Kuna kubwa sana la kujifunza hapa

[briophyta plantae]

TANZANIA INATISHA!

Ukisoma hii stori hapa chini ndio utajua ni vipi Tanzania inatisha!

Biashara ya madini Duniani, imekamatwa na familia MBILI tu za Kiyahudi.Moja ikijielekeza kwenye madini ya dhahabu (na jamii zake) ambao ndio BARRICK na moja katika madini ya almasi ambao ndio DE BEERS.Hawa ndio "wamiliki" wa madini yote ya dunia,bila kujali mipaka ya nchi walipo na kule yalipo madini.

Familia ya Kiyahudi ya Oppenheimer (waliohamia South Africa) wenye kampuni ya "De Beers Group of Co.",ndiyo "imejimilikisha" madini yote ya almasi yaliyopo katika dunia hii baada ya "kumpoka kwa nguvu" umiliki wa kampuni Cecil Rhodes.Kuanzia madini ya India na Brazil, Afrika Kusini na Angola,Siera Leone na Botswana,Mwadui Shinyanga hadi Siberia ni "mali" ya De Beers.

Mwaka 1940, Dr John Williamson alifungua mgodi wa almasi Mwadui, nje kidogo ya mji wa Shinyanga.Mwadui ilikuwa na mkanda wa "kimberlait" wenye hifadhi nyingi ya almasi. Dr Williamson raia wa Canada,akautengeneza mji mdogo wa Mwadui na kuwa moja kati ya miji bora sana kusini mwa jangwa la Sahara (Mwadui Township).

Kufikia mwaka 1947,Dr Williamson alikuwa amejenga nyumba bora za wafanyakazi,hospital ya kisasa,shule za msingi tatu, mbili za wafanyakazi wa kiafrika na moja ya wafanyakazi wa kizungu ambayo ndio ilikuwa moja ya "English Medium School" ya kwanza Tanganyika. Akajenga chuo cha Ufundi wa aina zote ndani ya mgodi kwa ajili ya watoto wa wafanyakazi, chuo cha kilimo na shule ya upili. Huko kwao waliita "School Near The Equator".Ilikuwa shule bora na ya kisasa.
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Dr Williamson akajenga uwanja wa ndege wa kisasa ndani ya mgodi mwaka 1940's,akanunua ndege mbili za mwanzo aina ya Dakota DC 3 na Cessna180 wakati huo hata serikali ya Kikoloni ya Muingereza ikiwa haina wazo la ndege, wakati serikali ya Tanganyika ikiwa haina uhakika wa uwanja wa ndege kupokea ndege kubwa aina ya Dakota DC4, Dr Williamson alikuwa tayari na uwanja huo,ambapo wageni toka London Uingereza, ndege zilitua Malta,Khartoum-Sudani na baadae Nairobi (Wakati huo ukiitwa Embakasi Airport),na baadae kuchukuliwa na ndege moja kwa moja mpaka Mwadui Shinyanga,ambapo Serikali ya Kikoloni ilikuwa na afisa mmoja wa uhamiaji. Dr Williamson alijenga kanisa na msikiti bora na wa kisasa kwa ajili ya wafanyakazi wake.

Wakati huo, usafiri pekee wa watumishi wa serikali ya Kikoloni ilikuwa ni meli maarufu ya "The Braimer Castro" iliyokuwa inatoka Ulaya mpaka Mombasa.Yeye Dr Williamson na wafanyakazi alioajili walikuwa wanapanda ndege kupitia Embakazi na baadae Mwadui.

Williamson akajenga "Power House" yenye uwezo wa kuzalisha 900kw kwa mitambo ya diesel na 750kw kwa Gas Turbine na hivyo kuwa na umeme wa uhakika kuliko hata jiji la Dar es Salaam achilia mbali mkoa wa Shinyanga.Wakati huo umeme wa Dsm ulikuwa unategemea ule mtambo ulioweka pale makao makuu ya Wizara ya Nishati kama makumbusho.

Ndani ya mgodi wa Mwadui,Dr Williamson alijenga "Sailing Club",yaani Club inayoelea katika bwawa alilichimba eneo la Songwa. Hii ndio ilikuwa Club pekee inayoelea Afrika na Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara.

