TOPIC:

Arthur Jesse Shepstone was the son of Theophilus Shepstone, the administrator of Transvaal 1877 to 1880.



He had a full life in South Africa.



The QSA for A J Shepstone is listed on WO100/279p176 for (what appears to be because it is obscured) a no clasp medal with rank of Magistrate. The roll is signed by George Sutton 'Prime Minster'. Certification does not come much better than that! The roll is not dated by George Morris was PM between 18 Aug 1903 and 16 May 1905.

There are 3 magistrates on this page. A J Shepstone for Vryheid, R H Beachcroft for Dundee and Utrecht, H C Koch for Durban and J L Marson, the Surveyor-General. There are three magistrates listed on the previous page.

A note on the roll says he 'Rendered conspicuous service in connection with the military operations throughout the war. Condition 1 and 2.'

An article by Prof Johan Wassermann ( www.ajol.info/index.php/smsajms/article/viewFile/71828/60785 ) says of Shepstone's work in Vryheid:

The occupation of the Vryheid district by the British army meant that all of the borderlands were now under British control. Civilian rule was installed with the
appointment of A.J. Shepstone as the local magistrate.

Shepstone, using his institutional knowledge of the spy system operated by the magistrates in Natal and Zululand, with the support of the local military intelligence officer, J. Roberts, immediately set about organising an extensive spy network from among the Zulu inhabitants of the Vryheid district. These spies had to report all Boer movements to Roberts and Shepstone. The difference was, according to Maphalala, that these spies were now all armed with rifles.

From the Illustrated London News, Saturday, August 04, 1906:



Maquamamkulu was tried for the murder of Mr Walters of the Public Works Department in Natal. The names of the presiding officers from left are:

Major Molyneaux
Captain Clarkson (defending)
Colonel Shepstone
Colonel Wylie (President)
Colonel Furze
Major Vanderplank (Crown Presecutor)
Captain Eute
Lieutenant James (interpreter)

The prisoner is on the extreme right.

The link below is to an account of Sir Theophilus Shepstone, who was the father of the subject of this thread. Sir Theophilus was an important figure in the history of Colonial Natal, and his descendants continued to be prominent in local affairs well into the 20th Century. The rewriting of Colonial history during the past few decades casts Sir T is a less favourable light.

Brett


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophilus_Shepstone

Thank you, Brett.

6 sons and 3 daughters must have been a handful but they certainly left their mark in history.

There are 3 magistrates on this page. A J Shepstone for Vryheid, R H Beachcroft for Dundee and Utrecht, H C Koch for Durban and J L Marson, the Surveyor-General. There are three magistrates listed on the previous page.

Hi David

This would be John Leslie Masson, Surveyor General, whose QSA I have.

Regards

Rory

Rory,

That must be the case. I was having problems reading his name.



Thank you for the clarification.

Can I ask how the medal is named please?

Many thanks
David