Souvenir Carved Shell

Souvenir Carved Shell

Date Unknown Origin South Africa Size 48mm x 68mm x 35mm Acquired March 2021 From Bounty Hunters, Melville Price R10

Kimberley

Driekopseiland. No entry in Rosenthal (1967).

“Kimberley. City in the North of the Cape Province, and centre of the diamond industry. Named after the Earl of Kimberley, who was colonial secretary of Britain at the time of its foundation, in 1871, when an exodus occurred from the earlier River Diggings on the Vaal River to the Dry Diggings, referred to as ‘New Rush.’ In 1873 these camps were converted into a township named Kimberley, near which developed another community, Beaconsfield. Digging was concentrated at the Colesberg Koppie, named after the large number of miners from that Cape village. The Koppie was literally dug away and the gigantic pit, now referred to as the ‘Big Hole,’ came into existence. No longer used, it is still a most impressive landmark. By 1878 Kimberley had over 40,000 inhabitants, most of whom lived in great discomfort, under canvas and tin. Municipal government was granted in 1878 and vigorous efforts made to improve health and living conditions. A successful Stock exchange, the forerunner of the larger one in Johannesburg, was formed. The railway arrived in 1885, and 3 years later the numerous rival concerns, operating in and around the Big Hole where extensive collapses of reef had occurred, were amalgamated by Cecil John Rhodes and his supporters into De Beers Consolidated Mines (q.v.). On the city the immediate results were unfortunate, for the individual digger disappeared and, with the reorganisation of the industry on an economic basis, there was a depression. This was overcome, and Kimberley entered on a period of fairly steady growth, varied by occasional setbacks, chiefly due to the fall of the diamond market. During the South African War Kimberley was besieged by the Boers for 124 days from October 1899 to February 1900, those cooped up in the town including Cecil John Rhodes. In recent years Kimberley, apart from the activity of its diamond mine, has developed certain industries, notably engineering, clothing manufacture and diamond cutting. It is also a business centre for irrigation areas in the Northern Cape. The population is 92,000, of whom 29,000 are Whites, 42,000 Bantu, 1,200 Asiatics and 20,000 Coloureds” (Rosenthal 1967:287-288).