May 2,1952,Gazeti Kongwe la "The Cairns Post" (Est.1882) liliandika juu ya uwepo wa bwawa la Songwa, Mwadui-Shinyanga,Tanganyika.Gazeti hilo la Australia lilielezea bwawa la Songwa kama moja kati ya "Artificial dam" kubwa zaidi duniani,lenye uwezo wa kuchukua "two thousands million gallons of water".Mradi ambao hata serikali ya mkoloni iliushangaa.

Mwadui kulikuwa na mfumo wa maji safi na maji taka yaliyotibiwa na wataalamu waliosomeshwa na mgodi. Huduma ya elimu ya watu wazima na elimu ya uchumi wa nyumbani "home economics" kwa wamama waliokuwa nyumbani.Kufikia mwaka 1970,karibu 97% ya wakazi wa mgodi huo ambao walifikia 60,000 walikuwa wanajua kusoma na kuandika,na wamama wakiwa na ujuzi wa ushonaji,upishi nk.

Dr Williamson aliajiri mpishi maarufu toka Ufaransa, ambaye alikuwa akipika na kuandaa chakula katika "mesi" kubwa ndani ya mgodi wa Mwadui.Mfaransa huyo alifundisha wapishi wengi wa Kiafrika na alikuwa kama "chuo" cha wapishi wengi wa maafisa wa serikali ya kikoloni,na hata wapishi wa mwanzo wa Ikulu ya Dsm baada ya Uhuru,walipita katika mafunzo ya "mesi" ya Mwadui.Kufikia mwaka 1950,Tanganyika ilikuwa na vyumba viwili tu vyenye hadhi ya kulala familia ya kifalme ya Uingereza, chumba kimoja katika Ikulu ya sasa ya Dsm na kingine kwenye "rest house" ndani ya mgodi wa Mwadui.

Mgodi wa Mwadui chini ya Dr Williamson, uliweza kujenga kiwanja cha golf chenye mashimo tisa,ambacho kilikuwa ni moja ya viwanja vikubwa na vya kisasa Afrika nzima.Mwaka 1952, Dr alishawishi mpaka mashindano makubwa ya kombe la Malikia la Golf nchini Canada yafanyike Mwadui,kila kitu kilikubalika isipokuwa hali ya uwanja wa Embakasi Kenya haukuwa sawa sababu ya vuguvugu la vita vya Maumau lililotishia usalama wa kiwanja. Swimming Pool za viwango vya Olympic tatu ndani ya mgodi

Viwanja vya tennis, pamoja na viwanja vitatu bora vya mpira wa miguu vilivyokuwa na viwango vya kimataifa vilijengwa ndani ya mgodi wa Williamson.Timu ya mpira ya Mwadui Mining ilishiriki mashindano ya kitaifa kwa ubora mkubwa.Waamuzi wakongwe wa viwango vya kimataifa kama Mshangama na Mashishanga (RC wa zamani) ni matunda ya Dr Williamson.

Ustawi wa maisha ya mgodi na kushamiri kwa faida ya Dr Williamson kuliwauzi "wamiliki" wakubwa wa biashara ya madini ya almasi ambao ni De Beers Group of Co. Almasi ya Mwadui iliingia kwa kasi sana katika soko la dunia jijini London.De Beers wakashindwa kumdhibiti Dr Williamson na almasi yake,akafanya almasi ya Afrika Kusini kushuka thamani katika soko la dunia,njia pekee iliyobaki kwa De Beers ilikuwa kumtaka Dr Willy aungane nao katika biashara.

Dr Willy alikataa, akataka kuupeleka mgodi kwa namna yake, hakutaka kuwanyonya Waafrika na wafanyakazi wake,ndoto zake ilikuwa ni kuijenga "Quebec ndogo ndani ya Tanganyika",alitaka kuonyesha tofauti ya thamani ya madini na maisha ya wazawa kwa kuutumia mgodi wa Mwadui.Aliiishi Afrika Kusini na kuona jinsi wazawa wa kando ya migodi na wafanyakazi wasivyofaidika na madini katika ardhi yao.

Dr Willy hakutaka hali hiyo itokee.Mkoloni na De Beers walichukia uamuzi wa Dr Williamson kuufanya mgodi wa Mwadui kama "Ulaya ya Afrika".Walim-fustrate kwa kukataa kuipokea almasi yake katika viwanda vya wachonga almasi kule London (diamond Cutting).Mwaka 1950,Serikali ya kikoloni kwa Shinikizo la familia ya Oppenheimer wakataka kuutaifisha mgodi wa Mwadui ili uwe mali ya serikali ya mkoloni na si mtu binafsi.

