Harrison Weir

Harrison William Weir (5 May 1824 – 3 January 1906), known as "The Father of the Cat Fancy", was an English gentleman and artist.

He organised the first cat show in England, at The Crystal Palace, London, in July 1871. He and his brother, John Jenner Weir, both served as judges in the show. In 1887 Harrison Weir founded the National Cat Club and was its first President and Show Manager until his resignation in 1890.

Weir was born at Lewes, Sussex, on 5 May 1824. In 1866 Weir started working on his Victorian gothic home "Weirleigh", in the village of Matfield, Kent. Weirleigh was later bought by the Sassoon family and was the birthplace of Siegfried Sassoon in 1886. The house still stands today. After selling Weirleigh, Weir lived at Poplar Hall, Appledore, Kent, where he died on 3 January 1906.

Weir was educated at Albany Academy, Camberwell, until 1837 when he became apprenticed to George Baxter, the colour-printer. Weir worked in every branch of Baxter's business, his main work being printing off the plates. From Baxter he learned to engrave and draw on wood and taught himself during his spare time to draw birds, mammals, and other subjects from nature. in 1842 Herbert Ingram founded the "Illustrated London News" and employed Weir as a draughtsman on wood and engraver from the first issue and for many years thereafter.

In 1845 Weir made a first exhibition consisting of an oil painting of a wild duck, "The Dead Shot," at the British Institution. During his career he was an occasional exhibitor at the Royal Academy, the Suffolk Street, and other galleries. On his election in 1849 as member of the New Society of Painters in Water-colours—now the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours—he exhibited mainly there, altogether 100 pictures.

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