The discovery of diamonds in 1867 in the district of Hope Town attracted thousands of fortune – hunters into Griqualand West. Three years later diamonds were found in the area between the Orange River and Vall River where the city of Kimberley was to rise as a result of the diamond rush. Within a few years some 45,000 sought fortunes at the diggings which became a concentration of population second only to Cape Town.
A year after the diamond rush began “Kimberley (had) two churches, a hospital, a theatre and probably as many grogshops as the rest of South Africa put together”, writes De Kiewiet. The number of whites and blacks was reckoned at 50,000 – and among them were Freemasons attracted by the glittering fortunes hopefully to be had. They came from masonic lodges in the Cape and Natal, in many recorded cases depleting those lodges to the extent that some had to close. They came too from Australia, England, the United States, Scotland and Shangai, all attracted by the riches that lay below the soil. It was obvious that lodges would be formed among these diggers, diamond dealers, storekeepers, hoteliers, and others who hoped to glean some of the wealth.
The first English Constitution Lodge, Cosmopolitan, was formed and warranted by England on June 28, 1872 through the driving force of R.W.H. Giddy, new Resident Commissioner at De Beers New Rush or Colesberg Kopje, as the mining camp was known. It became Kimberley after the Earl of Kimberley, British Colonial Secretary at the time effected the annexation of the diamond fields on behalf of Britain in 1873.
Giddy, an ardent Freemason, organised the first meetingof Cosmopolitan on July 1, 1872. That evening 10 candidates were initiated and the next day 12 more. In August a further 17 candidates were initiated, making the phenominal total of 39 in just over a month. The second English Lodge in Kimberley – The Richard Giddy Lodge met for the first time in 1875. Dutoitspan became the venue in 1879 for the third, the Charles Warren Lodge named after Sir Charles Warren, British officer and archaelogist.
The Netherlandic Constitution set up its first lodge – Peace and Harmony – in the Diamond Fields in 1873. A meeting was convened at the Court house, Dutoitspan on April 20, 1873. Attending were diggers, merchants, accountants and professional men. Sir Cristoffel Brand, Deputy District Grand Master of the Netherlandic Constitution in Southern Africa, grated a provisional warrant to enable them to start working on St. Johns Day, June 24, 1873. By 1878, Peace and Harmony had swelled its numbers to 103 from the original 30.
High rents for rooms or even tents to be used for lodge meetings and the building frenzy in the mining camp of the 1870s drove lodges to construct their own temples. Cosmopolitan had held its first meeting at the Courtroom, Colesberg Kopje, but with speed built a new temple and held its meeting on August 8, 1873 at “New Temple, New Rush De Beers”. Peace and Harmony, again with considerable speed, renovated premises behind the market square at Dutoitspan and held its first meeting there on October 14, 1873. Richard Giddy Lodge held its first meeting on July 3, 1875 at The Treasury, Kimberley but built its own temple at Dutoitspan, again presumably to secure a permanent, reasonably low – cost home. Athole Lodge under the Scottish Constitution, met firstly at a house at “West End Kimberley” in 1876.
Perhaps the most itinerant lodge of those times was the Charles Warren Lodge which first met at the Good Templars Hall, Dutoitspan and then at Peace and Harmony’s temple in 1882. It began a search for a site for its own temple in Beaconsfield New Township and agreed two years later to build at a cost of £550. The foundation stone was laid on October 29, 1884, but four years later the lodge was tempted by an offer to purchase from the Presbyterian Church and sold its temple for £400. It then used the Union Lodge temple at Beaconsfield for a time.
An initiative
In the early 1880s these masonic lodges, inspired by their digger independance, built, sold and shared meeting places, never once considering the advantages of a joint masonic centre that wouldact as the focus for Freemasonry in that area. The initiative came from Richard Giddy Lodge which circularised Cosmopolitan and Athole lodges on February 2, 1882, asking their representatives to attend a meeting to consider the adviseability of building a central temple.
Athole Lodge minutes of February 6, 1882, record this letter: “Dear Sir and Brother. At the regular meeting of the “Richard Giddy Lo. on the 2nd inst, it was unanimously resolved that the W.M. and Past Masters who had been formed into a committee to meet the W.M. and Past Masters of the Cosmopolitan and Athole Lodges, in Kimberley could hold their meetings, should meet at the Cosmopolitan Temple on Wednesday next the 8th inst. at 8 o’clock P.M. – You will therefore, if convenient oblige by giving the required notice. I remain Dear Sir and Bro. Fraternally yours, T.D Norden P.M. Secy R.G. Lodge”. One could look at two reasons for this move for a permanent masonic centre. Firstly it was a time of economic prosperity for the area. The days of the small digger were giving way to the large organised mining companies and eventually to the formation of one monolithic company, De Beers Consolidated Mines. As a result, Kimberley began to assume a more definite shape as a town. In 1877 it became a municipality, permanent buildings were erected, the wild digger days were dissapearing and Kimberley sought its respectability. And the Freemasons, as allways a mirror to society reflected those trends in their search for a solid headquarters. They needed to. Historians record that Kimberley long remained a shanty town. Even when in the eighties, brick was as conspicuous as wood and corrugated iron, it remained a “miserable cluster of huddled – together shanties after nearly 20 years of existence”.
The three lodges met as arranged. Their enthusiasm to build was matched and surpassed by the difficulties ahead of them. First, a site, then plans, then, most important, finance. How would the enormous sums of money needed be raised? A site was found – two full stands – on Dutoitspan Road opposite to the Jewish synagogue. It was leased from the London and South African Exploration Company at a nominal rent for 20 years. Those lodges initiating the building would take out debentures to raise the money and pay annual rent to the temple to meet running expenses. From the first, the principle was established that owner – lodges would provide funds to maintain, repair and run the temple, a principle that was to be tested to breaking point over the years to come. Driving force in those early negotiations was W.Bro. D.J. Haarhoff, P.M. of Cosmopolitan Lodge and later District Grand Master of the Central Division from 1902. He pushed and shoved, implored and entreated those founder masons to move in the right direction. He gave large sums as loans from his own pocket and guaranteed other loans. It was with some relief that he was able to announce as chairman of the steering committee that a ceremony to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the new temple by the officiating officer, W.B. George Richards, would be held on October 10, 1888. The Diamond Fields Advertiser of October 11, 1888 reported in full those proceedings on that memorable day.
