The Kimberley Club
Hotel in Kimberley

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Rules of the Kimberley Club that the 129th Annual General Meeting of Members will take place at the Club House on Friday.

Leading men of Kimberley wanted a meeting place along the lines of London clubs where they could enjoy a drink or two, good food and the company of their peers, in comfort, away from the dust and dryness of the diggings. Cecil John Rhodes was the prime mover in the founding of the Club. Needless to say it was the men of the diamond industry who predominated. The members were all young, ambitious and adventurous. Cecil Rhodes himself was only 28 years old at the time of the founding of the Club. It was on the veranda of the Club that he worked on plans and ideas to colonize the land north of the Zambezi, Rhodesia, which was named in his honour. The building included a great deal of wood in its construction which burned fiercely. Naturally residents of Kimberley rushed to view the disaster. Kimberley’s inadequate water supply could not extinguish the blaze. Four outside bedrooms were built behind the Club as well as a communal bathroom. De Beers agreed to supply the Club with electricity from the Kimberley Mine in Nearly everything was destroyed except the stores in the wine cellar and papers and documents rescued from the Secretary’s safe. The kitchen remained unscathed and three days later meals were again being served in a house nearby. Cecil John Rhodes presented his portrait, painted by Herbert Harkomer, to the Club in 1898, and this is to be seen in the bar lounge. In 1947, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and the two princesses Elisabeth and Margaret, used the Club during their one day visit to Kimberley. At this stage ladies still used the back gate into the Club premises. The present Ladies Lounge off the Dining Room used to be the Billiard Room, and was brought into use towards the end of 1962 after much rebuilding and alterations were done. At last the ladies had an entrance on Du Toitspan Road, not the front door as such, but they no longer had to use a back door to the Club. That, in essence, is what the Kimberley Club has remained. It is a Club first and historical institution second. Since extensive renovations to restore its former glory, members of the public are now welcome to share in the luxury of a bygone era. The luggage racks at the foot of all the beds are still the originals from the early days of the Club. The original main entrance opens onto a beautiful wooden staircase accentuated by stained glass windows on the landing and a statue of Colonel David Harris. So if you are touring South Africa and would like to tour Kimberley and visit the birth place of Harry Oppenheimer, the Kimberley big hole and Kimberley mine museum, and many other local historical attractions, all those in favour of reclaiming some of the history and style of what once was the diamond Mecca of the world, feel free to book your stay or lunch, conference or weddings and functions, and share in the style of those historic millionaire patrons of the Kimberley Club.