Barney Barnato (1853 - 1897)

In Kimberley they became rich as diamond buyers and established the Barnato Brothers, Dealers in Diamonds and Brokers in Mining Property in 1874. In a short time Barney  was a mighty  power in this firm. After only two years he gathered £3 000 and bought his first claims in the kimberley mine.

Barney suspected that diamonds came from a volcanic extrusion and was not just formed on the surface. Because of this suspicion he bought many claims that had been "worked out", and these claims' real value was discovered only after the blue ground beneath the surface was mined.

In 1881 he established the Barnato Diamond Mining Company in Kimberley and strived to become the biggest diamond magnate in the industry. This fact brought him into opposition to Cecil John Rhodes, who had the same vision for himself. It led to a great power struggle between the two of them, until they decided to join forces in 1888 in the De Beers company. With the help of Rhodes, Barney became a member of the elite Kimberley Club and in 1889 also became a member of the  Meeting. He was actually not a politician and acted more as the parliamentary representative of De Beers in Kimberley.

After gold was discovered in Johannesburg, Barney settled there and his riches improved by the establishment of the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company, with a capital of £175 000.

Barnato was very interested in horse, boxing and popular drama, in which he also participated at times. He was a strong, aggressive man who would quickly resort to his fists if he had to. Barney was also sensitive and generous. He never tried to disprove negative stories about him and this worsen his reputation. He got heavily depressed and this, together with stress, worries and exhaustion led to him to jump into the sea during a boat trip to England in 1897.

Barney Barnato's eagerness to work hard and his good instinct about money was of great value to South Africa and specially to Johannesburg in particular, during a time of gigantic economic growth and development.

Barney Barnato (1853 - 1897)

Barney Barnato is in 1853 in Londen gebore. Hy volg as tienerjarige sy broer Henry na Kimberley - nie in legendariese armoede nie, maar met £50 in sy sak.

In Kimberley word hulle as diamant-kopers skatryk en stig in 1874 Barnato Brothers, Dealers in Diamonds and Brokers in Mining Property. Gou-gou word Barney die toonaangewende mag in die firma. Na slegs twee jaar het hy £3 000 versamel en sy eerste kleims in die Kimberleyse myn gekoop.

Barney het 'n vermoede gehad dat diamante nie 'n oppervlakafsetting is nie, maar 'n vulkaniese ekstrusie. As gevolg van hierdie vermoede koop hy talle "uitgewerkte" kleims, waarvan die eintlike waarde eers aan die lig sou kom toe daar begin word om die blougrond onder die oppervlak te ontgin.

In 1881 stig hy die Barnato Diamond Mining Company in Kimberley en lê hom daarop toe om die heersende geldmagnaat in die diamantnywerheid te word. Hierdie ideaal bring hom in opposisie met Cecil John Rhodes wat dieselfde planne het. Dit lei tot 'n hewige magstryd wat eers tot 'n einde kom in 1888 toe hulle hul diamantbelange in die De Beers-maatskappy saamgevoeg het. Barney word danksy Rhodes, lid van die gesogte Kimberley Club en in 1889 word hy lid van die Wetgewende Vergadering. Barney was egter geen politikus nie en was meer die parlementêre verteenwoordiger van De Beers as van Kimberley.

Na die ontdekking van goud het Barnato hom in Johannesburg gevestig en sy rykdom vergroot deur die stigting van die goudmynmaatskappy Johannesburg

Consolidated Investment Company met 'n kapitaal van £175 000.

Barney het 'n lewendige belangstelling gehad in perdewedrenne, boks en populêre drama, waaraan hy ook dikwels deelgeneem het. Hy was 'n sterk, aggressiewe man wat maklik sy vuiste gebruik het om 'n geskil te besleg. Tog was hy gevoelig en ruimhartig. Sy reputasie is benadeel omdat hy nooit gerugte oor homself weerspreek het nie, al was dit ook hoe kwaadwillig. Sy hewige aanvalle van neerslagtigheid, sy neuroses, kwellings, spanning en ooreising lei daartoe dat hy in 1897 op 'n seereis na Engeland oorboord spring.

Barney Barnato se werkywer en geldelik vernuf het tot voordeel gestrek van Suid-Afrika oor die algemeen en Johannesburg in die besonder in 'n tyd van ontsaglike ekonomiese ontwikkeling.

Each of our rooms is named after a famous diamond in history. The following information expands on some of these diamonds.

EUREKA

This was the first diamond found in South Africa. In 1866, a boy named Erasmus Jacobs found a pebble near the banks of the Orange River near his home. About a month later, a neighbour, Schalk van Niekerk, admired the pebble, and offered to buy it. Mrs Jacobs refused payment and gave the stone to him.