“Kimberley, Dutoitspan, and Bultfontein, ever since the discovery of diamonds in Griqualand West and the consequent assemblage of all nationalities on this spot so far removed from European civilization, has been noted for the halthy vigour with which Masonic principles and institutions have been supported. “Yesterday added another example among many, of the hearty spirit of unanimity which prevails amongst the brethren, for, not for many a day has there been so impressive a Masonic gathering in South Africa, as there was yesterday afternoon, on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the new Masonic Temple, in Dutoitspan Road. The Building is situated off Dutoitspan Road, on the opposite side of the road to the Jewish Synagogue in an easterly direction. It occupies two full stands extending from the front boundary north in Dutoitspan Road to the roadway running parallel at the South end in rear. The block of building covers an area of 7,000 superficial feet, exclusive of the Tyler’s residence which is to be detached from the Temple and Facing the roadway South bounding the property. The approach from Dutoitspan Road will be through a monumental cast iron gateway with railings each side extending to the boundary lines with moulded stone piers and walls underneath the railings. About fifty feet set back from the front boundary the building operations have commenced.
“Entering at the pedimented portico, which is carried upon six fluted columns, with corinthian capitals and bases, and paved with stone several feet from the ground surface provided with steps of the same solid material, the Hall with its handsome central staircase having a clear height of about thirty feet will at once present itself as an attractive feature of the eye. “Without remarking upon other attractive details we will content ourselves here by stating that the Hall measures thirty feet in length by twenty in breadth, having at the end of its length two spacious semicircular headed doorways opening into an inner vestibule which is to be occupied by the Tyler in guarding the Temple and Degree rooms on each side. The entrance to the Temple is to be furnished with emblematical columns on the left and right hand sides. Two sets of Preparation and Degree rooms flank the building, each of which is provided with separate lavatories and offices of the most approved description, and as substantially built as the remainder of the work.
“The Temple building, sixty feet by thirty five, is to be built with masonic pilasters to the interior with coved heads to the underside of ceilings and the walls and ceilings are to be panelled out and moulded in between. Having in view the massive cornices, the substantial nature of the flooring and the unique system of ventilation adopted by the Architect, the ceremonies within the walls of this edifice should be conducted as in any Temple in South Africa.
“Four additional Degree rooms of lesser dimensions than those previously mentioned, for conducting ceremonies of the higher degrees of Freemasonry, are to be built at first storey height off the landing at staircase head. The facade is of the Roman Corinthian order of Architecture roughly outlined by us as above, and the details of the window dressings, entrance doorway, portico, the entablatures and pediments of the front and the two side facades, are to be elaborately and massively designed. The front finishes over the head, with a balustrading and moulded parapet coping and base, with ornamental terminals.
“It was generally accepted that there would be a goodly gathering of Masons, and the Commitee, wishful as all good Masons invariably are, to allow the general public to partake of the pleasure that so imposing a ceremony could impart, issued invitations to a large number of leading citizens and public officials, and the result was that the space set apart for spectators was filled with an attractive assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. Needless to say, that the fair sex were dressed in their gayest summer attire, that the gentlemen who are not of the Craft looked somewhat like critics in eager Wor Bro George Richards, the Officiating Master spoke.
“Ladies and Gentleman: Before closing the ceremonies of this afternoon, I think it is my duty to make a few brief remarks. And I would first say that we have received from many parts of the Colony letters written in a most kindly spirit wishing us Godspeed in our work. I hold here letters from our Bro His Excellency the Governor (Sir Hercules Robinson), from Sir Gordon Sprigg, Sir Thomas Upington, the Commisioner of Crown Lands, the various District Grand Masters of the Western and Eastern Provinces and Natal also from numerous Past Masters in different towns all wishing success and prosperity to our work; so that our undertaking starts not only with the good wishes of the craft but of the public world generally. Now Ladies and Gentleman to you as our guests, I tender the sincere thanks of the Craft for the honour of your presence here today.
“It has been a source of gratification to the Brethren to notice that the lines on which we as Masons have laid our Corner stone today have been reversed in the order of our guests, for with them Beauty takes the lead, and Strength and Wisdom follow in her train. It is also no less gratifying to see amongst those who have witnessed our Ceremony the leading representatives of Good Government, Law and Order, for we accept it as an acknowledgement that the members of our Fraternity within this Territory are lawful and lawabiding citizens.
“And to you, our visiting Brethren, we tender our sincere thanks for your fraternal and kindly cooperation in the ceremonies of today, together with our hearty good wishes for the peace and prosperity of your Lodges and yourselves. And I would ask you to remember that the Temple here to be erected will be laid on the level lines of universal Masonic Brotherhood, and that means that our portals will ever be opened to a worthy brother.
“The lines on which we have laid our Corner stone today – Peace and Harmony, and Brotherly Love, – will ever br found within the walls of this Temple, bounded only by the parallel lines of our Oreder”.
“The National Anthem having been sung and the Benediction pronounced, the procession was reformed and the Brethren marched back to the Circus where they were dismissed from their respective Lodges”.
This effusive report in the Victorian phraseology of the of the day, gave a graphic word picture of the ceremony. But the reporter forgot – or perhaps he did not have time – to describe the ceremony of laying the foundation stone with the use of the level, plumb rule, trowel, square and the dedication with corn, wine and oil as of old. He forgot also to mention that a scroll was deposited in the foundation stone. It read: “In the name of The Great Architect of the Universe: On this tenth day of October A.D. 1888, A.L. 5888, and in the 51st Year of the Reign of our most Gracious Sovereign, VICTORIA, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown, Queen: Defender of the Faith, Empress of India. H.E. The Right Honourable SIR HERCULES GEORGE ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.&c.,&c.,&c., Governor and High Commissioner of Her Majisty’s Colony of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and the territories and Dependencies thereof. This Stone, the Corner Stone of the Masonic Temple now being erected by the Cosmopolitan Lodge, No. 1574, E.C., Athole Lodge, No. 591, S.C.,Concord Chapter, No. 153 S.C. was laid in accordance with the ancient usages of the Order by Wor. Bro. GEORGE RICHARDS, P.M. No. 1574, assisted by the Masters, Officers and Brethren of the several Masonic Lodges in Griqualand West, and in the presence of a large concourse of citizens. H.A. REID, Architect. H.J. BECKETT, Contractor. D.J. HAARHOFF (Chairman Building Com.) JNO. HAMPTON, Hon. Sec.”
The inscription on the stone reads: Masonic Temple Erected by the Lodges Cosmopolitan 1409 E.C. Richard Giddy 1574 E.C. Peace & Harmony E. of N. Athole 591 S.C. Concord Chapter 153 S.C. This Stone was Laid with Masonic Ceremonies October 10th A.D. 1888, A.L. 5888 by Wor Bro. George Richards P.M. 1574.
