenth-century Kimberley. Lawrie Shuttleworth represents a later generation of citizens who believed that the city's built heritage deserved to survive. And today, the road alongside City Hall is named Phakamile Mabija Road, reminding visitors that Kimberley's heritage also encompasses the painful history of apartheid and the struggle for freedom.
Phakamile Mabija Road
When these two photographs were taken in 2003, the road alongside City Hall was known as Transvaal Road, which heads north past the Transvaal Road Police Station. In the opposite direction, heading south through the city centre, it was known as Jones Street.
In 1977, Phakamile Mabija was 27 years old. He was a teacher, a member of St James Anglican Church in Galeshewe, and was involved in youth and community work. Truth and Reconciliation Commission research records describe Mabija as politically active and affiliated with the ANC. He had been detained following an incident during a bus boycott in Kimberley. He was held at the then Transvaal Road Police Station and died on 7 July 1977, the day before he was due to appear in court.
According to the police account presented to the subsequent inquest, Mabija broke away from his police escort and fell from a sixth-floor window. His family disputed this account. When members of the Mabija family testified before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Kimberley in 1996, they described the condition in which police brought him home shortly before his death and recalled a policeman telling him to say goodbye to his family because he would not see them again.
The inquest later found that Mabija had died from multiple injuries following a fall from the sixth floor. No person was held responsible for his death. The circumstances surrounding his death remained deeply contested and painful for his family. In September 2011, Jones Street and Transvaal Road were formally renamed Phakamile Mabija Road at a Heritage Day ceremony attended by members of the Mabija family and the public.
The name now forms part of the landscape around City Hall. It is a reminder that Kimberley's heritage is not simply a collection of beautiful buildings. It is also the story of the people who lived here, the injustices they experienced and the transformation of the city and country that followed.
Shops along Old Main Street, directly opposite Kimberley City Hall, photographed in September 2003. Photo: © Richard Jones.
Jones Street, diagonally across from Kimberley City Hall, photographed in September 2003. The road was subsequently renamed Phakamile Mabija Road in 2011. Photo: © Richard Jones, 2003.
City Hall Today
Today, Kimberley City Hall remains one of the city's most important historic landmarks. Its grand façade, Corinthian columns, decorative pediment and carefully restored details make it one of Kimberley's most important surviving examples of late Victorian civic architecture.
But perhaps its greatest attraction is not architectural at all. Look closely, and the building becomes a kind of history book.
- It was built in the extraordinary aftermath of the diamond discoveries.
- It opened just weeks before Kimberley was besieged.
- It became the centre of civic administration for much of the twentieth century.
- It was nearly lost when the municipality moved to new offices.
- It was rescued through a determined preservation campaign and innovative engineering.
- It has witnessed royal visits, civic ceremonies and generations of Kimberley residents going about their daily lives.
- And now, the road alongside it bears the name of a young man whose death represents one of the darkest chapters in the city's history.
That is what makes City Hall so important. It is not simply a beautiful old building. It is one of the places where Kimberley's story can still be read in the landscape around us.
Did You Know?
Kimberley City Hall was completed in just ten months. The foundation stone was laid by Mayor Moses Cornwall on 16 November 1898, and the completed building was officially opened by Mayor Robert H. Henderson on 20 September 1899. Just 24 days later, the Siege of Kimberley began.
A Landmark Worth Saving
The survival of Kimberley City Hall is a reminder that heritage does not survive automatically. Buildings have to be valued, defended, and maintained.
In the 1970s, Kimberley came close to losing one of its most important landmarks. The campaign led by Lawrie Shuttleworth and others ensured the building's survival, while the innovative restoration techniques developed with assistance from Kimberley's mining engineers gave it a future.
Today, the Victorian landmark continues to stand in the centre of the city it was built to serve. More than a century after its opening, City Hall remains a powerful symbol of Kimberley's extraordinary past — and of what can be achieved when a community decides that its history is worth saving.
Continue Exploring Kimberley
Whether your interests lie in history, culture, dining, shopping, entertainment, or simply discovering somewhere new, we hope these guides help you make the most of your time in Kimberley. If you're planning a visit to the City that Sparkles, Solomon Edwardian Guest House offers elegant accommodation in the historic suburb of Beaconsfield. Ideally situated for business and leisure travellers alike, The Solomon provides a comfortable base from which to explore.