1867-1914: From Eureka to the Big Hole

From Tent Town to Diamond Capital

The discovery of diamonds in southern Africa changed the course of history. It transformed Kimberley from open veld into the world's greatest diamond-mining centre, attracted thousands of fortune-seekers from every continent, created vast fortunes, and helped shape modern South Africa.

This timeline chronicles the key events from the discovery of Africa's first authenticated diamond in 1867 to the closure of the Kimberley Mine at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

The Diamond Timeline

1867 – Eureka!

On 13th October 1867, fifteen-year-old Erasmus Jacobs discovered a transparent pebble on his family's farm near Hopetown, close to the Orange River. The stone is later identified as Africa's first authenticated diamond and named the Eureka Diamond. Although modest in size, its discovery marks the beginning of South Africa's diamond industry.

1869 – The Star of South Africa

A Griqua shepherd discovers an 83.5-carat rough diamond near Hopetown. Named the Star of South Africa, the spectacular find captures international attention and triggers the first great diamond rush to the Orange River diggings.

1870 – The Diamond Rush Gathers Pace

Diamonds are discovered at Klip Drift (today Barkly West), followed by major finds at Bultfontein and Du Toit's Pan. The discoveries trigger a second great diamond rush, drawing thousands of prospectors to the district. The following year, an 18-year-old Cecil John Rhodes arrived in Kimberley and began the journey that would eventually lead to the creation of De Beers.

1871 – Kimberley is Born

In May, just a few kilometres to the west, diamonds are discovered in what will become the De Beers Mine. In July, just a few hundred meters further, more diamonds were discovered in what will become the even richer Kimberley Mine. A sprawling tent settlement known as New Rush quickly develops around the diggings. Later renamed Kimberley, the town soon became the centre of the world's diamond industry. The Kimberley Mine—today known as the Big Hole—would become the richest diamond mine ever worked by hand.

1873 – Two Future Rivals

Barney Barnato arrives at the Kimberley diggings to join his brother in the diamond trade, while Cecil Rhodes continues purchasing mining claims. The rivalry between these two ambitious young entrepreneurs would shape the future of the diamond industry.

1874 – Barnato Brothers

The firm Barnato Brothers, Dealers in Diamonds and Brokers in Mining Property, opens for business. Within only a few years, Barney Barnato would become one of the wealthiest and most influential figures on the Kimberley diamond fields.

1887 – Rivals Become Giants

By the late 1880s, Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato controlled much of Kimberley's diamond production. Their fierce competition led to overproduction and falling diamond prices, convincing both men that consolidation was essential for the industry to survive.

1888 – De Beers is Born

On 12 March 1888, De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited (DBCML) was established by merging competing mining companies. Cecil Rhodes became its founding chairman, creating one of the world's most influential mining companies and establishing a near monopoly over the global diamond trade.

1890 – A New Mine and a New Market

The Wesselton Mine is discovered, further extending Kimberley's diamond wealth. That same year, ten leading London diamond merchants formed the London Diamond Syndicate, agreeing to buy De Beers' entire production and helping stabilise world diamond prices.

1897 – The Death of Barney Barnato

While travelling to England aboard the SS Scot, Barney Barnato dies after falling overboard under circumstances that remain one of South Africa's enduring mysteries. His death marks the end of one of Kimberley's most colourful personalities.

1899 – Kimberley Under Siege

During the Anglo-Boer War (also known as the Second Boer War or South African War, 1899–1902), Kimberley played a dramatic role. Boer forces besieged the city from 14 October 1899 to 15 February 1900. Cecil Rhodes was trapped inside and helped organise the defence. Local De Beers workshops manufactured artillery shells, an armoured train, and the famous “Long Cecil” gun. Food shortages and bombardment caused civilian hardship until a British relief column under General French lifted the siege. The war highlighted Kimberley’s strategic importance and left a lasting mark on the diamond city. In 1961, the Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Gardens were opened in his memory.

1902 – The End of an Era

Cecil Rhodes died at Muizenberg at the age of 48. His reported final words — "So little done, too much to do" — reflect the extraordinary ambition that transformed both Kimberley and the world diamond industry. The same year, a young German-born diamond buyer named Ernest Oppenheimer arrived in Kimberley to begin his career. Although Rhodes and Oppenheimer never met, Oppenheimer later built on Rhodes' legacy and became one of the defining figures of twentieth-century diamond mining. He quickly became involved in civic affairs, serving on the City Council before becoming Mayor in 1912. 

1914 – The End of the Great Kimberley Mine

With the outbreak of the First World War, mining operations at De Beers' Kimberley properties were suspended. The original Kimberley Mine — the Big Hole — never reopened, closing one of the most extraordinary chapters in mining history.

Memorial to the Honoured Dead

De Beers played a major role during the Anglo-Boer War, manufacturing the famous Long Cecil gun in its Kimberley workshops to help defend the besieged town. After the war, Cecil Rhodes, who had endured the Siege of Kimberley, conceived the idea of a memorial to those who had lost their lives. Designed by Herbert Baker and funded largely by De Beers (£7,800 of the £10,000 cost), the Memorial to the Honoured Dead was dedicated on 28 November 1904—exactly five years after Colonel Scott-Turner and 22 defenders were killed at Carter's Ridge.

The imposing monument combines the functions of a mausoleum, a war memorial, and a commemorative monument. A massive stone podium houses the burial chamber of 27 soldiers and civilians who died during the siege, while above it rises Herbert Baker's distinctive classical colonnade. At its foot stands Long Cecil, the locally manufactured gun that became a symbol of Kimberley's determination to survive. Rudyard Kipling's epitaph, "Here are the victors laid," is carved into the stone. Today, the memorial is a Provincial Heritage Site and remains one of Kimberley's most important landmarks, reflecting the city's resilience, Baker's architectural vision and De Beers' enduring influence on Kimberley's history.

Legacy

Between 1867 and 1914, diamonds transformed Kimberley from open farmland into one of the world's most famous cities. The discoveries made here changed the global diamond industry, influenced international politics, drove remarkable engineering achievements and created fortunes that continue to shape southern Africa today.

The legacy of those years can still be explored throughout Kimberley—in the Big Hole Mine Museum, historic buildings, monuments and streets where this remarkable story unfolded.