TODAY IN KIMBERLEY’S HISTORY 16 NOVEMBER The SA Perm founded in Kimberley, 1883 Theodore Samuels, who scored the first ever try for the Springboks, dies, 1896 Artillery Shells made at the De Beers Workshops for first time, 1899 Foundation stone of the Market Square Town Hall laid by Moses Cornwall, 1898 DID YOU KNOW The Kimberley City Hall, an outstanding piece of Victorian architecture (in Roman Corinthian style), was designed by the well-known Kimberley architect Fergus Carstairs-Rogers and opened on 20 September 1899, a mere few weeks before the siege of Kimberley commenced. Kimberley’s previous Town Hall had been destroyed by fire on 29 March 1898, and on 13 April it was decided to build a new hall to meet the requirements of a growing town. The Directors of De Beers donated a sizable sum of money towards the building costs. Fergus Carstairs-Rogers won the design competition from nine finalists, pocketing the £100 prize money. On 16 November 1898 the foundation stone was laid by Moses Cornwall, then Mayor of Kimberley, the plans for the building consisting of a main hall and council chamber, a supper room, a Mayor’s parlour, a committee room, the Town Clerk’s office, and several administrative offices. The Hall was built by local firm, Grant and Downie, and completed at a cost of £26000, and was officially opened by the Mayor of Kimberley, Robert H. Henderson. The Hall would be the administrative and executive centre of Kimberley up until 1962 when the municipality moved to the current Civic Centre. During the siege - 14 October 1899 to 15 February 1900 - the Hall was used as the pivotal point for the issuing and rationing of food and for a time was a haven for refugees. A public poll to save the City Hall from demolition was held in 1971, and was successful due to the effort by former Mayor, Alderman Lawrie Shuttleworth. The so-called coloured population were permitted to vote, and it was their vote that saved the Hall. Note the original Kimberley coat of arms on the parapet, as well as the motto “Spero Meliora” – “We hope for better things”. The original Kimberley coat of arms had figured on the council’s seal since 1878. The fleur-de-lys and annulets on the shield are taken from the Arms of the Cape Colony; the diamond is there for obvious reasons; the Lion Rampant is emblematic of Kimberley’s original recognition of British supremacy and allegiance to British aims and ideals.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 02:15:49 +0000