MS0002

Did You Know?

The Kontak McGregor Museum in Kimberley, Northern Cape, is a branch of the McGregor Museum, a multi-site heritage institution. This specific branch is located at the Magersfontein Battlefield, near Kimberley, and serves as the visitor and interpretation centre for the site. The museum is dedicated to the Battle of Magersfontein, which took place on 11 December 1899 during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The battle was a significant Boer victory, where Boer forces under General Piet Cronjé repelled a British attack led by Lord Methuen, resulting in heavy British casualties. The museum houses exhibits on the battle, including artefacts, military equipment, and personal items from soldiers on both sides, as well as information on the broader context of the war in the Northern Cape. The site itself includes the original Boer trenches, a memorial to the fallen, and a cemetery. The McGregor Museum, headquartered in Kimberley, was established in 1907 and manages several heritage sites in the region, with the Magersfontein branch being a key component of its historical outreach. The year 1900 is relevant as the period immediately following the battle, when the war continued in the area, but the museum itself was established much later to commemorate and interpret these events.

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