Hali hii ilichanganya sana Dr Williamson,akawa mlevi wa kupindukia wa whisky ya Scotland,akawa "chain Smoker" na kwa sababu alikuwa "bachelor" hakuwa na mtu wa kumtuliza mawazo.Mwaka 1952,mwezi Machi, kampuni ya De Beers ilimtuma mtoto wa kwanza wa mmiliki wa kampuni, Herry Oppenheimer kuongea na Dr Williamson namna ya kuuza sehemu ya hisa kwa De Beers ili aweze kuwa "salama",Dr Williamson alisitasita sana,akawaza jinsi wafanyakazi wake wa kiafrika na wale aliowaleta toka Ulaya watakavyonyanyasika, akawaza jinsi ndoto yake ya kujenga "Mji wa Quebec wa Afrika" inavyopotea.

Mwaka 1956...Princess Margareth akiambatana na Gavana wa Tanganyika na ujumbe wake walitembelea mgodi wa Mwadui wakiwa ndani ya ndege aina ya Dakota DC4 mali ya Dr Williamson.Ulikuwa ni ushawishi kumfanya Dr aachie sehemu ya hisa za mgodi

Kwa shingo upande akatoa 50% yake kwa kuwauzia De Beers kwa £ 4 milioni, miaka michache baadae akagundulika kuwa na saratani ya koo, ugonjwa uliochukua maisha yake miaka michache baadae(japo ilisimekana ulipandikizwa ili kumuondoa).Aliomba kuzikwa ndani ya eneo la Mwadui kwani kwake Mwadui ndio ilikuwa nyumbani.

Mwaka 1958, Herry Oppenheimer ndio akawa mwenyekiti wa Mgodi wa Mwadui,sehemu ya hisa za Dr Williamson aliachiwa dada yake,na kwa sababu hakuwa na uzoefu wa mambo ya madini, De Beers wakamshauri aziuze.De Beers na serikali ya kikoloni wakawa na 50/50 ya umiliki wa mgodi na almasi yote ya Mwadui.Ndoto za De Beers na familia ya Oppenheimer ikawa imetimia....Nayo ni "KUMILIKI MADINI YOTE YA ALMASI CHINI YA ARDHI YA DUNIA

Mwl Julius Nyerere alipochukua nchi 1961,baadae aliamua kutaifisha mali zote, akaunda Stamico isimamie sekta ya madini.De Beers iliwauma sana kufurushwa na Nyerere.Hawa Waisrael wakaunda team ya namna ya kumkomesha Julius Nyerere,kwanza waliweka fitna katika soko la almasi pale London,wakazishawishi "Diamond Cutting and Polishing Companies" kule London ziisusie almasi ya Mwadui, Mwalimu akawa mbishi na kuimarisha "TunCut Diamond Co" pale Iringa.

De Beers akazidi kuweka fitna kwenye viwanda vinavyotengeneza vipuri vya mitambo iliyopo Mwadui. Kuanzia mitambo ya kuchimba, kusafisha na kuchambua almasi. Mwishowe vifaa vikachakaa bila kuwa na ukarabati.Uzalishaji ukapungua na almasi ya Mwadui ikapotea katika soko la dunia.Wataalamu toka nje waliokuwa katika mgodi wa Mwadui wakaondoka.Ikawa ni hasara juu ya hasara.

Mwaka 1993, De Beers kupitia Herry Oppenheimer yuleyule wa enzi za Dr Williamson walirudi Tanzania kupitia mtoto wao Nicolaus
Oppenheimer, wakaishawishi serikali ya Tanzania,na hatimaye De Beers Group of Co. wakauziwa 75% ya hisa za mgodi wa Mwadui.Hatimaye ile ndoto yao ya kumiliki madini yote ya almasi ya dunia ikaendelea kutimia.