Van Niekerk showed the pebble to John O'Reilly, a traveling peddler, who borrowed or bought it from him. Later the stone was identified as a 21 carat yellow diamond worth $2500, and O'Reilly sold it for that sum to Sir Philllip Woodhouse, who had the diamond shown at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. Sometime afterwards, the stone was cut into a 10.73 carat brilliant.

It is not known who gave the diamond the appropriate name Eureka, but in South Africa many still call it the O'REILLEY.

For many years it was owned by Peter Locan of London, who exhibited it in 1959 at the "Ageless Diamond" exhibition in London. In 1966, the Eureka returned home when it was purchased by De Beers Consolidated Mines. After is was shown at the Johannesburg Diamond Pavilion, De Beers presented it to the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town.

Van Niekerk het die klippie gewys vir John O'Reilly, 'n reisende smous, wat die klippie by hom geleen of gekoop het. Later het dit geblyk dat die klippie 'n geel diamant van 21 karaat ter waarde van $2500 is. O'Reilly het dit verkoop teen hierdie prys aan Sir Phillip Woodhouse, wat die diamant uitgestal het by die Paryse Uitstalling van 1867. Die steen is later geslyp in 'n 10.73 karaat juweel.

Dit is nie bekend wie die gepaste Eureka naam gegee het nie, maar in Suid-Afrika noem die menigte dit die O'Reilly.

Vir baie jare was dit besit deur Peter Locan van Londen, wat dit uitgestal het in 1959 by die "Ageless Diamond" Uitstalling in Londen. In 1966 het die Eureka teruggekeer nadat dit deur Ded Beers Consolidated Mines gekoop is. Nadat dit uitgestal is by die Johannesburg Diamond Pavilion, het De Beers dit geskenk aan die Parlement van Suid-Afrika in Kaapstad.

FLAMING STAR

This pear-shaped stone is one of the most unique diamonds ever discovered. Under normal light it is a fine white colour, but under ultraviolet light the white stone glows a very intense and brilliant orange.

Cut from an 88-carat rough found in the De Beers Mine, it was purchased and polished by Baumgold Bros. New York City in 1967 and is still owned by them. It is valued at $225 000.

Dit is geslyp van 'n 88-karaat ruwe steen wat gevind is in die De Beersmyn, en is gekoop en gepoleer deur Baumgold Bros., New York City in 1967. Die diamant word steeds deur hulle besit. Die waarde is 'n geskatte $225 000.

The rough diamond, weighing 287.42 carats, was believed to have been found in the Kimberley Mine in South Africa in 1878.

Whatever its origin, the diamond was bought by Tiffany & Company in 1879, and cut in Paris to a cushion-shaped brilliant of 128.51 carats. It was given 90 facets, 32 more than the standard brilliant cut, and these extra facets give the great yellow diamond the effect of smouldering fire.

The Tiffany was displayed at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1983, at the Pan-American in 1901, the Century of Progress in Chicago 1933-34 and the World's Fair in New York 1939-40. The diamond has been on almost continuous display through the years at Tiffany's, New York, where  it is still exhibited today.

The first time the diamond was worn as an ornament was in 1957 at the Tiffany Ball in Newport. Mrs Sheldon Whitehouse, the Ball's Chairlady, had the honour of wearing the Tiffany, mounted for the occasion in a necklace of white diamonds. The diamond is valued at $2million.

A replica of the Tiffany diamond can be seen at the Big Hole diamond display in Kimberley.

Die ruwe diamant, 287.42 karaat, is volgens oorlewering ontdek in die Kimberley Myn in Suid-Afrika in 1878.

Wat ookal sy oorsprong, die diamant is gekoop deur Tiffany & Company in 1879, en geslyp in Parys tot 'n kussingvormige diamant van 128.51 karaat. Dit het 90 fasette - 32 meer as die standaard-briljantslypvorm. Hierdie ekstra fasette gee die groot geel diamant die effek van smeulende vuur.

Die Tiffany is uitgestal by die Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, by die Pan-American in 1901, die Century of Progrees in Chicago 1933-34 en by die World's Fair in New York 1939-40. Die diamant was byna permanent op uitstalling by Tiffany's, New York, waar dit steeds vandag te sien is.

Die eerste keer dat hierdie diamant as juweel gedra is, was in 1957 na die Tiffany Bal in Newport gedra. Mev Sheldon Whitehouse, voorsitter van Tiffany, het die eer gehad om die diamant as deel van 'n wit diamanthalssnoer na die geleentheid te dra. Die Tiffany se waarde word of $2 miljoen geskat.

'n Replika van die Tiffany diamant is te sien in die Big Hole diamantuitstalling in Kimberley.