Albania Settlers

A late-1860s settlement scheme south of modern Kimberley, for British “Albania Settlers” from the Eastern Cape district of Albany, was devised to create a buffer against the intrusion of Free State farmers into Griqua territory.

In 1868 the Griqua captain, Nicholas Waterboer, advised by the government agent, David Arnot, leased farms in the south-eastern section of his territory to the English colonists. This effectively led to a loss of land for the erstwhile occupants of these farms – just on the eve of the discovery of mineral wealth namely diamonds, centred on Kimberley – a discovery through which the course of South African history was changed.