Hawa ndio De Beers, familia ya Kiyahudi ya Oppenheimer. Wanaosadiki kuwa almasi yote inayopatikana katika uso wa dunia hii ni mali yao.Walimsurubu Dr John T. Williamson, mzungu-msukuma aliyetaka mali ya ardhi ya Mwadui ilete thamani kwa Waafrika na Tanganyika.Hawa ndio De Beers waliomtikisa Mwalimu Nyerere, hawa ndio familia ya almasi duniani, wanaochochea yale ya Angola ya Savimbi,Siere Leone ya Foudah Sankho na DR Congo ya M23 ili waendelee kuchota utajili wa Afrika.

Wayahudi ndio wanaomiliki benki kuu za duniani kupitia kwa familia ya Rothschild wa Marekani ambao wanamiliki asilimia 80 ya uchumi wa dunia nzima. Jambo zuri ni kwamba Wayahudi huwa wanamiliki na kuendesha biashara zao na uchumi wao kifamilia na kiukoo ndiyo maana wamekuwa na nguvu kubwa kiuchumi duniani. NI VIZURI PIA FAMILIA NA KOO ZA KITANZANIA TUIGE TABIA HII NZURI YA WAYAHUDI KUHUSU UCHUMI KWA KUMILIKI KAMPUNI YA FAMILIA NA KAMPUNI YA UKOO.

Nimejifunza naamini pia utakuwa umepata kitu kujivunia na Tanzania yetu!

 

[Killmonger]

Duuuu! Mambo mazuri ya historia umeandika mkuu.
Lakini ningepata chanzo cha historia hii (source) ningefurahi zaidi .

 

[kamarah]

Ama hakika chema hakidumu

 

[Mzee Saliboko]

Mbona kisa kilichomuua williamson ni tofauti na ukweli ulipo(sio kansa ya koo)

 

[Sokoro waito]

Pamoja na hayo yote lakini wakitusaidia kumuondoa jiwe itapendeza sana maana haiwezekani mwafrika mwenzetu atuonee kiasi hiki.

 

[binti kiziwi]

Aisee mziki ni mkubwa sana. Tuwe wenye busara katika maamuzi.

 

[mjombakim]

Mbona kisa kilichomuua williamson ni tofauti na ukweli ulipo(sio kansa ya koo)

Nini mkuu

 

[BOB OS]

 

[BOB OS]

 

[cmoney]

Moja kwa yoyote aliyeandika historia hii amefanya kazi iliyotukuka angeweka na reference.. mbili sio kila king'aacho ni dhahabu..hizi familia za kiyahudi kwa kurithishana biashara walifikia kipindi hadi wakawa wanaoana ndugu ili utajiri usitoke nje....

 

[BOB OS]

Dr John Thoburn Williamson
John Thoburn Williamson was born in Montfort, Quebec on the 10th February 1907, the second of four children. His father, Bertie J Williamson, owned a lumber yard, and was a Scot who had emigrated to Canada from Ireland. His mother, Rose C Boyd was of French extraction. The family moved to Montreal in 1919 where John went to the Macdonald high school at Ste Anne de Bellevue. From there he entered McGill University in 1925 where he studied law. but a summer field expedition to Labrador inspired him to switch to geology. He gained a BA degree with honours in 1928, followed by the Leroy memorial fellowship in geology in 1929, a bursary of the National Research Council in 1930/31 and became a demonstrator in geology and mineralogy. He graduated with an MSc in 1930 followed by a PhD in 1933. His former Professor of Geology, Dr Richard Graham, was invited to Johannesburg to to inspect some land De Beers wanted surveying. Williamson accompanied Dr Graham and gave a few lectures at the University of Witwatersrand. JTW was was invited to join Loangwa Concessions, a subsidiary of De Beers Consolidated Mines, as a field geologist which he accepted. The company was prospecting for copper in north-east Rhodesia, close to Tanganyika. Williamson approached De Beers for a grant along with a licence to prospect for diamonds in Tanganyika but was refused and so he resigned.
In 1935 he took a position with the Tanganyika Gold and Diamond Development Company, working under their chief geologist, Hank Le Tendresse, an American whom JTW eventually succeeded.