The contractor to the work was a mason, H.J. Beckett of Beckett & Morgan, while the architect, H.A 1/2 Reid was also.
In less than a year the building was almost complete and the local Press as well as the magazine the S.A. Freemason carried this notice: “Masonic Temple Kimberley. The Dedication Ceremony in connection with the new Masonic Temple, erected in the Du Toits Pan Road, Kimberley, will take place in the large Hall of the Building, on Thursday, 15th August, 1889, at 8 o’clock, p.m. (Prompt time).
The Temple Committee will most cordially welcome the presence and co-
By order of the Committee.
John Hampton P.M. Hon. Secretary.
KImberley, 31st July, 1889.
The S.A. Freemason recorded: “Messrs. Beckett and Morgan have contracted to complete the massive buildings in accordance with the plans and specifications prepared by the successful architect Mr. H.A. Reid for a sum of money within the limit of expenditure allowed by the Committee when calling for designs in public competition, a circumstances redounding very largely to Mr. Reid’s credit in estimating the cost of his own design”. Although lauded then at the dedication of the partly completed building, Bro. Reid was to face some hostility from the management committee of the work later for going beyond his brief.
At the dedication ceremony in the Great Hall, W.Bro. G. Richards, the Treasurer of the Building Committee, was praised by brethren for his part in ensuring the temple coming into existence. “This edifice in which we are now assembled for the first time almost wholly owes its inception to your busy brain and from first to last you have been active in the performance of your duties as a member of the Building Committee”, wrote Freemasons in a letter of tribute. Richrds was to leave for the Transvaal where he was to become the first District Grand Master of the Transvaal. In saying farewell to Richards, Bro Jas Lawrence of Athole Lodge, said “Although all true Masons will rejoice tonight on the completion of a work which has caused a good deal of anxiety and zealous labour on the part of some of the brethren, yet these proceedings are mingled with a strong feeling of sincere and deep regret”. He referred to Richard’s departure, mentioning that not only as a mason had he fulfilled his task but as a citizen in his career on the Diamond Fields
Bro. Richards departed as did the euphoria over the temple and the building continued. As it did, the worries of the committee appointed to run the temple grew. The first minute book of the Committee of Management records the first meeting on January 14, 1890 at the office of Bro. D. Haarhoff, Kimberley. Representatives of founder lodges and chapters – cosmopolitan, Richard Giddy, Peace and Harmony, Athole and the Concord RA Chapter attended. That important minute read:
“Resolved that Bros. D. Haarhoff, N.W. Peters and I Childs be appointed a Committee to investigate the position of the Temple as regards liabilities and outstandings and the same be submitted to an adjourned meeting of the Representatives to be held in the Cosmopolitan Temple on Tuesday, January 28th at 8 p.m. when the Chairman shall be appointed and the other officers”.
The committee met again on January 28 again with Bro. Haarhoff in the chair – now the grim financial truth came out. The Depenture account – amounts taken out by Lodges and chapters as investments in the temple – totalled £5875; the proceeds of the dedication ceremony came to £77.19; loans of £1200 and £200 were recorded. Expenditure however totalled £8197 with £7277 spent to date on the building; a bank overdraft £149, due to Bro. Richards £182, Haarhoff £413, Contractors £119 and Small & Morgan £56. The chairman reported a “deficit of about £860 which with the probable cost of the electric light would amount to about £1600”. However there was a bright side. Outstandings on depentures amounted to £600 while the sale of Cosmopolitan Lodge property brought in £800. Peace and Harmony had given a further £100 while new depentures brought in £175, a total of £1675, enough to cover the deficit.
Bro. Haarhoff, the real motivation in the practical running of the temple, advised that there should be two sub-
The Temple Committee was to be headed by Bro. D. Haarhoff with Bros. T.W. Goodwin as vice-
Then came what was to be a costly mistake. The committee decided to buy a lighting plant for the temple at £585 while a tender of £162 for light fittings was accepted. Council permission to put up light poles in the street was obtained in a hurry but a package of the lighting plant was missing from the ship on its arrival at Port Elizabeth. It finally turned up but by that time the Temple had contracted to buy electricity from De Beers.
By now there were six lodge and chapter depenture holders as well as individuals – Cosmopolitan, Concord RA Chapter, Athole, Peace and Harmony, Richard Giddy and Charles Warren. They were told they would have to forego any interest on their depentures and also join in paying expenses. A sum of £1000 had to be raised annually to keep the temple going. Rents would be £10 annually or more if a lodge could pay more. Some lodges complained they could not meet expenses above the rents. They received a warning – the first of many – issued by the Chairman, Bro. Haarhoff that “unless lodges work harmoniously and contribute towards the temple, he, as a large creditor would have to take such steps as he thought best to recover his money”. He has owed some £1400 personally, an indication of the generosity of the man and his determination to ensure the Temple’s success. By May, all lodges agreed and the surplus of running expenses above rents was to be divided among them. And to add to the lodge’s burden, rents, were raised to £20 a year. Now in operation for some months, the Temple attracted non-
Money was scarce. Kimberley was not booming as in the 80s and this brought some desperate measures by the Temple Committee – and some shocks. Creditors began to bombard it with final demands. The London and South African Exploration Company, its landlord, demanded £31.10s arrears of rent on the stand while the individual creditors made themselves heard. The harrassed committee decided to raise a loan of £1800 to pay off Haarhoff and other commitments. Other creditors would be paid “when funds permit”. Haarhoff, in a dual capacity, it seems submitted an account for £1035. To protect his interests he had purchased the Cosmopolitan Lodge property at an upset price of £1400. He was prepared to waive his claim for interest on his loan provided that was accepted in settlement of £100 set against him for debentures. The grateful committee agreed but more shocks were to come. It could not raise the proposed loan of £1800 in those depressed times. Meanwhile a Rev. Grutzen, another creditor, demanded repayment of £1400 loaned to the temple pius interest. Legal action was threatened. By May, 1891, £56 interest for six months had been paid to the Rev. Grutzner who, on receipt, agreed to let the loan run providing interest was paid. With a sigh of relief, the Temple Committee looked at its other overdue bills. Happily, the committee welcomed inqueries for letting the hall to raise money. The Mercantile Club was charged £5 a night up to 2 a.m. for its Cinderella dances, an art exhibition was held on the ground floor of the temple at £7.10s a day, the Cricketers Reception Ball was held, the Salvation Army hired the Great Hall for £3.30s a day. In all, receipts by September 1891 from the hirings amounted to £100 and some overdue accounts could be paid. The committee received another attorney’s letter, this time for overdue rent of £60.17d for the London and South African Exploration Co. It was agreed to pay it in monthly instalments. Another demand came for rates – £48.15.6d and £25 was paid on account.
