The Old School of Mines building in Hull Street, Kimberley, is where the South African School of Mines was established in 1896, later evolving into the

Transvaal University College Transvaal University College was a multi-campus public research university in South Africa which gave rise to the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria. History In 1896 the South African School of Mines was founded in Ki ...

, and eventually into both the

University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( or ). The university ...

and the

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria ( af, Universiteit van Pretoria, nso, Yunibesithi ya Pretoria) is a multi-campus public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa. The university was established in 1908 ...

. In 1904 the school was moved to Johannesburg, becoming the Transvaal Technical Institute which, in turn, was renamed the Transvaal University College in 1906. The separation of Johannesburg and Pretoria campuses in 1910 paved the way for establishment of the Universities of the Witwatersrand (1922) and of Pretoria (1930).

Heritage, theatre and tourism

Kimberley's Old School of Mines building was declared as a national monument (now a provincial heritage site) in 1977 on account of its association with the development of the mining industry, having been erected to house the first technical training school for the mining industry in South Africa. Of architectural interest as well, it is an example of late Victorian style. In the 1980s-90s the Kimberley Repertory Players converted the building for use as the Hull Street Theatre. The building was being promoted as a tourist attraction by the

Sol Plaatje Local Municipality The Sol Plaatje Local Municipality is a local municipality in the Frances Baard District Municipality district of the Northern Cape province, South Africa, named after Sol T. Plaatje. It includes the diamond mining city of Kimberley. Main places ...

in Kimberley's tourism website, ''Kimberley: the city that sparkles''.Kimberley: the city that sparkles - a trip into the past
Retrieved September 2012 - since removed But heritage conservation issues mark its most recent history in a context of neglect and with construction work on an adjoining property encroaching towards and partially obscuring the building.

References

Buildings and structures in Kimberley, Northern Cape {{SouthAfrica-struct-stub