DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY

[wasfuman]

I have recently published on the web my Great Uncle's war-diary written when he was under seige at Kimberley during the Anglo-Boer war. It started off as a letter to his brother Edward, but ended up one of the most riveting day-by-day accounts of the siege. If of interest to members, please visit

http://wasfu-man-kimberleysiege.blogspot.co.uk/.

He was a doctor who lived at Du Toit Span, just outside Kimberley and who joined the Kimberley Town Guard and who ran a stretcher party and who attended to the wounded during the siege. I have his medals, including a silver star given to him by the grateful mayor of the town for his services.

The attached picture shows him surrounded by his team of dedicated ambulancemen.

Happy reading, Wasfuman

[Brett Hendey]

Thank you for posting this very interesting link.

Regards

Brett

[wasfuman]

Bearing in mind that he was foremost a Doctor, I just wonder what unit Dr. Henry Symonds might have been in during WW1. Whereas his QSA from the Anglo-Boer war is inscribed "Doctor H. Symonds Kimb. Town Guard", both his BWM and Vic are just simply inscribed "Capt. H. Symonds", with no unit given. - I can only guess something like the South African Medical Corps or similar.

He lived at "Armagh House" in Kimberley which was actually named by RH Henderson, merchant and mayor of Kimberley during the siege when he officiated at the opening of the Town Hall in September 1899, and again in 1903. Henderson hailed from Armagh, Ulster, Ireland. Armagh House was designed by Carstairs Rogers c.1896.

Dr. Symonds was certainly living there by 1914 (Frieda more likely made him buy the house as it reminded her of her family home). From available directories it would appear that he lived from 1900 to 1907 at 109 Du Toitspan Road and had his consulting rooms at Gassons, 52-54 Du Toitspan Road. By 1914-1924 he lived at Armagh House and his consulting rooms were still at Gassons.

For information - Du Toitspan is the village surrounding the Dutoitspan and Bultfontein Mines. It was renamed Beaconsfield and operated as a separate municipality until 1912 when it was amalgamated with the municipality of Kimberley.