Location of Zand River Farm, near Bethlehem, Free State, in 1900?

[Wexflyer]

There are 4 Zandrivier farms listed on the Boer War database, two of which are in the Free State one in the Bethlehem area the other in  Senekal district which is a town situated on the banks of the Sand River.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senekal.

It is possible that the farm was used as a military base, many were.

Indeed, a reference work I consulted on the location of British army regiments lists "Zand River Farm" as a base during the Boer War. But of course it does not say exactly where that farm is or was. Can you point me to that Boer War database? The one in the Bethlehem area is the one I want. Thanks.

[3sillydogs]

Is it possible to trace the movements of his regiment at that time to get a better idea of the actual area?

I use this one it is very informative, where I found your man.

www.angloboerwar.com

and this one where I found the farm listings

http://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/

[Wexflyer]

Is it possible to trace the movements of his regiment at that time to get a better idea of the actual area?

Thanks for the reference. I have a copy of the regimental history, but it does not mention the incident in which he died, or the location. Using his date of death, I did find reference to fighting at this location on the day he died on a web page for a different regiment. Several British soldiers were killed in action there on the same date.

[3sillydogs]

Senekal is only 68 from Bethlehem.  It may be that at one time it was all one farm....

[3sillydogs]

Have found a reference to Zandrivier Farm in 1852 which gives it's location as being halfway between Bloemfontein and the Vaal River.  The Vaal River forms the boundary between the Free State and what was then the Transvaal.  Looking at a map it would put it more or less in the area of Senekal. 

Parts of Bethlehem suburbs are listed on title deeds as being part of the farm Zandrivier.

I hope you can read the article:

[Wexflyer]

Have found a reference to Zandrivier Farm in 1852 which gives it's location as being halfway between Bloemfontein and the Vaal River.....

I hope you can read the article:

Thank you, much obliged! I can read the article.

I have always wondered if poor old Barty (Bartholomew) was buried on the farm. I would love to visit sometime.
One last question. In Ireland farms ranges from a few acres (small) to tens of acres (medium) to maybe 100-200 acres (largest). By contrast, I get the feeling that the South African farms may be many kilometers in extent! Is that correct?

[3sillydogs]

By British standards our farms are very large, even the small ones.  Our commecial farms can be many thousand hectares and a small farm only 1 000 hectares.  So the distance of 68km from Senekal to Bethlehem could indeed have been one farm.

I think the farm, as many have as urban sprawl continues, been portioned up to accomodate the spreading towns and cities.

I can't find a grave for him, but there are many small graveyards and photographing and transcribing them is an ongoing task, especially the small farm graveyards.

[Wexflyer]

... the distance of 68km from Senekal to Bethlehem could indeed have been one farm....

I can't find a grave for him, but there are many small graveyards and photographing and transcribing them is an ongoing task, especially the small farm graveyards.

That is astonishing. I guessed the farms in SA would belarger, but would never have thought they could be that large. 68 km is about the entire breadth of my native Co. Wexford!

As for a grave, a few years ago someone sent me a link to a list of British army burials in Bethlehem. Bartholomew Walsh was not among them. Given how he died, I wonder if there was anything left to bury.

[3sillydogs]

It is quite a sight to see especially driving throught the Free State which is so flat you can see tomorrow comming and these fields of mielies(corn) and sunflowers that to stretch for miles on either side of the road.  The sunflowers are particularly spectacular when the entire field is in bloom. In Natal, where I live, it is mainly dairy farms with herds of about 400 cows, but the Eastern Cape can have around 500 cows, these provinces having more water than the inland ones.

There are many memorials to the War, I'm checking a site now to see if he pops up on any of the plaques that were erected.