Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle: SOUTH AFRICA PRETORIA / JOHANNESBURG. THE DIAMOND MINES OF KIMBERLEY STAR OF AFRICA DIAMOND * EUREKA DIAMOND *1893

SOUTH AFRICA
PRETORIA / JOHANNESBURG
THE DIAMOND MINES OF KIMBERLEY

STAR OF AFRICA DIAMOND * EUREKA DIAMOND

WORLD TOUR OF GEORGE BULLOUGH 1892-1895

Article 27 of 28 * Time of visit September / October 1893.

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Article twenty-seven continues the recollections of the 1892-1895 world tour made by

George Bullough, (later Sir George, Baronet, Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, Scotland)

and his travelling companion, Robert Mitchell, in a series of twenty-eight articles

by Mitchell published in the local Lancashire newspaper the Accrington Gazette in 1896.

Explanatory, numbered notes relating to the text, written from first-hand research by
George W. Randall, are to be found following the published article.

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS - PRETORIA

Album X * Image 9 * Detail from full size 8 x 6 inches

The Raadsaal Building, Church Square, Pretoria, housed the parliament of the South African Republic from 1891 to 1902. RIGHT: A corner of the Dutch Reformed Church demolished 1905.

Pretoria was founded in 1855 on ground purchased by the Boer Government from Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, (1819-1901), first president of the South African Republic. Marthinus was born in Cape Colony son of Voortrekker leader, Andries Pretorius, (1798-1853), who was instrumental in the creation of the South African Republic.

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Government Building overlooked Church Square, named after the adjacent Dutch Reformed Church, part of which is visible right.

The Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria was established in 1854, the first church being built two years later, its location becoming the centre of the town. This first building burnt down in 1882, the photograph depicts its replacement which was demolished in 1905.

This large open space around the church was used for out-spanning or resting animals, particularly the dozens of teams of oxen and mules used for hauling wagons every day
prior to the railway connection.
Following the Anglo/Boer War, 1899-1902,
the church, being deemed “unsafe”, was sold to the town authorities the proceeds
being utilised to build two new churches, it was demolished in 1905.

Encyclopædia Britannica 11th Edition

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ROODEPOORT CENTRAL GOLD MINING COMPANY

Album X * One of six block-cuts on image 8 * Size 2 x 1½ inches
(Very much enlarged)

Roodepoort is north-west of central Johannesburg.

GOLD CRUSHING BATTERY – ROODEPOORT (GOLD MINE)

Album X * One of six block-cuts on image 8 * Size of original 2 x 1½ inches
(Very much enlarged)

Roodepoort Gold - December 1890 crushing produced 1,215 ozs. gold

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FRUE VANNERS ROBINSON GOLD MINING CO.
Album X * Image 7 * Size 11½ x 10 inches.

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FRUE VANNERS ROBINSON GOLD MINING CO.
Album X * Image 6 * Size 11½ x 10 inches.

From: Diamond Mining in the Kimberley Field by Charles V. Allen 1903

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MAIN REEF JOHANNESBURG - LINE OF REEF

Album X * Image 5 * Size 8 x 6 inches.

Pneumonia, not accidents was the prime cause of death for black workers.
The increasing prevalence of this disease, much less so in the early to mid-1880's
when the major cause of death was due to poor sanitation in overcrowded compounds;
resulted from deep-level digging in poorly ventilated underground passages where
temperatures ranged from 56F near the surface to 93F at the work face.
In the early 1890's pneumonia accounted for two thirds of fatalities recorded at De Beers
two compound hospitals. The remaining third was due to accidents and natural causes.
The native death rate at Kimberley mine in 1891 was 41 per thousand,
a year later it had risen to fifty-five per thousand.

Extract from: "South Africa's City of Diamonds..." - William H. Worger - Yale University - 1987.