Books on the 19th century South African diamond industry

June 27, 2007 6:36 AM

What are the best books about the South African diamond industry during the mid-to-late 19th century?

I am distantly related to Barney Barnato and would like to find out whether he was particularly evil, but I'm also just interested in the period generally.

posted by stammer to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Not an answer, exactly, but the Atlantic ran a fascinating piece on the South African diamond industry back in 1982. It might provide some background/starting points. It's available on-line here.
posted by rdn at 7:05 AM on June 27, 2007

Found some stuff on google books.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:26 AM on June 27, 2007

I do not know any specific books but you might be interested in books that cover

• Cecil John Rhodes (who eventually bought out DeBeers from Barnato)
• Paul Kruger and the Boer Republics (although they were more involved gold mining)

posted by PenDevil at 9:35 AM on June 27, 2007

I cut and pasted these from a bibliography for a paper I wrote on conflict diamonds (and the diamond trade in general). I have, and can provide, the titles of numerous related books but they deal mostly with Sierra Leone and Angola.


Newbury, Colin. The Diamond Ring: Business, Politics and Precious Stones in South Africa, 1867-1947. Oxford: CLA Rendon Press, 1989.

Roberts, Brian. The Diamond Magnates. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1972.

Lenzen, Dr. Godehard. The History of Diamond Production and the Diamond Trade. London: Barrie and Jenkins, 1966.

Epstein, Edward Jay. The Rise and Fall of Diamonds. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1982.

Burgess, P.H.E. Diamonds Unlimited. London: The Adventures Club, 1960.
posted by click at 9:50 AM on June 27, 2007