Page 73 - Bulletin 9 2005

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Fig. 2.9: W. McHardy, general manager of the Premier Diamond Mining Company, holding the Cullinan Diamond, flanked by Sir Thomas Cullinan (l) and the company’s surface manager, Frederick Wells (r) (Cartwright, A. P. 1977, Diamonds and Clay).

Cullinan had secured part of the building contract. The survey initially revealed only

limestone and Cullinan showed no interest in this, but later, when excavations to extract the

limestone uncovered an immense underlying fire-clay deposit, he negotiated a merger
between his own company and two firms that were already operating at Olifantsfontein. This

new venture, formed in 1902, was known as the Consolidated Rand Brick, Pottery and Lime
Company, or Conrand for short.