Many people have had interest in diamond mining in Africa in the late 1800s. People came from all over the world hoping to make millions in the diamond trade. One of the more notorious of these figures was Barnett “Barney” Barnato, who was born in London in 1852. He lived a very rough life in the slums of London and ended up in Cape Town, South Africa with his brother during the diamond rush. One of the success stories of the day, he became a millionaire by purchasing worked-over mines and profiting greatly from what was left over.
His main competitor at the time was Cecil John Rhodes, and he tried to take over the diamond mining industry in Cape Colony by buying out his competitors, although in the end Rhodes won by buying Barnett Barnato and his brother out for four million pounds, which was the single largest check ever written in history up to that point. Barnato later became Kimberley’s member of the parliament in the Cape Parliament from 1889 until his death.
Although his death was deemed a suicide, his family denied that this was possible, claiming that his character was one of strength and perseverance. Having gone through life with such immense adversity, the idea that he could he just jump and end it all just didn’t sit right with those who knew him well.
Other articles of interest: