4 August 1886 
The goods van attached to the train leaving Port Alfred caught fire a few miles beyond Bathurst. It was packed full of grain and bran and sacks of other produce, consigned to Port Elizabeth. The fire was ignited by sparks from the engine. When the train pulled up, there was a well-watered vlei nearby and the flames were doused.

6 August 1892 
Noted that since First of January, the library had acquired 150 new volumes which now totaled 654.

14 August 1812 
Grahamstown was officially named in honour of John Graham.

27 August 1881 
“There’s a tidal wave in the river of ‘unusual heaviness’”. Pont gear was carried away, a heavy chain having broken with the force of the water, and carried upstream Mr van der Volk, the pontoon keeper, was fishing nearby and saw it happen. He said waves of 3-4 feet broke over the pontoon.

21 August 1914 
“Glorious rain” was reported after yet another prolonged drought. The Port Alfred Municipality had had to request water being railed from Grahamstown to keep the mental asylum supplied.