Old Drill Hall, Darling Street (Now the Central Library building) The foundation stone of the Drill Hall was laid on 2 October 1884 by Thomas Upington, then Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. The building, designed by James Tennant, of the Royal Engineers, and built by a Mr Kitsch, was inaugurated on 15 December 1885 by Sir John Gordon Sprigg. In 1889 it was extended by architect Anthony De Witt, of the Volunteer Engineers. It was declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 29 May 1987.