Barberton

South Africa

Taken from 'The Bowkers of Tharfield' by Ivan & Raymond Mitford-Barberton:
In 1884 Fred and Hal Barber were prospecting in the 'de Kaap' Valley when they discovered what we believe was the first gold reef in the Transvaal.  The news of the discovery brought a great influx of prospectors and soon some thousands were camped in the valley at what was then know as Barbers' Camp.  After about a dozen canteens had been put up, the place began to look like a town so the Government sent a Commissioner to establish control.  A diggers' committee was elected and the town was named Barberton.  The reef which the Barber brothers were working pinched out so they returned to farm in the Cape Colony, but the ruins of their stone house and the old mine are still to be seen on the hill above Rimer's Creek at Barberton.

Remains of the Barber's House at the old mine

Taken from 'The Barbers of the Peak' by Ivan Mitford-Barberton:
In February 1884, hearing that a rich gold reef had been discovered on Moddie's farm in the De Kaap valley, the Barber brothers, accompanied by their cousin Graham H Barber, Edward White, and Holdn Bowker, proceeded to this locality to try their luck.  The first find fell to Hal Barber, three miles east of Moddie's camp, but the reef turned out to be of low grade.
One day Fred Barber, while out prospecting, noticed a white thread of quartz running up the hill-side of a steep mountain spur.  The hills are extremely steep in the locality, most of them rising at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees to the plain.  After a great scramble through long grass, bracken and bushwood he arrived at the reef, from which he knocked off specimens to crush and wash.  Hall Barber, while out prospecting later, also brought back specimens of a good reef, and on describing where these were obtained it was discovered that they were from the same reef from which his brother had taken samples.  These specimens, when crushed and panned, gave a good sow of gold, so early the following morning the reef was pegged and their camp was moved to the foot of the hills.
Wile moving supplies up to the reef by pack-donkeys, one of these animals missed its footing and 'looped the lop' all the way down the mountain-side for half a mile into the valley below.  He was in an awful mess when they went down to look; I believe even his ears had broken off.  The spot where their base-camp was pitched in the valley ultimately became the town of Barberton.
The news of the discovery brought a great influx of diggers.  New arrival and prospectors swarmed over the hills in search of gold.  Other reefs were found, including the famous Sheba by an Australian named Bray, the Kimberly Imperial, and others.  Canteens, restaurants, shops, and a post-office sprang up like mushrooms on the quiet veld, and this collection went by the name of Barbers' Camp.
Mr. Wilson, the Transvaal Mining Commissioner and Landrost, from Duivels Kantoor, came to establish some sort of Government control and to collect licences.  A meeting of the inhabitants was called and a diggers' committee was elected consisting of Messrs. Eade, Rhino Otto, S. Wright, and Fred and Hal Barber.  Then, with the swilling of a good deal of Portuguese gin, and the consumption of Swazi tobacco, much noise and good-fellowship, Barber's Camp was christened Barberton.

Jock of the Bushveld statue

In front of the Town Hall the statue of Jock of the Bushveld, the faithful dog of Percy Fitzpatrick(right photo) during his days as a transport rider can be seen.  Fitzpatrick and Jock travelled all over the Lowveld together.  The statue by Ivan Mitford-Barberton was originally unveiled in Fitzpatrick Park by Mrs Mackie-Niven, the daughter of the later Percy Fitzpatrick and moved to it's present position during Barberton's Centenary in 1984.

 linked the Sign & Read for you.  
Simply change the false URL for them to that of Your Guestbook.

If you choose to use this set, please link back to this site at
© Copyright Margaret C Manning 2007