Sheldon Station, Eastern Cape

Sheldon Station is located between Port Elizabeth and Somerset East, just east of the N10, within the Blue Crane Route Municipality of the Cacadu District Municipality (see Google Maps).

"A number of under-utilised and derelict railway sidings are located in close proximity to the N10 Trunk Road bisecting the region. These sidings, partly habited, include Kommadagga, Sheldon, Middelton, Golden Valley, Klipfontein and Witmos," according to the 2006-2007 Annual Report (PDF) on the official website of the Blue Crane Route Municipality."Sheldon is an old railway siding consisting of 5 houses situated on private property owned by Spoornet with a population of approximately 20 people, and lies approximately 32 km south-east of Cookhouse," according to the 2001 "Western District Council Initial Water Services Plan Appendices" (DOC) from the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.The earliest recorded mention of Sheldon Station in the National Archives of South Africa refers to a road approaching the railway siding in 1894.

Sheldon Station during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)

"From here [Commandant Pieter H.] Kritzinger moved on to the Somerset East and Bedford districts sacking Sheldon Station on 9 March before continuing northward through the Adelaide and Tarkastad districts." (Source: A de V. Minnaar, "Graaf-Reinet and the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)", SAMilitaryHistory.org)

"On March 7th [Commandant Pieter H.] Kritzinger was located at Waterford; thence he dashed due eastward to Sheldon station (March 10th), and so northward into the Winter Berg, closely dogged by the columns, which reached Adelaide on the 16th." (Source: John Frederick Maurice and Maurice Harold Grant, History of the War in South Africa, 1899-1902, Archive.org)

"... along the Fish River and over the Port Elizabeth line near Sheldon Station the raiders went, followed with unrelaxing energy by Colonels Gorringe..." (Source: Louis Creswicke, South Africa and the Transvaal War, Google Book Search)

"... and thence across the Mancazana at Koonap's Drift, along the Fish River to a point near Sheldon Station, where they crossed the Port Elizabeth line to the west on the night of the 27th September." (Source: "Sessional Papers", 1902, House of Commons, Great Britain Parliament)

"On 27 May 1902 [Commandant Wynand] Malan was severely wounded and captured near Sheldon station." (Source: A de V. Minnaar, "Graaf-Reinet and the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)", SAMilitaryHistory.org)