Today in Kimberley's History
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Harry Oppenheimer House opens in 1974
Harry Oppenheimer House, De Beers Consolidated Mines’ diamond sorting house for their South African diamonds, was opened on 25 November 1974 by Dr WP de Kock in the presence of Harry Oppenheimer and his family.
The architects Hentrich and Partner of Johannesburg, together with Hentrich-Petschnigg and Partner KG of Dusseldorf were commissioned by the company to design a building to sort diamonds that was “…of great simplicity, design and elegance.” Diamond sorting for valuation demands certain criteria; particularly the glare from natural light, so the building was situated in such a position that ensures no direct sunlight penetrates. The glass on the windows reduces all possible glare but does not affect the colouration of the diamond, and is at such an angle in order to eliminate both interior and exterior reflections. The glass façade represents the open sorting operation; while the closed concreted elevation represents the security consciousness of the organisation. When it was opened the Diamond Information Officer, Dudley Holmes, said that “…the view is particularly distracting.”
Recently falling under the name Diamond Trading Company, formerly the Central Selling Organisation (De Beers), in 1974 it was the home of the DTC, the Diamond Producer’s Association as well as the De Beers sorting office. The sorting was on seven floors, while other floors had various departments allied to the sorting such as security, weighing and sizing, the clerics, as well as the DPA and the DTC. When it opened there were 270 sorters employed. The building cost R3 million to erect. The last day before final closure of the sorting house is believed to be 31 December 2022.
(All information from the DBCM Archives and the DFA 26 November 1974).
Note: De Beers donated the Harry Oppenheimer House (HOH) in Kimberley to the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) during an event at the 14-storey building on Friday, 24 November 2023.
Harry Oppenheimer House, De Beers Consolidated Mines’ diamond sorting house for their South African diamonds, was opened on 25 November 1974 by Dr WP de Kock in the presence of Harry Oppenheimer and his family.
The architects Hentrich and Partner of Johannesburg, together with Hentrich-Petschnigg and Partner KG of Dusseldorf were commissioned by the company to design a building to sort diamonds that was “…of great simplicity, design and elegance.” Diamond sorting for valuation demands certain criteria; particularly the glare from natural light, so the building was situated in such a position that ensures no direct sunlight penetrates. The glass on the windows reduces all possible glare but does not affect the colouration of the diamond, and is at such an angle in order to eliminate both interior and exterior reflections. The glass façade represents the open sorting operation; while the closed concreted elevation represents the security consciousness of the organisation. When it was opened the Diamond Information Officer, Dudley Holmes, said that “…the view is particularly distracting.”
Recently falling under the name Diamond Trading Company, formerly the Central Selling Organisation (De Beers), in 1974 it was the home of the DTC, the Diamond Producer’s Association as well as the De Beers sorting office. The sorting was on seven floors, while other floors had various departments allied to the sorting such as security, weighing and sizing, the clerics, as well as the DPA and the DTC. When it opened there were 270 sorters employed. The building cost R3 million to erect. The last day before final closure of the sorting house is believed to be 31 December 2022.
(All information from the DBCM Archives and the DFA 26 November 1974).
Note: De Beers donated the Harry Oppenheimer House (HOH) in Kimberley to the Sol Plaatje University (SPU) during an event at the 14-storey building on Friday, 24 November 2023.
41 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1899
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Our troops made a very early sortie, and some heavy fighting occurred before 7a.m. An air of unusual excitement took possession of everyone in Kimberley, for the first news we got was that Boer prisoners were being brought in, and that everything had gone well with our men.
I took up my position at the corner of the hotel and saw the first arrivals. These were three wounded Boers who were brought in in a cab and taken past us to the Gaol Hospital. Not long after, about 30 miserable-looking wretches were marched in by a few of our Mounted Men.
The Boers were not in uniform, and were thin and dirty-looking. The crowds of people, White and Coloured, had to be kept well in hand, so eagerly did they seem to want to hustle and mob the prisoners, and many uncomplimentary remarks were hurled at them. However, they were safely taken to the Police Barracks, and then searched. Some interesting, and, to us, amusing Dutch papers with misleading and grotesque accounts of the War being found on them. A few said they were glad to be caught as they were sick of the whole thing. Two were recognised by Jack to be rebels from Barkly District who had been attended by him at the Relief Works organised by Government to help Poor Whites. Other people also identified more rebels amongst them.
We were strung up to a great pitch of enthusiasm by the time our troops returned. And, as I had heard that Jack was safe and sound, too, I joined in the many hearty cheers as they passed down to the Camp.
Poor Captain Bowen of the Light Horse was badly wounded in this engagement, his jaw being shattered by, apparently, an expanding bullet. There is little hope of his making a good recovery. Captain Rush, C.P. was also wounded in the arm and chest, and young Mayston, also. Colonel Scott-Turner received a flesh wound in the shoulder which, however, he would not have attended to until the engagement was quite over; continuing his Command on a fresh horse (his own having been shot), as though nothing had happened.
Between 50 and 60 of the enemy were killed, and a quantity of Mauser rifles and ammunition captured. Our losses were 6 killed and 29 wounded.
Jack came in after giving chloroform at the hospital during several operations on the wounded. He seemed tired, but very cheerful.
