In the Northern Natal Courier of Friday 25 May 1934 a notice was printed that the Town Council has granted permission for the erection of the Hearn Memorial at a suitable spot in King Edwards park, and it was agreed to make the necessary water connection to the memorial, which was in the form of a drinking fountain.
Who was Harry Hearn and why was this memorial erected?
The inscription of the memorial reads:
“Harry Hearn
17 December 1933
To commemorate the gallantry of his wife who risked her life by saving a boy from drowning, well knowing that her husband had lost his life in the same endeavour.”
Henry John Hearn, father of Harry, had owned Hearn’s hotel in Hattingspruit.
A report in the Northern Natal Courier of 22 December 1933 recorded the tragic circumstances in which Harry died.
“It appears that a European boy got into difficulties while bathing in a dam on Mr Hearn’s farm, and on being given the alarm by his son, Mr Hearn ran to the dam and plunged fully dressed into the icy cold water to rescue the boy. It is surmised that the shock caused heart failure as Mr Hearn failed to re-appear. Mrs Hearn who had followed closely on the heels of her husband, then plunged fully dressed into the dam and succeeded in bringing the boy to the bank, who soon revived.”
Mrs Hearn contacted the Hattingspruit police who searched the dam and eventually found her husband’s body.
During the inquest held before Mr Whittaker, assistant magistrate, information on the incident was recorded. Once again a full report was published in the Northern Natal Courier of 5 January 1934.
Mrs Hearn stated that her son, James aged 9 and a friend, Percy Sander also aged 9, had gone swimming in the dam close to the Berkenheim farmhouse. She and her husband had followed them as were somewhat wary of the boys swimming on their own. Her husband had left the house before her and about half way to the dam her son had come running up and told her that Percy was experiencing difficulties. She rushed down to the dam and saw the boy struggling in the water but there was no sign of her husband. She rescued the boy and brought him to the shore.
There was also an article in this same edition of the newspaper that a public subscription had been launched to raise funds to erect a memorial to Harry Hearn’s bravery. A drinking fountain costing 40 pounds (about R910 today) was built at the park – today known as the oval.