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In May 1936 Williamson traveled to Mwanza seeking out a flamboyant Asian Lawyer, Mr Iqbal Chand Chopra KC. They met on 16th May 1936; "Dr John Thoburn Williamson, was ushered into my front room office lined with glass-covered bookcases. In white shirt and khaki trousers he sat in front of the broad wooden desk, a pen set and an ink pot, an elegant clock encased in an intricately carved box from Gujranwala, and an ashtray he filled with cork tipped ‘Craven A’ butts. He wanted the legal affairs of an independent prospector to be sorted and he needed financing. The search for diamonds, though, entailed the range of skills and capacities of both of us, we understood perseverance for wholly different reasons, and had been groomed by circumstances for this meeting. In friendship, we shook on more of an adventure than a commercial venture."
Iqbal Chand Chopra had been in partnership in Dar-es-Salaam with Gulam Rusal, a barrister from Lahore. In 1929 they established a law practice in Mwanza on the ground floor of the vacant Africa Hotel in Nkoma Street.
Rusal passed away leaving Iqbal to continue the practice alone. He got by making a living from his caseload of both civil and criminal cases.
Left: John Thoburn Williamson, the diamond seeker
In 1937 the Tanganyika Gold and Diamond Development Company suspended operations and JTW was free to go it alone. Chopra backed JTW and started a lifelong friendship. He surveyed all over the Lake and Western Provinces without much luck. He then took a sub-lease on the Mabuki diamond mine, the oldest in the territory which did not yield much either. However he had pegged a few finds nearby and another at Kizumbi. He hypothesized that the stones he had found over a wide area must have come from a central point somewhere in the Lake Province. He persevered out in the bush with two faithful African Native boys, Issa and James . JTW was prone to attacks of Malaria and other illnesses but never gave up his search. The League of Nations had mandated Britain to govern German East Africa following their defeat in WWI. Britain declared war on Germany on 3rd September 1939. The Italians had sided with Germany and were fighting the allies in north africa. There was always a fear that they would turn on East Africa but never did.
On the 6th March 1940 Williamson set out from his camp at Kizumbi to go with James to see where he had found the diamond on his journey from his village. Suddenly James said "Iko Hapa, Bwana, Iko hapa!" (It is here boss, it is here). Williamson set up a field camp by a baobab tree close by while Issa and James set about panning some gravel. That day they excavated more diamonds and Williamson realised he had found his volcanic pipe at last.
Williamson needed to survey the the pipe without raising any suspicion, he spent months digging trenches and then backfilling them on his covert survey mission. Mr I C Chopra was the only person he could trust to deal with staking his claim. Meanwhile Canada had it's first taste of war with Canadian troops defending Hong Kong. The news of the atrocities meted out by the conquering Imperial Japanese Army filtered through and Doc was deeply disturbed by it. Years later he found that one of his employees had defended Hong Hong alongside the Canadian troops and escaped as the atrocities were taking place on Christmas Day 1941, Williamson Diamonds Limited was registered in Dar es Salaam in May 1942 with £20.000 divided into 400 shares at £500.00 each, Williamson kept 299 and gave 100 to his brother Percy. The other one share was for his friend and backer I C Chopra. He named the site Mwadui after a local tribal chief. The rest, as they say, is history.
With the backing of Iqbal Chand Chopra KC, the Mwanza lawyer, Williamson began excavating the diamonds with a task force of local native labour. Later he was able to use Italian POW's to operate the limited heavy plant he managed to purchase. By 1946, he had several thousand workers with families living at Mwadui, and an Askari auxiliary police force numbering 250 to protect his budding empire. He had found the largest diamond deposit ever, the oval-shaped volcanic pipe which was filled with diamondiferous ore covered some 251 acres on the surface; more than four times larger than any of the diamond pipes found in South Africa. Meanwhile Canada had it's first taste of war with Canadian troops defending Hong Kong. The news of the atrocities meted out by the conquering Imperial Japanese Army filtered through and Doc was deeply disturbed by it. The British Colonial Office advised Williamson of the urgent need for industrial diamonds. Diamond smuggling was rife in the early days, several packets of diamonds had been known to reach Germany before the allies could put a stop to it. During the war years Williamson was a major contributor to the British revenue.
His two faithful native helpers, Issa and James, who were with him when he discovered Mwadui were given substantial pensions for life and retired to where Doc had been based, close to the site of the old Kabuki Mine.
Mwadui is a source of high value Type II diamonds and impressive pinks. Williamson was selling his diamonds on the open market causing De Beers to become increasingly concerned about its ability to control world prices. The corporate minutes of De Beers on June 20, 1946, reflect this growing apprehension. Sir Ernest Oppenheimer the chairman said that he was sure that a satisfactory outcome would result from negotiations with the British Colonial Office over a prospecting license for De Beers, but he said that the position would not be secure until they were able to come to terms with Williamson. He mentioned that the Tanganyika production was now one and one-half million pounds per annum. He very much doubted whether, at the moment, he had 65 percent effective control of world production. Oppenheimer pointed out that this uncontrolled production could prove embarrassing if there was an economic recession, and he recommended, according to the notes of the meeting, "that their efforts should be energetically directed towards obtaining effective control of all African production".
The diamond sights in London proved to be one effective means of reasserting control of the Mwadui diamonds. Williamson had to sell his low quality as well as the high quality diamonds to the diamond cutters in order for his mine to be in profit. Most of the major cutting factories, especially for the more difficult-shaped diamonds, were clients of De Beers. When these clients came to the London sights, they were told, according to reports reaching the U.S. Department of justice, that they should not buy any of Williamson's

