The first newspaper in Heidelberg, Heidelberg News, was run by Harry Weakly.
Harry Weakley was born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on June 20, 1863. His father was George Robert Weakley and his mother Mary Tucker.
Harry was the first of eight children.
Weakley was first the editor of the Colesberg Advertiser Newspaper.
Coming to Heidelberg, Weakley set up a printing press on September 21, 1895.
During the Second Anglo-Boer War, Weakley became a Reuters war correspondent.
On his return to Heidelberg, he wanted to pick up where he left off but found that the printing works had been taken over by the British who were using it to print proclamations and other documentation.
Besides Weakley’s newspaper ambitions, he was a local lay preacher for the Methodist Church for close to half a century.
Weakley started preaching in 1894.
The first native church was held in the back office of the Heidelberg News.
Weakley was also a self-taught artist. He did several oil paintings of Heidelberg.
Weakley further drew various pencil sketches that included the Kloof and Blesbok Spruit.
His first mode of transport was a bicycle and later he travelled by horse and cart.
The Weakleys resided at 37 Fenter Street in Heidelberg.
Weakley’s newspaper office and printing works were situated on the corner of the then Church (HF Verwoerd) and Maré Streets.
He used to walk home, cross the spruit and be at his place of work within a couple of minutes.
Harry Weakley was married to Annie Louisa (neé King).
Annie was born on August 28, 1859, on the farm Elizabeth in Bedford, Cape Colony.
Her parents were George King and Mary Louisa Webster. The Weakleys had seven children.
Annie died on November 30, 1935.
Harry died on November 3, 1943, at the age of 80.
Harry and Annie Weakley are buried on a farm outside of Balfour.