There were other problems. The roof leaked and money had to be found for repairs. New buckets for the urinals had to be bought. A complaint that the caretaker, H.J. Kennett had been “behaving improperly” during the Mercantile Ball was investigated. Nevertheless the brash Kennett obtained permission to put up sables on the temple grounds at his cottage – and the temple’s water bill soared through his watering his horses. Some lodges were overdue in paying rents and had to be reminded sharply. The summer of 1892 was unusually warm and the main lodge room was found too hot. There was no ventilation and the furniture was removed to the large hall where presumably it was cooler.
By May, 1892, the committee recorded dolefully it had only £20 in the bank. A drive to rent the temple hall began again. The Diamond Fields Horse, a citizen force then under the command of Cecil John Rhodes, held a dance there, the hall was let for three dances in JUly, and for a children’s party. The last was costly. After the children had left, a door and a W.C. pan were found broken while nails had been driven into the wall. Complaints that children were found playing inside the Temple and in the grounds were made. Lodges felt that the temple should not be let for non-
Each lodge paid not only its rent but a share of electricity. The light bill supplied by De Beers worried the committee. It never seemed to tally with the light accounts decided by the caretaker presented to lodges after meetings. De Beers, after negotiation, agreed to charge a fixed sum of £50 a year, thereby simplifying charges to lodges. But the caretaker, Kennett, remained a problem, dissapearing for weeks on end without permission, leaving the lodges or committeemembers to lay out the temple and clean up afterwards. His salary was £2 a month but his cottage rent, light and water were free. Eventually, he was given three months notice – and the stables were pulled down.
Donations from lodges and individuals to help repay debts continued to come in. By late 1894, they totalled £1087.19s. Bro. Haarhoff lent £15 to make up the amount to £1102 and of this £1100 was paid to the Rev. Grutzner through his attorneys leaving a balance of £300. The impatient reverend then demanded interest on this balance at 8%, a very large figure in the 1890s.
W. Bro. G. Richards, now in the Transvaal, had been owed £182 by the Temple since 1885. He was prepared to pay the Rev. Gutzner £100 towards his debt and present the £82 balance and interest to the Temple provided the stand on which the Temple was built was transferred to his name and a promissory note for £200 at 6 per cent be given him. It seemed a good deal for Richards but the committee accepted his offer. The Temple was coming out of its early financial difficulties by 1898 but it ran into fresh problems when new furniture was required. Again user-
Then came some embarrasment for the committee which had approached Cecil John Rhodes to ask him to view the beautiful stained glass window in the temle and pay towards it. It was understood that Bro. Haarhoff had earlier approached Rhodes to help with the costs of the window. A somewhat haughty letter from Rhodes intimated he knew nothing of any promise to pay towards the window. Presumably, the temple Committee had eventually to pay for it. Now focal point in the main lodge room, the window was apparently commisioned about 1888 and took about ten years to execute. The date AD 1888 – AL 5888 appears on the window. It consists of three sections which were mounted in the upper wall of the present vestibule. In 1930 the three windows were combined and installed in the main lodge. They bear heraldic arms and masonic symbols reffering to most of the degrees. The window is a masonic jewel, perhaps unique in Southern Africa. Today it is priceless but in 1898 it was only another worrying account for the Temple Committee to pay – and Rhodes would not. Another lodge became part of the Temple scheme when in September 1899 Henry B. Lock from Beaconsfield agreed to move. it paid the required £200 for debentures and agreed to the £40 a year rent.
A month later – November, 1899 – Kimberley found itself under siege by the Boers who had seized the railway to the south and north, drove back the British and surrounded the town. The flat terrain made it difficult for the besiegers. While they had taken the initiative in this major skirmish of the second Anglo-
The siege lasted from November 1899 to February 1900. Very early, the military authorities commandeered Kimberley Temple for use as a fever hospital and stores. A photograph in the vestibule shows the main lodge room fitted out as a hospital crowded with beds bearing wounded soldiers. Siege or not, for the Temple Committee it was business as usual. The army had to pay for its occupation of the Temple. The authorities asked in July on what terms was the Temple granted as a hospital. “Pay expenses, rent, light and water” they were told and were reminded they had not paid their account to April 30, 1900. A further account totalling £305.1s. for the full period of use of the temple – 121 days – for light, water, rates and use of the caretaker from March 8 to August 1, 1900 was sent to the military later. De Beers, which supplied electricity to the Temple, told the military that, while the temple was used as a hospital, an extra 7s.6d. a night for lighting would be charged. An account for £49 must be paid, the company added. In true army fashion, Major H.V. Gorle of the Imperial Government a month earlier queried these accounts. He asked the Temple Committee for receipted accounts for April and May for light and water during the army’s occupation of the Temple. The secretary, H.W. Peters, smartly went to see the Major to tell him that his committee was waiting to receive money from the army to pay these accounts. Only then would the army be given the receipted accounts.
These were sent to Major Gorle who promptly sent them back. It took until early in 1901 for the Army Paymaster to move. By then the committee had taken stock of the damage done to the building during the military occupation, in particular the furniture. No compensation however was paid for this.
During the siege lodges continued to meet sporadically while some closed down. Peace and Harmony did not meet during the last few months of 1899 nor until June 20, 1900 when it met at Beaconsfield. Charles Warren Lodge also met at Beaconsfield on March 20, 1900 and returned to Kimberley on July 19, 1900.
The soldiers departed and the masons returned to work. Although the Temple suffered no war damage despite continual Boer shelling of the town, its roof needed repairs and alterations. Estimate was £500. To raise this sum, a complicated financial arrangement was proposed. The District Grand Lodge Central South Africa, formed in 1896, offered a loan of £200 plus interest to repay Bro. G. Richards loan made in 1898 provided the Temple stand was transferredto the District Grand Lodge which would als lend the committee £500 to pay for the roof. What could the committee do but accept particulary as the District Grand Lodge was a tenant. The cycle of overdue bills, need for repairs to the building and late payment of rents began again. The Temple’s lighting plant, bought in 1890 for £585, had never been put into operation. It remained in its original boxes. Here was an asset to sell. Luckily, De Beers which supplied electricity, informed the committee that it would sop this service in October, 1902 but would give £300 for the lighting plant. The Temple would be connected to the town council mains. That £300 went to meet overdue bills.
