More than 100 years ago, Kimberley was besieged by the Boers.
It was one of the three major sieges of the Anglo Boer War, along with Ladysmith and Mafeking.
The people of Kimberley underwent major deprivations, but also saw incredible innovations too, like Long Cecil, the only field gun ever to be constructed by civilians in a city under siege.
De Beers chief engineer George Labram found the designs in the Kimberley Public Library and then built it at the mine workshop with mining magnate Cecil Rhodes’s blessing.
It gave Kimberley’s citizens some hope as the Boer Long Tom cannon rained in shells.
Veteran Kimberley historian and tour guide Steve Lunderstedt is putting together a commemorative siege weekend next weekend in Kimberley.
The tour will take in a range of siege sites; starting in front of the legendary Kimberley Club and moving to the Moth Siege Shellhole in Cassandra for a slideshow and dinner on the Friday. Saturday will begin at the McGregor Museum, before moving across to the Honoured Dead Memorial where Long Cecil still stands, and then off to the De Beers Mine and conning tower, Town Hall, British fort, and siege searchlights.
The evening will end with a braai at the shell hole. Sunday will be taken up with a trip out to Dronfield farm to revisit the battle of Dronfield.
As Lunderstedt says: “The siege brought out the best and worst of the people in Kimberley. They had to make do with very limited food supplies in an incredibly boring existence interspersed with moments of sheer terror during bombardments.” - Saturday Star
l To know more about the Siege of Kimberley weekend contact Steve Lunderstedt by e-mail: stevestours@inext.co.za or SMS 083 732 3189.