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diamonds. The threat was implicitly made that they might find their consignment drastically reduced or even abruptly ended if they bought any diamonds from Williamson. Since few of the cutting factories in Antwerp were willing to risk their sight in London by violating this rule of the game, Williamson found that he could only sell the clear, octahedron crystals that were in demand by small, independent cutters. He had to store most of the clear diamonds. This severely squeezed his cash reserves. Following lengthy negotiations Williamson signed a five year contract with the Diamond Corporation, controlled by De Beers in 1948. Williamson now agreed to produce upto 10%, by value, of the total world output distributed by the syndicate. Williamson was now part of the arrangement.Diamonds earned,at that time, more foreign exchange for Great Britain than almost any other export.
Williamson was not comfortable with the arrangement and three years into the five year contract started to withhold his diamonds from the corporation, preferring to stockpile his output, a gamble to force a better deal.
Left: Mr I C Chopra KC
Photos from Jarat Chopra ©
In March 1952 Ernest Oppenheimer sent his son Harry, with a legal team, to Mwadui to negotiate a deal with Dr Williamson. Doc hired the distinguished barrister Mr Gilbert Paul KC to represent him alongside his legal partner Mr Iqbal Chopra KC. At the conclusion Doc was openly jubilant at the outcome saying there was to be a new agreement that would be beneficial to both parties. Doc proceeded to make secure arrangements to transfer his stock to Mwanza, five flights in all. With his diamonds now moving Doc was able to finance an innovative new plant incorporating the latest standards. Fraser & Chalmers pty in Johannesburg were contracted to build the new plant, supplying all necessary labour. His "big expansion" program got underway in ernest.
Mwadui was a model mining town without equal at the time, built for miners and their families with modern amenities such as schools, hospitals and recreational facilities.
The processed diamonds were stored in a reinforced building, the four locks had their combinations changed every 24 hours and the keys were kept by four separate executives. inside the diamonds were graded by an expert valuer and stored in two of the three safes within. The third contained cash for the wages of the mine operatives.The secure area was guarded twenty four hours a day. Doc alone decided when and how many diamonds were to be flown to Mwanza. The Chief Security officer was given notice, he in turn would call the pilot giving him thirty minutes notice. At Mwanza they were transported in a company land rover to the bank. From there they would be flown to London. Williamson's output averaged three hundred and fifty carats per day.
The mine was also a training ground for many young scientists. Williamson relied heavily on Canadian talent to transform his discovery into one of the world’s largest diamond mines. Fortunately for Canada, many of them later returned home to train, mentor and inspire a new generation of diamond industry professionals. Bert Gerryts PhD, MSc, BSc had also graduated from McGill university, was the Senior Geologist at Mwadui 1951-58. He is now a consultant geologist with Karelian Diamond Resources

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Harry F Oppenheimer said "When that difficult Canadian, Williamson, was causing us some anxiety about the uncontrolled sales of his diamond output in Tanganyika, my father chose me to go and negotiate with him. He snubbed me at first, but in the end we had our way."

