A walk from Cape Town to the Kimberley diamond fields in 1875 marked the arrival of a future mining titan in South Africa. Lionel Phillips began his career as a bookkeeper at fourteen, eventually rising to become the undisputed spokesman for the regional gold mining industry and a central figure in the Transvaal political landscape.
Early Career and Kimberley
Born in London in 1855, Phillips initially joined a firm of diamond-sorters before seeking opportunities in the Cape Colony. Upon reaching Kimberley, he secured employment under Joseph Benjamin Robinson. His early years in the region included a brief stint running a newspaper called The Independent and various roles within the diamond mining sector, where he experienced both financial gains and significant losses.
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In 1889, Phillips moved to Johannesburg to join the firm Hermann Eckstein & Co., serving as a mining consultant at the Corner House. He quickly ascended to a leadership position within the industry, becoming chairman of the Chamber of Mines in 1892. His influence extended to urban development, as his wife Florence spurred the creation of the Parktown suburb to provide a residence away from mine dust.
Political Conflict and Imprisonment
Phillips became an active supporter of the Uitlander movement, representing grievances against the Paul Kruger government. Following the failure of the Jameson Raid in 1896, he surrendered to authorities and pleaded guilty to charges related to the Reform Committee. Although initially sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to a fine of £25,000. He was later banished from the Transvaal for his continued political activity.
Later Life and Public Service
After the Boer War, Phillips returned to South Africa to resume his leadership role in the mining industry and served as a member of the Unionist Party in the 1910 Union House of Assembly. He was created a baronet in 1912. His final years were spent at his farm, Vergelegen, near Somerset West, where he died in 1936.
Fast facts
- Born: 1855, London
- Died: 1936, Somerset West
- Spouse: Florence Ortlepp
- High Sheriff of Hampshire: 1903-1904
- Created baronet: 1912
- Main occupation: Financier and industrialist
Questions readers ask
What event caused his initial banishment from the Transvaal?
He was banished after participating in the Reformers' movement and subsequently violating a government warning to refrain from political activity by publishing an article in the Nineteenth Century.
Did he survive any assassination attempts?
Yes, on 11 December 1913, a trade unionist named Misnun shot at him five times while he was walking to the Rand Club for lunch.
