Port Elizabeth Advertiser
The Port Elizabeth Advertiser was a twice-weekly free newspaper founded in March 1867, by a printer and bookbinder, William Edwards, who was also the Editor. The newspaper was located in Main Street, through to Chapel Street. The newspaper carried items of local interest and relied on advertising for its revenue. In November 1945, after negotiations with her owner, John Watt, the Port Elizabeth Advertiser and its sister paper, the Weekend News were bought out by E H Walton & Co, owners of the Eastern Province Herald.
The old Hoe Press was re-bushed, enabling it to print the required number of copies. In addition, a Gigant Press was installed in Chapel Street and the printing plates were cast at Newspaper House in Baakens Street.
On February 8, 1947, a free specimen copy of the new Saturday Post, published under contract with Unie Volkspelers with John G Sutherland as Founding Editor and managing director, was handed out which was well received by the public. The newspaper was housed in the premises of the Alliance Printing Company in Hancock Street, North End.
On March 19, 1948, at a Board Meeting of the Port Elizabeth Advertiser, it was decided that as sales of the Port Elizabeth Advertiser were so drastically down, the last edition of the paper would be published on April 13, 1948.
On May 1, 1948, the Port Elizabeth Advertiser became the afternoon Daily Advertiser with Henry H Hertzog "Zog" Biermann as Editor. The newspaper was housed at 28/30 Victoria Quay in a building which was first occupied by the Afrikaans bi-weekly, Ons Land.
On July 1, 1948, Edward "Ted" M Searle, Wallace Neil-Boss, Robert St Ledger Searle, Colonel "Okkie" Oosthuizen, Langton Iliffe, Leycester Walton, H A MacPherson, John Watt, E P Dimbleby, and J Glendinning, shareholders of E H Walton, formed a new company, Eastern Province Newspapers with Geoffrey Bramall as Managing Director, and took over the Eastern Province Herald and the Daily Advertiser.
In 1949 the famous British newspaper magnate Sir Edward Mauger Iliffe, (1st Baron Iliffe), bought the majority shares of Eastern Province Newspapers and observed there were too many newspapers for Port Elizabeth to handle. Consequently, he decided to discontinue publication of the Weekend News and the Sunday Magazine.
On June 17, 1949, the directors of E H Walton gave notice they had disposed of their shares in the holding company of the Port Elizabeth Advertiser to Eastern Province Newspapers. John Watts and Mrs L Watts resigned as Directors of the Port Elizabeth Advertiser.
On February 27, 1950, the Daily Advertiser and Saturday Post were merged to form the Evening Post. John G Sutherland was appointed Editor.
On June 3, 1950, the magazine section of the Evening Post was launched.
On September 30, 1950, the magazine section was named the Weekend Post Magazine.
Sources
Port Elizabeth Advertiser Board Meeting minutes, March 9, 1948.
Port Elizabeth Advertiser Board Meeting minutes, March 19, 1948.
Port Elizabeth Advertiser, April 13, 1948.
E H Walton, Minutes of Board Meeting minutes, July 1, 1948.
E H Walton, Minutes of Board Meeting minutes, 1949.
Weekend Post, September 30, 1950.
