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Reading about the desolate journey that fortune seekers hoping to reach Kimberley had to endure, I suddenly felt very grateful sitting in my slightly cramped Air Kenya window seat. It’s incredible to think that reaching the diamond mining town of Kimberley from Leiden takes less than 24 hours in the present, as opposed to a months-long journey in the 19th century.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in the Northern Cape, except for the scorching dry heat, was the immense change that had taken place. It had gone from a few fields and koppies to one of the wealthiest towns in sub-Saharan Africa, finally settling into its current form.[1] Today, it’s a quiet historic town, with its diamond-rich past still visible in its architecture. I was picked up from Kimberley airport by my thesis supervisor, Jan-Bart Gewald, and his PhD student, Walker Swindell, who had arrived a few days prior. Both were wearing khaki trousers. Jan-Bart was wearing a breathable shirt, and Walker was clad in the national rugby team’s jersey. In a matter of days, these men had integrated into their environment like locals. I have much to learn.
The aforementioned transformation was most apparent when they took me to the Kimberley Club for a drink to help me acclimatize. Once it was a private club whose members held most of the power and wealth on the southern side of the continent. Now, it’s an establishment that I walked into with no prior booking while wearing sweatpants. Although the building is still in excellent condition, adorned with its historic photographs and statues, it has started to adapt to new roles. One of those is serving as a venue for local motorbike chapter meetings.
While I started cooling down and the travel fatigue started fading I had chance to reflect on my purpose in Kimberley. While reading Guide to the Sieges of South Africa by Nicki Von Der Heyde back home, it occurred to me that Boer forces during the Second Anglo-Boer War did not shoot artillery or instigate fights on Sundays.[2] The reason for this (beyond "religion") could not be found in modern literature, as most of it focused on the British side of the war. I assume this is because most of the Boer sources are in Afrikaans. Motivated by this new question, I felt the urge to explore further and dive into primary literature. Due to the scope of my thesis, I decided to focus on just one siege. The siege of the diamond mining town of Kimberley which took place between 1899 and 1900. Because of its proximity to the battlefield of Magersfontein, its rich history, and strong archival institutions, it was an easy choice.
Scouring Kimberley’s archives for unpublished materials, such as diaries and letters, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely people who protect and care for its history. They assisted me in wonderful ways. This, for example, resulted in me being seated in an archival storage room (along with a very healthy portion of selected boxes) instead of the reading room for visitors. You might be wondering: how could being seated in a storage room be better than the visitors' reading room? The answer: temperature control.
Luckily, I wasn’t confined to four walls for all of my research; after all, reading can only take you so far. During one week of the short month, I was in the Northern Cape, and Jan-Bart and Walker were also there, so I was fortunate to tag along on their adventures. One of the first things we did was visit the Magersfontein battlefield. Largely kept intact, it was fascinating to visualize everything I had read up to that point. In addition to a restaurant, the site also features a small museum displaying weapons, videos, and pictures from the battle. In addition to already having visited Magersfontein and being a talented military historian, Walker’s in-depth explanations of the battlefield were incredible. Being of British descent and me of Boer descent, we shared a moment of sanctioned conviviality as we hiked the trenches and climbed the Magersfontein koppie together.
Luckily, I was able to build on Jan-Bart’s connections in the area, giving me a massive head start. Because of his excellent mentoring, I was able to successfully meet and work with some great people. This included not only academic connections but also practical ones, like accommodation. The guesthouse he introduced me to was perhaps the best part of the experience. Madi and Gert, who run Biki Plek, made Kimberley feel like a home away from home. With a smile, they helped me wherever possible, including allowing me to tag along on their trip to Bloemfontein so I could visit the Anglo-Boer War Museum. This was a great way to visualize the research, much like the experience of visiting Magersfontein.
Looking back at the end of my trip, I am grateful for the opportunity to do this research. Although much work is still to be done, the findings have been most interesting. The strong influence of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) and its ministers seems to have significantly shaped the strategy and conduct of the Boer commandos during the war. As I refine these findings, my curiosity about the subject continues to grow.
As I continue to interact and work with the exceptional people at the Boom2Dust project, I look forward to the discoveries and impact they will make. Stadig oor die klippe.
