George Labram
Encyclopedia
George Labram was an American engineer employed as Chief Mechanical Engineer at the De Beers
diamond mines in Kimberley
during the Siege of Kimberley
.
, Detroit-born Labram was employed by the De Beers
company in Kimberley
, first as manager of the crushing plant and then as chief engineer. Under Labram's supervision as manager of the crushing plant, Fred Kirsten devised an automated diamond extraction process. Up to that time all diamonds were manually extracted by sight.
in preparing Kimberley's defenses prior to the siege
; including the construction of a 155 feet (47.2 m) watch tower, search lights and a telephone system.
Labram installed an emergency fresh-water supply system for the town and designed a bulk refrigeration plant for perishable foodstuffs, specifically for the storage of meat from cattle that had to be slaughtered as they could no longer be let out for grazing.
During the siege Labram also built two armoured train
s, manufactured munitions for the existing artillery available in the town, as well as a complete once-off gun affectionately named the Long Cecil
after the chairman of De Beers, Cecil Rhodes.
Many of the tools needed for the manufacture of the gun had to also be manufactured in the De Beers workshop.
Long Cecil
was rifled with a bore of 4.1 inches (10.4 cm) capable of propelling a 28.5 pounds (12.9 kg) shell over 6500 yards.
Labram was killed on 9 February 1900, less than a week before the siege was lifted, by a Boer shell that hit his room in the Grand Hotel on Market Square. Kekewich gave Labram a full military funeral, that was attended by thousands despite Boer shelling specifically targeting the procession.
De Beers provided well for Labram's widow and son after his death, with Mrs. Labram receiving $500 per year for the remainder of her life and their 13 year old son $1000 per year until he came of age. Great Britain also granted Mrs. Labram a once-off sum of 1000 pounds for the services her husband rendered during the siege.
The importance of the role Labram played in the defence of Kimberley is probably best expressed in a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Robert George Kekewich
to Mrs. Labram:
The one request from the people of Kimberley that Labram was unable to deliver on was to produce some whiskey.
, which features Long Cecil prominently on its stylobate
, is situated adjacent to the neighbourhood.
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
diamond mines in Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
during the Siege of Kimberley
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
.
Early career
Prior to the onset of the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, Detroit-born Labram was employed by the De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
company in Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, first as manager of the crushing plant and then as chief engineer. Under Labram's supervision as manager of the crushing plant, Fred Kirsten devised an automated diamond extraction process. Up to that time all diamonds were manually extracted by sight.
Second Boer War
Labram assisted Major General Robert George KekewichRobert Kekewich
Major General Robert George Kekewich CB was a Victorian era British Army officer.Kekewich was the second son of Trehawke Kekewich, of Peamore House, near Exeter, Devon, and the grandson of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich...
in preparing Kimberley's defenses prior to the siege
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
; including the construction of a 155 feet (47.2 m) watch tower, search lights and a telephone system.
Labram installed an emergency fresh-water supply system for the town and designed a bulk refrigeration plant for perishable foodstuffs, specifically for the storage of meat from cattle that had to be slaughtered as they could no longer be let out for grazing.
During the siege Labram also built two armoured train
Armoured train
An armoured train is a train protected with armour. They are usually equipped with railroad cars armed with artillery and machine guns. They were mostly used during the late 19th and early 20th century, when they offered an innovative way to quickly move large amounts of firepower...
s, manufactured munitions for the existing artillery available in the town, as well as a complete once-off gun affectionately named the Long Cecil
Long Cecil
Long Cecil was a unique one-off gun, designed by George Labram, a United States citizen, and built in the workshops of the De Beers mining company in Kimberley for use by the British during the Siege of Kimberley in the Second Boer War....
after the chairman of De Beers, Cecil Rhodes.
Many of the tools needed for the manufacture of the gun had to also be manufactured in the De Beers workshop.
Long Cecil
Long Cecil
Long Cecil was a unique one-off gun, designed by George Labram, a United States citizen, and built in the workshops of the De Beers mining company in Kimberley for use by the British during the Siege of Kimberley in the Second Boer War....
was rifled with a bore of 4.1 inches (10.4 cm) capable of propelling a 28.5 pounds (12.9 kg) shell over 6500 yards.
Labram was killed on 9 February 1900, less than a week before the siege was lifted, by a Boer shell that hit his room in the Grand Hotel on Market Square. Kekewich gave Labram a full military funeral, that was attended by thousands despite Boer shelling specifically targeting the procession.
De Beers provided well for Labram's widow and son after his death, with Mrs. Labram receiving $500 per year for the remainder of her life and their 13 year old son $1000 per year until he came of age. Great Britain also granted Mrs. Labram a once-off sum of 1000 pounds for the services her husband rendered during the siege.
The importance of the role Labram played in the defence of Kimberley is probably best expressed in a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Robert George Kekewich
Robert Kekewich
Major General Robert George Kekewich CB was a Victorian era British Army officer.Kekewich was the second son of Trehawke Kekewich, of Peamore House, near Exeter, Devon, and the grandson of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich...
to Mrs. Labram:
The one request from the people of Kimberley that Labram was unable to deliver on was to produce some whiskey.
Legacy
The modern day suburb of Labram in Kimberley is named after George Labram. The Honoured Dead MemorialHonoured Dead Memorial
The Honoured Dead Memorial is a provincial heritage site in Kimberley in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated at the meeting point of five roads, and commemorates those who died defending the city during the Siege of Kimberley in the Anglo-Boer War.In 1986, it was described in...
, which features Long Cecil prominently on its stylobate
Stylobate
In classical Greek architecture, a stylobate is the top step of the crepidoma, the stepped platform on which colonnades of temple columns are placed...
, is situated adjacent to the neighbourhood.