The paper next day in the Leader made a special mention of Jack, saying, 'He was noticeably cool under a very hot running fire whilst rendering First Aid to the wounded on the Ridge . . .' This paper also contained the first news we have had for a long time about the rest of South Africa. Despatch Riders having brought in a 'Natal Times'; and also information about the Relief Column at Belmont .....'Battle of Belmont fought. Boers completely routed with heavy losses ....' Lord Methuen sent a message to Kimberley, saying he was 'doing good work'.
Later on, on the day of the 25th, a Dr Dunlop and a Mr Vicars (Ambulance) from the Boer lines, came in under a flag of truce to ask for chloroform and brandy. They were, of course, blind-folded outside the barrier and brought into a tent until this despatch had been considered by Colonel Kekewich. The doctor drank a whiskey and soda eagerly, saying it was a long time since he had seen whiskey. Under its influence he betrayed the fact that there were a great many sick and wounded amongst the enemy. Eventually, he and the other man returned with the supplies they had requested.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Our troops made a very early sortie, and some heavy fighting occurred before 7a.m. An air of unusual excitement took possession of everyone in Kimberley, for the first news we got was that Boer prisoners were being brought in, and that everything had gone well with our men.
I took up my position at the corner of the hotel and saw the first arrivals. These were three wounded Boers who were brought in in a cab and taken past us to the Gaol Hospital. Not long after, about 30 miserable-looking wretches were marched in by a few of our Mounted Men.
The Boers were not in uniform, and were thin and dirty-looking. The crowds of people, White and Coloured, had to be kept well in hand, so eagerly did they seem to want to hustle and mob the prisoners, and many uncomplimentary remarks were hurled at them. However, they were safely taken to the Police Barracks, and then searched. Some interesting, and, to us, amusing Dutch papers with misleading and grotesque accounts of the War being found on them. A few said they were glad to be caught as they were sick of the whole thing. Two were recognised by Jack to be rebels from Barkly District who had been attended by him at the Relief Works organised by Government to help Poor Whites. Other people also identified more rebels amongst them.
We were strung up to a great pitch of enthusiasm by the time our troops returned. And, as I had heard that Jack was safe and sound, too, I joined in the many hearty cheers as they passed down to the Camp.
Poor Captain Bowen of the Light Horse was badly wounded in this engagement, his jaw being shattered by, apparently, an expanding bullet. There is little hope of his making a good recovery. Captain Rush, C.P. was also wounded in the arm and chest, and young Mayston, also. Colonel Scott-Turner received a flesh wound in the shoulder which, however, he would not have attended to until the engagement was quite over; continuing his Command on a fresh horse (his own having been shot), as though nothing had happened.
Between 50 and 60 of the enemy were killed, and a quantity of Mauser rifles and ammunition captured. Our losses were 6 killed and 29 wounded.
Jack came in after giving chloroform at the hospital during several operations on the wounded. He seemed tired, but very cheerful.
The paper next day in the Leader made a special mention of Jack, saying, 'He was noticeably cool under a very hot running fire whilst rendering First Aid to the wounded on the Ridge . . .' This paper also contained the first news we have had for a long time about the rest of South Africa. Despatch Riders having brought in a 'Natal Times'; and also information about the Relief Column at Belmont .....'Battle of Belmont fought. Boers completely routed with heavy losses ....' Lord Methuen sent a message to Kimberley, saying he was 'doing good work'.
Later on, on the day of the 25th, a Dr Dunlop and a Mr Vicars (Ambulance) from the Boer lines, came in under a flag of truce to ask for chloroform and brandy. They were, of course, blind-folded outside the barrier and brought into a tent until this despatch had been considered by Colonel Kekewich. The doctor drank a whiskey and soda eagerly, saying it was a long time since he had seen whiskey. Under its influence he betrayed the fact that there were a great many sick and wounded amongst the enemy. Eventually, he and the other man returned with the supplies they had requested.
Ernest Oppenheimer dies - 1957
Financier, and mining and industrial magnate, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, who founded the Anglo American Corporation, died in Johannesburg at the age of 77. Oppenheimer was credited with the creation of a cartel that eventually controlled the diamond price after the First World War ended. This was considered necessary since the diamond industry during that period was flooded by diamonds, which led to a price plummet and resulted in the shutdown of the Kimberley mines. During his lifetime Oppenheimer, who was also a politician and humanitarian, contributed immensely to the upliftment of the standard of education at universities. He funded them generously in order to enable them to carry out research in the field of science. It was also with his aid that the engineering department at the University of Stellenbosch was founded. He left his entire fortune to his only surviving son Harry, who followed in his father's footsteps.
Financier, and mining and industrial magnate, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, who founded the Anglo American Corporation, died in Johannesburg at the age of 77. Oppenheimer was credited with the creation of a cartel that eventually controlled the diamond price after the First World War ended. This was considered necessary since the diamond industry during that period was flooded by diamonds, which led to a price plummet and resulted in the shutdown of the Kimberley mines. During his lifetime Oppenheimer, who was also a politician and humanitarian, contributed immensely to the upliftment of the standard of education at universities. He funded them generously in order to enable them to carry out research in the field of science. It was also with his aid that the engineering department at the University of Stellenbosch was founded. He left his entire fortune to his only surviving son Harry, who followed in his father's footsteps.