A series of caretakers had come and gone – and left the caretaker’s cottage beyond repair. It cost £360 to rebuild it and to meet this, Liodge rents were pushed up to £40 a year plus the cost of lights. Then another financial burden faced the committee. The main lodge room was too hot in summer and exhaust fans had to be installed. 1904 was the year of the pledge. Time and again the caretaker had dissapeared, once to Cape Town, leaving the committee to run the building. It found the caretaker had kept an illegal stock of liquor in the temple which he turned to frequently. He was called before the cross committee and agreed to take the pledge of sobriety and behave himself. That promise did not last long and he dissapeared again.
The upstairs rooms in the temple were by now dilapidated, needing new plaster and paint at a cost of £55. The urinal was causing problems. The council condemned it. It had to be moved to a more open area but the committee decided to brick it in. Where it is now is not known. The Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, the Duke of Connaught was to visit Kimberley in 1906 as Inspector-
With the rest of South Africa, Kimberley was in the throes of a depression from 1904. Lodges were hard pressed to pay rents and an understanding committee reduced them to £20 again and exercised care in paying bills and stopped all repair work. By 1910, it however had to put up rents to £30. Even then lodges, deprived of members due to the depression, could not pay and were asked instead to pay pro rata share of repairs and expenses
The debenture account now included several new subscribers. Cosmopolitan had subscribed £ 1596, Richard Giddy £ 3393, Athole £ 1492, Peace and Harmony £ 842, Concord RA Chapter £ 200, Charles Warren £ 250, Henry B Loch £ 200, Richard Giddy RA Chapter £ 75, Adamanta Rose Croix Chapter £ 75, Diamond of the Desert Preceptory £ 75 and Corner Stone Mark Lodge £ 25. The property account stood at £ 2500. It was time to put its financial house in order, the committee decided and in 1913, for legal reasons to set up a Trust Fund. The Temple would be sold by auction – and assets liquidated. An amount of £ 1000 was realized by the principal lodge shareholders and each lodge had to decide what proportion of the £ 100 it would subscribe. The problem of liquidation and formation of a trust fund seemed too difficult to grasp for some lodges that refused to pay rent until the question of ownership was decided. However a meeting of seven lodges in April 1914 agreed to form a limited liability company in which shares would be held by lodges up to the £ 1000. Cosmopolitan would hold 205 shares, Richard Giddy 438, Athole 192, Peace and Harmony 104, Charles Warren 32, Henry B. Lock 29 – totaling 1000 – £ 1 shares. This however did not materialize.
The minute books of the committee, lodges and chapters reveal some understandable confusion about the format of the 1914 Trust Fund which followed the suggested formation of a company. The Trust Fund followed the original idea. Seven lodges participated in holding the Temple Property valued at £ 2500. Richard Giddy held 340 shares, Cosmopolitan 160, Athole 150, Peace and Harmony 85, Charles Warren 25, Henry B. Lock 20, Avoca 20 – 800 shares in all. The 1914 Trust Fund was to be replaced by the 1954 Trust and the 1955 Trust.
It must not be forgotten, that the Temple was built on leasehold land, on stand 281 leased from the former estate of the De Beers Consolidated Mines now held by the Kimberley City Council, constituted a city 1912.
Committee members heard expert views on the condition of the temple in that year – 1914. “Its condition has taken a serious turn” was the essence. Essential repairs, particularly to the roof, were needed. The committee acted promptly for two reasons – to restore the building and “to give employment to many in Kimberley during the present troublesome times.” Rumblings of discontent over the issues in the coming war led to armed rebellion headed by Generals CF Beyers, CR de Wet, J Kemp and Col. SG Maritz in 1913. It was definitely “troublesome times” particularly as nearby Upington was attacked and not until 1918 and peace had come did the temple repairs begin.
The war touched the lives of every Freemason. Kimberley lodges felt the loss of members as the war progressed. “Owing to the war and the disturbed state of the country lodges have almost ceased to work. Many of the officers and members are away on active service or on garrison duty”, reported the Board of general Purposes to the District Grand Lodge in March 1915. Charles Warren Lodge recorded proudly “Since commencement of hostilities, 20 members have volunteered or served on active service in various capacities in German South West Africa, overseas, German East Africa and other spheres”.
After the war came the influenza epidemic which again drastically reduced Masonic activity at the temple. The Master and three members of Lodge Peace and Harmony died of ‘flu.
Post war depression brought its problems in keeping the temple solvent. Lodges were asked to pay £ 36 a year up from £ 25 while Chapters were to pay £1.10s a meeting and not £ 1. They agreed but some lodges dared to suggest the temple be let to non-
Rt. W. Bro. J van Praagh, appointed District Grand Master of Central South Africa Division in 1922 to succeed W. Bro AJ Green, offered to help the temple committee – but on a “do-
By the end of 1930 the temple was reported in good condition and equally as important, the committee had £ 48 surplus of income over expenditure.
There had been numerous donations of Masonic jewellery and furniture to the temple in the first 40 years. Athole Lodge had given a new master’s desk to mark its jubilee in 1926. The jewels belonging to Rt. W. Bro FHS Orpen, Deputy District Grand Master Griqualand West 1878 – 1883, were given to the museum while a table and six chairs were donated to the vestibule as part of the Green and Keating Memorial.
It was the war, then the ‘flu and then the inevitable depression that following in the 1930’s. Owing to an unfavourable market, the diamond mines, foundation of Kimberley economic strength, closed down temporarily in 1932. Lodges and Chapters were again affected and the temple committee decided to reduce their rents for one year – for lodges from £ 36 a year to £ 25 and for chapters from £ 1.10s to £ 1 a meeting. Even the secretary agreed to cut in salary. The telephone was also cut off as an economy measure. To offset the drop in revenue through reduced rents, it was suggested the temple be let for social purposes. Though financially pressed, the owner lodges said “NO” – even though the temple committee recorded only £ 4.7.3d surplus for 1933. It could not budget ahead and had the next year to demand higher rents for the seven lodges, seven chapters, District Grand Lodge and Emulation Lodge using the temple. Rents were to be combined with charges for lights and services. Revenue would rise from £ 220 to £ 361 a guarter. But again times were hard. The lodges could not pay more.
Yet £ 98 was needed for immediate repairs to the temple – and the committee had only £ 9 in the bank. Because of the depression repairs had to wait. Rents were not raised. They were only increased in 1938. seven lodges had to pay £ 25 for the first half of the year and £ 30 for the next half, seven chapters £ 4 and then £ 5. This would bring in £ 247 income. The committee looked at a repair bill of £ 296 which included repairing the organ again. Sir Ernest Oppenheimer was asked for a donation and gave a welcome £ 100. To raise further funds a Masonic cabaret was held in 1938 and £ 76 realised.
