Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of South Africa : Ecclesiastical heraldry

DIOCESE OF KIMBERLEY AND KURUMAN

Denomination : Anglican

Official blazon

Per pale, Argent and Sable, a cross potent counterchanged within a bordure Azure charged with eleven lozenges of the first.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on June 23, 1953, but used since 1911.

This version of the arms, with eleven silver lozenges in the bordure, was depicted in Crockford’s Clerical Directory from 1914 until 1930, after which the number of lozenges was reduced to eight, the usual number of heraldic charges borne on bordures in modern heraldry (see below).

The formal grant of these arms by the College of Arms in 1953, however, reverted to the original eleven lozenges.

The cross in the arms symbolises the inter-relationship of the white and black members of the diocese, each helping to bear the burden of the other. The diamonds in the blue bordure – an allusion to diamondiferous ‘blue ground’ – have reference to the main industry of the Cathedral City (Kimberley).

The arms as used with 8 lozenges between 1930-1953: