Joseph Weakley ^5,13,20

  Birth Notes:

http://www.1820settlers.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Genealogy&file=getperson&personID=I17507&tree=1#cite3

And

http://www.eggsa.org/1820-settlers/index.php/additional-information/uvw-surnames/1669-weakley-joseph-extra-data.htmll

And

Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530�1886 TranscripƟon
First name(s) Joseph
Last name Weakely
Birth year 1790
Birth date 27 Jun 1790
Baptism year 1790
Baptism date 29 Aug 1790
Place Bradford on Avon
Father's first name(s) Joseph
Mother's first name(s) Ann
County Wiltshire
Country England
Notes WEAKELY in Reg : WEAKLY in BT ; pauper
Record set Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530Â-1886
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain
Wiltshire Family History Society
Transcriptions © Wiltshire Family History Society
URL of this page: http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbprs%2fwiltsfhs10%2f
bap%2f23958

  Christening Notes:

Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530�1886 Transcription
First name(s) Joseph
Last name Weakely
Birth year 1790
Birth date 27 Jun 1790
Baptism year 1790
Baptism date 29 Aug 1790
Place Bradford on Avon
Father's first name(s) Joseph
Mother's first name(s) Ann
County Wiltshire
Country England
Notes WEAKELY in Reg : WEAKLY in BT pauper
Record set Wiltshire Baptisms, 1530-1886
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain
Wiltshire Family History Society
Transcriptions © Wiltshire Family History Society
URL of this page: http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbprs%2fwiltsfhs10%2f
bap%2f23958

  Death Notes:

http://www.1820settlers.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Genealogy&file=getperson&personID=I17507&tree=1#cite3

And

https://ancestry24.com/search-item/?id=C1445832
Name: WEAKLEY, JOSEPH
Year: 1863
Volume: 6/9/103
Source Location: National Archives, Cape Town (KAB)
Reference: 361
Source: Master's Office / Orphan Chamber, Cape Town (MOOC)
Collection Name: Cape Estates Death Notice Index 1834 - 1951

  Burial Notes:

http://www.1820settlers.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Genealogy&file=getperson&personID=I17387&tree=1

  Sources of information or noted events in his life were:

• Children. According to

There were 11 Children

Children
1. Mary Weakley, b. 5 Aug 1815, Frome, Somersetshire, England
2. Joseph Weakley, b. 11 May 1817, Frome, Somersetshire, England
3. John Benjamin Weakley, b. 1819, England
4. Ann Weakley, b. 21 Jul 1822, Bathurst, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
5. Rhoda Weakley, b. 8 Dec 1825, Bathurst, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
6. Benjamin Weakley, b. 7 Mar 1827, Grahamstown
7. Samuel Weakley, b. 17 Sep 1829, Grahamstown
8. Joshua Soybury Weakley, b. 5 Mar 1833, Grahamstown
9. James Weakley, b. 3 Nov 1834, Grahamstown
10. Emma Kinton Weakley, b. 9 May 1837, Grahamstown
11. George Robert Weakley, b. 6 Oct 1840, Grahamstown

• General Comment. 1820 Settler Landed 7 Jan 1820 Hyman's party.

• General Comment. MR. JAMES WEAKLEY'S NARRATIVE

Father was born at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, on June 27th 1790
and Mother at Farleigh, Wiltshire on November 5th 1791. I am told that
variations of our family name, such as WAKELY, WHEATLY etc abound in the
neighbourhood of Bradford-on-Avon - our correct name, however, is WEAKELY -
as the birth certificate proves - but Father ran away from home during the
French War and joined the Navy, and was prisoner in France for two years,
and his name was entered as WEAKLEY. This spelling has been retained ever
since, partly I expect as prize money was expected after the termination of
the war. Father and Mother (Joseph WEAKLEY and Emma KINTON) were married on
November 3rd 1814 and lived subsequently at Frome, Somersetshire, where
Father earned a livelihood as a weaver of West of England cloth. They
afterwards, in 1820, went out to the Cape with the British Settlers, several
children having previously been born. On landing at Algoa Bay the only
shelter provided was tents, permanent buildings not having been erected
there. From Algoa Bay they trekked to Bathurst, each settler in their party
being allocated a certain extent of land in that neighbourhood. Father,
however, soon commenced trading up country, using bullock wagons, and
received cattle in exchange for the commodities he supplied. On his
periodical returns to Bathurst, where Mother and the children remained, his
drove of cattle were killed, the hides and tallow realizing far more than
the live animals cost him. From Bathurst a move was made to Grahams Town,
the farm house on West Hill being bought and converted into stores, so that
they might almost be said to have been the first inhabitants of that
flourishing city. A successful trade was carried on there, principally with
the Dutch farmers (who came periodically to the Nachtmlaal etc). When Father
and Mother first lived there, droves of elephants used to feed in what is
now the centre of the town and lions etc had also their homes close at hand.
Their family increased to a total of eleven, seven sons and four daughters,
George being born when mother was about 49 years old - but two sons Benjamin
and Joshua died in their teens. In 1845, the five elder children being
married, Father and Mother and the four youngest bairns (Samuel, James, Emma
and George) sailed for England in the "Owen Glendowe", a large sailing East
India liner, and after a pleasant seven weeks voyage landed in London. The
Great Metropolis looked so dirty to us youngsters, although it was then at
its best being the month of May, that some of us cried to be taken back to
the Cape. Those also were Joe's (Chamberlain) good old protection days and
the poverty and misery of the working classes was heartrending. We resided
first at Barking and afterwards at Woodford, both near London, till about
1848, when leaving Samuel to manage the shipping agency, the rest of us
removed to the island of Jersey in search of a warmer climate, and from
thence, in 1851, to Bordeaux in Southern France. George and I were sent as
pupils to the Lycee of that city to pick up the French language, but
unfortunately after a fifteen months stay, the climate not suiting Mother
and Emma, we returned to London and from thence removed to Birmingham in
1853 to superintend the shipping of guns from that town. Whilst residing
there Father built a small chapel and school room underneath in Hope Street,
entirely at his own expence, for the poor of the neighbourhood, which was
afterwards vested in trustees of the Baptist denomination, the principal
condition being that all seats should be free and the Ministers have no
salary. I may add that this little chapel, of about 300 seatings, has
flourished ever since and hundreds of similar ones should be erected all
over the large towns of England, as our working classes will not attend the
Grand Churches and chapels now existing. Father and Mother too had sweet
voices and were fond of leading the singing at chapel. Father also played
the violoncello and flute and he often sang favourite hymns and accompanied
himself on his bass-viol as a hobby at home. In 1854 Father and Mother and
the two youngest children returned to Grahams Town, leaving James in
Birmingham and Samuel in London. After george and Emma were settled in the
Colony the seniors made several voyages to and from the Old Country till on
May 27th 1863 Father died at Grahams Town of apoplexy seized while having
his morning's cold bath. Mother died there also after a long and useful
life, beloved by all, on February 17th 1876, leaving very numerous
descendants even reaching the third (or fourth) generation and counting over
one hundred and twenty souls.
Father had an only sister and Mother an only brother in England, the
latter died young and unmarried and if the former, who left one son and one
daughter, has any grandchildren living they have quite vanished from our
knowledge and probably emigrated to Canada or the United States as they were
brought up on farms.
Although I have been away from South Africa nearly sixty years I
still have a vivid recollection of its grand scenery and especially Grahams
Town and neighbourhood. I can also remember being christened by the Rev.
William SHAW in the Old Wesleyan Chapel Grahams Town when only six years
old. Father and Mother took George for the same ceremony, being then a babe
in arms, and occupied a front pew. Emma, aged three years, and I however sat
at the back of the chapel, along with an elder sister, until Mr. SHAW
announced the christening as follows: "Those parents who have any children
to be baptised will now bring them forward." Whereupon I took Emma's hand,
no doubt having been thoroughly drilled previously, and led her up the
aisle; and I can remember to this day how the people leant over the gallery
grinning at us both, or rather I expect at such a young father having such a
fine baby.
To show how cheap livestock was in the colony in 1845, let me tell
you that 50 woolled sheep were offered on the Grahams Town market on the day
of our departure by a farmer at 1s 9d each. Father offered eighteen pence
which he accepted, and as my brother Joseph was standing by he said "Here
Joe is a present for you", and we heard afterwards that the little flock did
wonderfully well on Joseph's farm in the Somerset district.

• General Comment. General Information via Gedcom File from LS.

LS has a photograph or knows where it is. In the photograph are:-

Back: James and Samuel Weakley
Middle: Joseph, Emma, Amity, unknown, unknown, unknown
Front: Minnie and unknown child.

• General Comment. ²⁰ Joseph Weakely ran away from home and joined the Royal Navy at the time of the Napolionic Wars. His name was spelt Weakley instead of Weakely in the ship's register, and the new spelling was subsequently adopted by him, probably because he wanted to claim his "prize money" when this was paid at the end of the War. He was held as prisoner of war of the French for two years.

In 1814 Joseph married Emma Kinton who was born in 1791 at Farleigh, Wiltshire, England and died at Grahamstown on 17 February 1879. She was the daughter and only child of Christian James Kinton. After their marriage they lived in Frome, Somerset where he was a cloth weaver The first three children were all baptised on 29 August 1790 in the Holy Trinity Church at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, England. According to a newspaper article written by James Weakley (A child of Joseph and Emma Kinton) about his ancestors he states his fathers siblings were sickly children and all died at a young age and Joseph grew up as an only child.

He sold his business in Wiltshire for £ 500 before emigrating to the Cape prior to his departure in 1820. It is interesting to note that according to the Embarkation list Joseph's occupation was given as that of a gardener.

Soon after his arrival at Bathurst he started on trading expeditions for cattle, which he slaughtered on his return home, as hides and tallow fetched higher prices than that of livestock. In 1822 Lots numbers 66 and 67 at Bathurst were transferred into Joseph Weakley's name.

He moved from Bathurst to Grahamstown and bought a farm house on Woest Hill (This could possibly be West Hill), which he used for stores. His trade was principally with the Dutch Farmers.

• General Comment. May have a brother James Weakley who died in 1851 see eggsa library. Not proven.

• Occupation. Gardner and weaver of West of England cloth.
Gunsmith / Gun Dealer see http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=2069

From the book:-

Johann, Peter
Thixo befreie uns
Tiyo Sani Soga und Janet (Burnside) Soga im viktorianischen Schottland und in Kolonial-Südafrika
Der afrikanisch-christliche Beitrag zur Befreiung der Xhosa-Nation im 19. Jahrhundert

Page 64

1.6.6 Zu Mitteln und Folgen der Kolonialkriege.

Die Waffen die Brittishe Militärs und europäische Siedler in den Kolonialkriegen einsetzen, stammten zunächst vorwiegen von Waffenshmieden aus London. Um 1800 wurden Gewehre von der Firma Westley Richard & Co zum Einsatz gebracht, um 1845 von R. Redman, um 1855 von R. Johnstone und um 1860 von Hollis & Son. Bald entwickelten englische Waffenschmiede in Südafrika eine leistungsstarke Waffenproduktion in Grahamstown. Joseph Weakley, einer Siedler von 1820, eröffnete 1840 in der Bathurst Street ein Waffengeshaft. Das Zwillingsgewehr, das dort verkauft wurde, wird im Settlers Museum in Grahamstown ausgestellt. (Original Cape Gun) 1836 wanderte John Hayton aus Cumberland, England, in Südafrika ein und gelangte 1843 nach Grahamstown. Als er 1873 in den Ruhestand trat, war er der reichste Mann der Stadt. Von 1850 bis 1873 stellte er Tausende von Schusswaffen her.


German to English translation©

1.6.6 to means and results of the colonial wars.

The weapons the British Military and European colonists used in the colonial wars, at first, came predominately from Gunsmiths from London. From 1800 guns were brought in by the company Westley Richard und Co. Then from about 1845 from R. Redman. From about 1855 (guns were supplied) from R. Johnstone and finally from about 1860 (guns were supplied) from Hollis and Son. English Gunsmiths soon developed a highly competitive weapon production in Grahamstown in South Africa. Joseph Weakley, a colonist of 1820, a Gunsmith Shop in the Bathurst Street, Grahamstown, in 1840. An example of the twin-barrelled gun which was sold there is displayed in the Settlers Museum in Grahamstown. (This is the renowned "Original cape Gun".) In 1836, John Hayton immigrated from Cumberland, England, to South Africa. He arrived in Grahamstown in 1843. When he retired in 1873, he was the richest man in the town. From 1850 to 1873 he produced thousands of firearms.

The UK 1851 Census gives his occupation as Cow Keeper.

• Religion: Baptist. >From British History Online (2006)
Hope Street Emmanuel Free Church was opened in 1854, as a mission Sunday school, in a building 'erected at the sole expense of Joseph Weakley, of Grahamstown, South Africa' (fn. 90) and served for many years as a free Baptist chapel unconnected with the Baptist Union. It became briefly famous in 1889, when P. T. Stanford, a negro ex-slave, was invited to become pastor. (fn. 91) The building in use in 1892 provided sittings for 450, but attracted a Sunday evening congregation of only 59, (fn. 92) and three years later ceased to be registered for public worship. (fn. 93)
From: 'Religious History: Places of worship', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 7: The City of Birmingham (1964), pp. 434-82. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=22981.

• Web Based Info. http://www.1820settlers.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Genealogy&file=getperson&personID=I17507&tree=1#cite3

And

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/igi/individual_record.asp?recid=100289688317&lds=1®ion=0&frompage=1

And

http://www.southafricansettlers.info/?page_id=1949

And

https://ancestry24.com/wp-content/uploads/pages/The%20Family%20Register%20of%20the%20South%20African%20Nation/page_01173.pdf

• Census: UK, 1851. http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=view&r=an&dbid=8860&iid=ESSHO107_1769_1770-0646&fn=George+R&ln=Weakley&st=r&ssrc=&pid=4677935

• General Comment. WEAKLEY extracts from Lower Albany Chronicle Part Two 1826-1840 compiled by E. Morse Jones

1833
August 1. \endash there was a sale at Bathurst of Joseph WEAKLEY's five stone
dwellings, twenty acres, 300 cattle and merchandise. He was retiring from
business.

1834
July 29 \endash Mary, daughter of Joseph WEAKLEY, was married at Grahamstown by the Reverend John HEAVYSIDE to Joseph, son of William Thackwray.

September 11 \endash Joseph WEAKLEY had acquired James COLLETT's Pendennis, on Mansfield River. He now offered it for sale.

1839
January 24 \endash Joseph Weakley had a horse stolen at Grahamstown.

1840
December 31 \endash Joseph WEAKLEY rented a pew in Bathurst Chapel.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA-EASTERN-CAPE/2012-12/1354642608

Joseph married Emma Kinton, daughter of Christian James Kinton and Unknown, on 25 Oct 1814 in Frome Church (St John the Baptist), Frome, Somerset, England. (Emma Kinton was born on 5 Nov 1791 in Farleigh, Wiltshire, England, died on 17 Feb 1879 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa and was buried in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa.)

  Sources of information or n events in their marriage were:

• General Comment. Marriages at St John the Baptist, Frome, 1813-1821, transcript by Yvonne Scrivener we have -

Item 160
Date 25 Oct 1814, by banns
Joseph WEAKLEY Batchelor of this parish
Emma KINTON Spinster of this parish
Witnesses John MISON Wm CHUBB

• Web Based Info. https://www.familysearch.org/search/recordDetails/show?uri=https://api.familysearch.org/records/pal:/MM9.1.r/9QGT-X5T/p4

And

http://www.gomezsmart.myzen.co.uk/places/frome/FSJ%20Marriages%201813-1821.html