In the fateful year, 1939, the jubilee of laying the foundation stone of the temple was celebrated. A Masonic cabaret at the Alexandersfontein Hotel raised £ 200 towards the recently started repairs fund. De Beers offered to capitalize the stand on which the temple stood. The new lease would be at least 1s a year for 21 years renewable. The war-
The committee had fixed tents during the war years to £ 10 a quarter and could boast of £ 500 invested in War Bonds. Income was £ 315 a year in 1942, rising to £ 328 in 1943 while the Repair Fund stood at £ 643. The war brought another tenant, Franklin Lodge of Windsorton, site of an R.A.F training camp. “Now on active service in Kimberley” it was allowed to meet at the temple. It returned to Windsorton in 1945.
As an end to hostilities was seen, enthusiasm for the Craft was renewed and new members, mainly ex-
The District Grand Lodge had long been using a room in the temple for offices, paying £ 48 a year rental. However, the temple committee had to reprimand the District Grand Secretary, Bro Dunn for using more than one room and for being untidy with his paper – apparently a common fault with District Grand Secretaries.
With seven lodges paying £ 2 a quarter in 1945, eight chapters £ 3 a quarter, District Grand Lodge £ 48 a year and District Grand Chapter (RA) £ 12.10s a year, the committee looked at least to be moving ahead financially. There were rates of £ 141 and lights and water bills but bravely the committee decided on a grand plan for alterations and renovations including painting the caretaker’s cottage. It was still vacant as despite constant advertising and interviewing candidates, no one had stayed. But building materials were still short in supply after the war and it was decided to held up the grand plan until they were more plentiful. This allowed time to raise money.
A dinner table conversation between the committee chairman, Bro. C. Leonard and Sir Ernest Oppenheimer in 1941 was reported by Bro. Leonard to the effect that Sir Ernest had offered £ 1 for £ 1 up to £ 2000 for alterations to the upstairs rooms provided owner lodges could raise that sum. Naturally appeals went out to lodges – but there was a misunderstanding about the offer not cleared up until 1954. By that time lodges and individuals had raised the Repairs Fund to £ 1984. The remaining £ 16 was collected and Sir Ernest Oppenheimer told the god news – £ 2000 had been raised. Now he could keep his part of the bargain. It was not to be. Sir Ernest replied that his offer had been to been match private donations, not lodges and chapter donations. As the list given him showed private donations amounting to £ 103, he enclosed a cheque for that amount. But Sir Ernest and his son, Harry also initiated in 1943 in Richard Giddy Lodge, had always been generous to the temple and ready to meet urgent calls for help.
Someone stole the Tyler’s sword, reputedly that belong to the late King of Abyssinia, King Menelik. Embossed on the blade was an effigy of King Salomon. Up to the present, none has found the sword which is believed to have come from Abyssinia via its Italian conquerors in 1936 and via the conquerors of the Italians, the Allies, during the world war. In return for that lose came many gifts, painting of the temple in Batavia being the most prominent. Purchases includes in the postwar years “Three pairs of trousers for candidates, 12 trestle tables”, a corkscrew for 2s, a refrigerator, a jewel case and ten armchairs to replace the Chesterfield suite in the supper room.
The condition of the building in 1950 was serious. “It was becoming very delapidated. Urgent repairs were needed at a cost of £800. Owner lodges and chapters rallied to give the money with Cosmopolitan giving £500 of it. Two years later the bombshell came. Architects reported on the building “which has now come to the end of its useful life. Maintenance has been negligible. Any work now would be purely palliative”. They listed a full page of needed repairs and estimated that for extensions to the first floor and renovations the cost would reach the staggering figure of £19064 – a considerable sum in 1952. That was about ten times the amount the committee had in its repair fund.
Mercilessly, the architects, after pronouncing the death sentence on the temple, proposed a new building be erected in the new civic centre. It would cost £30 000 and the present building and site would raise about £10 000. Only £20 000 would have to be found – only £20 000, about the same sum required for repairs. In December 1952, the shellshocked committee asked the architects to draw up plans for a new temple and prepare estimates. A special finance committee was appointed to handle the matter.
“To build or repair” – it was a subject hotly debated among owner lodges. Finally the grand old Kimberley temple had a reprieve. The new temple plan was abandoned and by June 1953 it was decided to go ahead and repair and renovate. If there had not ben a strong committee, keen to preserve he building, the centenary celebrations in October 1988 could not take place – and this history would never have been written. It was a narrow escape for the conservatives who might have lost their temple.
The committee looked again at the cost of repairs and renovations. A new kitchen, first floor rooms, new plaster and paint on outside walls, alterations to the roof – all to cost £4600. Then the city council condemned the writing in the temple. It had to be replaced, a giant task. All this would cost £7910. The money had to be found through higher rents and donations. Rents went up for Lodges to £15 a quarter and for Chapters £4 a quarter while the District Grand Lodge was charged £60 a year.
Facing the alternative – a new temple – the committee bravely pushed on and by November 1954 the contractors had finished, their work inspected and found satisfactory. One of the prime movers to get the work done was W. Wor. Bro. J. Lancaster, District Grand Master 1946 – 1952. A plague in the vestibule pays tribute to him for his part in the temple restorations and extensions upstairs in 1954.
But £625 was still owing to the contractors and the committee turned to the District Grand Lodge which had already loaned £1625. Providing security was given by the committee for this £1625, the further £625 would be loaned at 5%. However the District Grand Lodge was not among the listed temple owners according to the 1914 Trust Deed, nor the later 1954 Trust Deed. Understandably it asked for representation among owner lodges. To meet its request, a new Trust Deed 1955 was drawn up buying the assets of the previous Trust. The property was put at £16410. Holdings were: Richard Giddy 1521 shares, Cosmopolitan 2157, Charles Warren 1185, Avoca 1144, Corner Stone Mark 350, Richard Giddy RA Chapter 500, Adamonta Rose Croix 310, Diamond of Desert Preceptory 150, Charles Warren RA 100, District Grand Lodge 1000 and District Grand Chapter 250 – a total of £14 685.
