Opulent lifestyles, famous people, unique architecture, entertaining anecdotes and gossip of years gone by, as well as the ambiance of Kimberley’s first exclusive residential suburb are what visitors doing the Belgravia Historical Walk will be exposed to.
After all, what more can be expected of a walk that packs 30 of Kimberley’s most historical sites in under three kilometres?
The walk commences at the imposing McGregor Museum and meanders past sites such as the birth place of diamond magnate Harry Oppenheimer; “The Half” the world’s only drive-in pub; the magnificent Dunluce and the Duggin-Cronin Gallery which was erected in 1889. So savour Kimberley’s romantic and glamorous past by taking a walk through Belgravia. An informative guide book on the walk is available at the McGregor Museum.
You will get much more out of all these tours by booking an accredited tourist guide to accompany you. In addition, we recommend that you visit the NOCCI Tourism Centre at the Big Hole (Tel: 053 8304426) for a detailed tourist guide book and other tourist information.
- McGregor Museum (The Sanitorium)
- No. 3 Egerton Road, former home of architect DW Greatbatch
- Halfway House, est. 1872
- No. 9 Egerton Road, designed by Greatbatch in 1897 for Arend Brink, diamond broker and valuator
- No. 22 Elsmere Road, for more than 50 years the home of HA Morris. His sister-in-law, Olive McIntyre, lived here from 1917 to 1990
- Girls’ High School, est. 1887
- No. 18 Elsmere Road, the house of Russell Elliott, an honoured citizen
- Houses built by Col Sir David Harris
- St Patrick’s Christian Brothers College, est. 1897
- Nazareth House
- Sister Henrietta Stockdale Nursing College
- Battle of Square Hill Memorial, Cenotaph World War I & II
- Masonic Temple, est. 1888
- Statue of Sister Henrietta Stockdale
- St Cyprian’s Cathedral Church
- Cecil John Rhodes mounted on his horse – bronze
- Colonel Sir David Harris
- The Kimberley Regiment Drill Hall
- Violet Bank
- Queens Park
- Rudd House (The Bungalow)
- Cape Police Memorial, 1899-1902
- Belgravia Mine
- Home of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer
- No. 11 Lodge Road, the house Wilfred Solomon Harris built for his English bride
- Dunluce
- The Grange
- Duggan-Cronin Gallery (The Lodge)
- Alex Hall Memorial Gardens
Source: The Kimberley Meander