Left: Harry Oppenheimer, representing De Beers, arriving in Mwadui in March 1952 to negotiate with Dr Williamson to end his dispute with the Diamond Corporation.
Photo from the Burgess family collection ©
Bwana Williamson was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1956 and eventually died of it at 3 o/c in the morning on the 8th January 1958 just a few days before his 51st birthday. He was buried that same afternoon in the cemetery where it all began at his beloved Mwadui. His brother, Percy a shareholder, along with his two sisters, Mrs Miller and Mathilda Williamson, inherited the the mine, they had no mining experience and immediately began negotiations via Mr I Chopra to sell Mwadui.
Williamson Diamonds Limited was sold 50/50 to De Beers and the Tanganyika Government on the 13th August 1958 for £4,159,000 GBP. JTW's effects in England amounted to £5,823 18s 7d which was left to I C Chopra. Harry Oppenheimer was appointed Chairman and held the post for fifteen years. As a politician Harry also represented Kimberley in South Africa for the United political party. Chopra's son Gerald later became a partner with his father in Mwanza trading as Chopra and Chopra.
Harry Oppenheimer presented James with a medal, on behalf of De Beers, in recognition of his role in discovering Mwadui.
Williamson supported numerous causes but avoided publicity, one such cause he supported was Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda where he was a benefactor. Makerere was first established as a technical school in 1922..
Dr John Thoburn Williamson, was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame in 2011

References
Inside Africa; John Gunther 1955
The Diamond Seeker; Heinz Hedgen. 1959
Williamson Diamonds Limited a brief history; De Beers1960
Diamonds Unlimited; Percy Burgess 1960
Knave of Diamonds; Mona Fourie 1962
The Diamond Seeker; John Garwain 1976
Indiaqua; Gay Du Toit, 23rd April 1979
Williamson, John Thoburn (1907-1958); I C Chopra revised by Marryna Fraser. 2004
Origins of a Passage to East Africa; Jarat Chopra AWAAZ Vol 6 issue 2. 2009
Princess Margaret Hosted in Mwanza; Jarat Chopra Old Africa, Stories from East Africa's past. Issue. 22 April-May 2009
A Diamond Diggers anecdotes And stories; Bert Gerryts 2016

My Story
It was three days and two nights flying from London to Nairobi. The plane was a Vickers Viking with seating for about 27 passengers, and flying was daytime only. The first leg was to Nice for refueling and lunch. Then it was onto our overnight destination Malta where encountering a severe electrical storm en-route. The following day was onto Cairo where we enjoyed our first taste of curry and coca cola as there had been rationing back home with no sugar available for luxury drinks. After lunch it was on again to Khartoum where we stayed in a floating hotel on the (Blue) Nile. The desert was something to wonder at for me. The following morning it was on to Nairobi where we stayed with friends for five days. I still have my air ticket from Airworks [ £48.10 shillings ].
From Nairobi it was a short flight to Mwadui in Doc's VIP De Havilland Dove [in the cockpit for me] with Mike Croft at the controls.
Dad (Bud Hide) had flown out three months earlier and was there to meet us off the plane. I made the mistake of jumping into the back of an open topped Land Rover, never ever made that mistake again. It was a short drive to our new semi detached bungalow in Hopley Avenue, the centre of the five pairs on the golf course side. The Johnson family lived next door in the other part of our semi, with the school teachers Freda Dent and Jacquie Harvey sharing the next semi, and Louis Staalberg, a radio ham, in 29, the last before the golf coarse.
The famous Williamson Pink (54.5 carat rough) was found on the surface in 1947 by two local native boys, they took it to the Doc's house. Dr Williamson gave the priceless cut Pink round [23.6 carat] to the then Princess Elizabeth as the centerpiece of a brooch for her forthcoming wedding to Prince Phillip.
[ 142 carat's = 1imperial oz]
Dr Williamson died of throat cancer in January 1958, and was buried in Mwadui. The Mine was taken over by his brother Percy B Williamson & Mr I C Chopra the Asian Lawyer who financed his early days prospecting. Mr Chopra held a 10% stake in the mine from day one. We also left Mwadui in 1958, shortly after the Doc's death and returned to England after one last flight to Nairobi in the Dove. We stayed with relatives in Nairobi for a while before getting the over-night train to Mombassa. Here we used to go swimming in the clear waters of the Indian Ocean at Nyali beach. Then it was back to England by ship, The Braemar Castle of the Union Castle Line. I then went to join my elder brother at the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook, Suffolk.
Doc Williamson, an enigma

 

[Smart911]

Safi sana...

Cc: mahondaw

 

[Beeb]

Nitarudi kusoma

 

[game over]

Thanks mkuu

 

[Killmonger]

Mkuu? Hiki ni kitabu?
Kinaweza patikana wapi ?