The new committee under the new Trust met on November 1, 1955 to review the financial position. Contract price for improvements totalled £8075. This was partly financed by loans from the District Grand Lodge of £1022 and the District Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund of £1625 with £2944 from the temple committee. The shortfall had to be met as did the loans and the new committee again thought of ways to raise money. The now popular Masonic Ball was one way. It raised £152 in 1957 but lost £1.3.4 in 1985, presumably because of the rounds of free drinks to the band and waiters. It is recorded the band had three rounds but not how they played afterwards. Again appeals went out to lodges for help.
A close look at the work of the contractors revealed that the walls of the temple already needed restripping and replastering and the question of the contractors liability four years after their work was raised in 1959. This avenue was wisely, however, not pursued and the committee found itself with a repair bill of £558 with a second stage for £200. An appeal brought in £445 while a new shareholder, Royal Sussex Conclave gave £50. It seemed the temple was never to be out of the red in regard to repairs and the committee turned to its ladies to form a committee to raise funds.
Profit for 1961 on the expenses account was £41 but the committee still bore a heavy loan burden. It set itself a target of £5000 to meet these loans and by 1963 had been promised £2545. It repaid £2055 to the District and with some relief announced that the temple was now in good repair and there was no need for funds for this task. It spoke too soon. The roof gutters became blocked with dead leaves after violent storms and the roof leaked again. It was suggested that a long ladder be obtained and a “good boy be employed to clean the gutters.” The roof was fixed but still blocked, gutters bedevilled the conscientious committee.
By now, the temple had the nucleus of its present library with a contribution of books from Rt. W. Bro. G. Richards. A library committee was established. Membership was 50c a year. The library was opened on Sundays. A fire hazard was the next concern. A smouldering cigarette was found behind the skirting boards. More fire extinguishers were bught, a fire hose installed and ‘no smoking’ signs put upstairs. Now in rands, rents totalling R314 were owed by lodges in 1966. Income was R1649 and the surplus for the year R216. Unfortunatly the roof repair bill came to R365.
Old masonic records, well preserved, were found under the floor and lodges asked to examine them. Meanwhile, for the second time, someone stole the tyler’s sword but the Royal Sussex Conclave presented two swords to the temple to ensure the Tyler was correctly equipped. The discovery of the old records led to a request for construction of archives but the repair and renovation fund was now exhausted. To build up the fund, rents went up 10 per cent.
Kimberley Temple has several organs. An electric organ was bought for R600 in 1965 but the oldest, a ‘pump’ organ, resides upstairs. It was loaned to a local music shop for an exhibition of organs old and new in 1971. It took time and trouble to get it safely back. It still plays today.
When the committee had hopefully seen an end to major temple repairs, a storm in 1973 caused considerable damage. The insurance claim totalled R870. But this brought home the need for a large repair fund. “This temple is their home, the hub of the wheel… at the present rate this temple will fall into decay and our inheritance will be in ruins. It is high time the brethren realised how grim the position actually is”, wrote the secretary Bro. E.C. Ibach to lodges in an appeal. A large sum of money was needed. He pointed to the urgent need to waterproof the roof and replace parts of it – all to cost R30 000. Lodges were asked to find out all their assets and to donate them to the repair fund. Meanwhile rents shot up by 50 per cent.
The main roof had to be replaced. Several brethren approached ISCOR and obtained corrugated iron sheets at a third of normal price on condition they were used for the temple only. More than two tons was bought and the roof replaced and extended. Cost was R600 – and not R30 000 as feared, while the interior was repainted. To meet this, a 10 per cent building levy was imposed on lodges.
Inflation was now the biggest enemy with roof leaks second. In 1977, costs of running the temple had soared. Electricity and water was up 25%, rates and taxes up 120%, Insurance up 20% – a long list of higher costs to meet. “After much heartsearching”, the committeee decided to put rents up by 50 per cent. The Grand Lodge of Southern Africa came into being in 1961. In 1977 the two Coloured Lodges once belonging to the urecognised Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania – the Ethiopia Lodge in Cape Town and Coppin Lodge in Kimberley, renounced their connections with their Grand Lodge and joined the Grand Lodge of Southern Africa. They took new names – Perseverance in Cape Town and Phoenix in Kimberley. In the same year, as its installation neared, Phoenix asked for use of the temple. The committee, anxious not to break the law, asked the Department of Community Development for guidance. However the reply “was so vague that it was decided not to grant Phoenix’s request”. For years, the coloured lodges had sought masonic recognition only to fall foul of the Group Areas Act, liquor laws and other legislation which might prevent the mixing of white and coloureds on lodge premises. These barriers were eventually overcome and next year the temple committee welcomed Phoenix Lodge for its installation meeting. “All went well”, reported the committee chairman, Bro. A.F.M. Vigne. Phoenix paid R50.
The 80s arrived bringing with them the spectre of overdrafts and the need for drastic action. Outstanding rents were R1952, rates were R1200 and running costs R1800 – and the committee found itself with an overdraft of R3000 rising to R4154 in 1981. Rents were raised again – lodges up to R330 a year, chapters from R80 to R130. The lodges stripped themselves of their savings and surrendered share certificates to raise in all R5000. In its turn the committee decided to surrender shares in the building which ammounted to R4000 tp proceed with repairs.
In 1982, the chairman, Bro. Vigne said the committee was again in an embarrassing position. There was a lack of support from lodges and chapters. Income was R6764 and expenses R7524 – a worrying state of affairs. In fact expenses plus interest on the R3367 overdraft neared R9000. Lodges again rallied, Peace and Harmony giving a R3000 loan for insurance.
Kimberley Temple, it was announced in 1983, was perhaps the oldest masonic temple north of the Orange River still in use. It was older than the Cape Town home of the first lodge in SOuthern Africa, De Goede Hoop, formed 1772. Its temple was burned down in 1892 and restored in 1893. No wonder the committee considered asking the National Monument Commission to declare Kimberley Temple a national monument. Perhaps by it becoming a protected building, rates on it would be waived or reduced. No, said the commission. A rate reduction could only be given by the municipality which later declined to do so and the national monument idea was dropped.
The financial picture was not quite as bleak as in previous years, reported the chairman in 1984. The overdraft was down to a low level of R19.15 and there was R642 in the bank. But he looked ahead. The Temple would be 100 years old in 1988 and money would be needed for centenary celebrations. Essential to this was the building of a ladies cloakroom at a cost of R2800.
Details of the centenary ceremony were drawn up. A reenactment of the dedication ceremony would be held following a civic and masonic procession to the temple when some streets would be closed. Sub-
Happily drawing up centenary plans, the committee again looked at favourable temple finances – revenue for 1984 was R8238 and expenses R6555. It was out of the red while the reserves totalled R5000. Two years later, more repairs to the roof were needed. The original ceiling in the main lodge of oregon and oak was found free of dry rot. Insurance for the building was raised to R1 million and contents to R150 000. The chairman reported finances were sound but there should be no false sense of security as the building was old and repairs would still be needed. Member lodges now held shares to bring the holdings to R30 230 in 1985. Richard Giddy held R5042, Cosmopolitan R4314, Athole R3852, Henry B. Loch R3238, Peace and Harmony R2946, Charles Warren R2370, Avoca R2288, Corner Stone Mark Lodge R700, Richard Giddy Chapter R1000, Adamanta Rose Croix R620, Diamond in the Desert Preceptory R300, Charles Warren RA Chapter R200, District Grand Lodge R2000, District Grand Chapter R500, Royal Sussex Enclave R200 and new shareholders, Union Lodge R200, Losie Blou Diamant R200, Whyte Melvile Rose Croix R60 and Chapter Cyprian R200. Creditors were owed R140 and capitol reserve totalled R3152 with accumulated funds R3924. Excess of incme over expenditure was R1203 – in all a healthy balance sheet.
The need now was to bring down rents and a club draw, the ESISA – English, Scottish, Irish and South African constitutions represented by the temple lodges, was held successfully in 1986 to net R1800. This brought down rents for a while. Costs had risen by February 1987 to R10 000 a year with revenue from lodges only R9000. And the acting chairman, Bro. J.J. Jacobs read Clause 18 from the 1955 Trust Deed: “All expenditure incurred by the aforesaid committee in connection with the upkeep and otherwise of the said temple shall, in the event of the funds of the Trust being insufficient for the purpose, be borne by the respective members of the Trust in equal shares irrespective of their interest in the Trust”. Strong words but all must have been aware of the situation for those very words appeared in the 1914 Trust Deed.
Thirteen years ago the temple exterior had been renovated with a special treatment guaranteed to last for a number of years. Now this was beginning to show signs of deterioration. Again the question of lodge rents came up and an increase was feared for 1988. As the centenary neared, the generosity of some brothers enabled floodlighting to be installed to light up the temple front and reveal its beauty to passers-
Lodges told the committee they wanted to build a canteen in the large hall and sought permission. The subject taxed the committeee and lengthy discussions were held over the pros and cons. It was built and has proved successful. Chairman Bro. Vigne issued a now familiar warning to the annual meeting in May, 1987, about finances. “If one studied the income and expenditure account there was a great deal to worry about”. If this trend continued, he would would not like to see what state the temple committee would be placed at the end of the year. Members were told the committee could not rely on donations to solve the financial problem. These should be kept for repairs. “Our obvious reliance on donations to keep us afloat is certainly a most unhealthy practice”. The running of the temple must come from the lodges rentals – and those would go up. A warning was issued to lodges who had not paid rent on due date – and the agreed surcharge of 20 per cent would be imposed. In this report Bro. Vigne pointed to the shortfall of R2800 – a “very disturbing and definite downtrend in our financial situation”.
In July 1987, the centenary sub-
Installations always bring headaches and the temple committee was not without headaches. It noted with alarm the considerable damage done to temple property during installations – to the banquet hall carpeting, broken glasses and crockery, burn marks from cigarettes. In 1987 the late Bro. C. Ibach had complained in similar vein of “the filthy condition of the lounge and the hall after recent installation meetings and regular meetings. Bottle tops, cigarette stubs, matches, cocktail sticks, food etc. were indiscriminately trampled and ground into the carpeting giving the impression as if a very wild party had been held”.
Chairman Bro. Vigne instructed a letter should go to each lodge and chapter to urge members to conduct themselves as they would do in their own lounges with their wives present and use the ashtrays provided. Very heavy rains fell in February, 1988 but the Secretary, Bro. R.A. Jennings proudly reported that it must be the first time for many years he could now inform the committee that there were no leaks whatsoever in the temple but the exterior left much to be desired. The cottage roof, however, leaked badly while damage had been done to the kitchen and diningroom ceilings by the heavy rains. An insurance claim would be made.
The centenary report by the chairman Bro. Vigne presented in May, 1988 is as important as that of the first meeting of the temple committee on January 14, 1890. It is given here in full. Again, as many times during those 98 years, it tells of the financial problems that have faced the committee, it pays tribute to those lodges, chapters and masons who have contributed money and time to help, and, as a new item, it records the work of the centenary committee.
Chairman’s report for 16 May, 1987 to 24 May, 1988.
“Five years ago I drew the attention of the committee to the fact that the centenary of the laying of the foundation stone was five years hence. It seemed like ages away then, but look and behold here we are now, only a little over four months away from our celebrations. “I am pleased to say that, as you all know, we set the ball rolling soon after our last AGM by appointing a special centenary committee. “This committee has been functioning well, but there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. I do hope, therefore, that all concerned will give the task ahead the necessary urgent attention.
Improvements to the Temple.
“Much to the delight of some of the older B.B., a hand rail has been installed on the front steps. “The canteen counter was installed and is operating successfully. Thanks to W.B.H. van Greunen, Watson and others for attending to this matter. “Floodlights for lighting up the front facade of the temple, give a most pleasing effect, and we thank W.B. G. Kvalsvig for this contribution in getting them installed.
Finances.
“The finances of your committee only just managed to hold their own during the last financial year. It was, therefore, necessary to increase rental by 10% this year. I know that this type of action is not always welcomed, but, unfortunately, rising costs are beyond our control. “Our thanks to our treasurer, W.B. Jannie Jacobs for keeping a watchfull eye on this department.
Bowls Day.
“A very successful bowls day was once again organised by W.B. Henry West, which brought R900 into our coffers. “Our sincere appreciation is expressed to W.B. West and his helpers, for their stout effort, and I know that he has sent ‘thank you’ letters to all the sponsors, to whom I would like to record my appreciation.
Janitor/Secretary.
“To W.B. Jennings I extend our appreciation for his dedication and continued service. “In conclusion let me thank each and everyone of you for your contribution to the well running of this temple committee, may your services long remain, and may we look forward to co-
On October 8, 1988, Kimberley Temple, that dignified old lady of Dutoitspan Road, will again be hostess to a spectacular ceremony – that of re-
It will be a moment of history brought back in modern guise, seen not only by those present but by many more through television and heard on radio. And the grand old lady of Dutoitspan Road, as dignified and majestic as that lady, Queen Victoria, who reigned while the temple was built, will have cause to acknowledge that her 100th birthday is being well and truly celebrated.
W. Bro. Dr. A.A. Cooper.
Kimberley and Mmabatho.
May, 1988.