Jean Harris Photographs and some Reflections

The First Lady of Rotary

"True to the traditions of her ancestors, she permits no cause which she deems unworthy to go undefended, and she can mobilize her spiritual forces in a second's time. Alleged Scotch (sic) parsimony is conspicuous in its absence from the heart of bonnie Jean." The Founder of Rotary Paul P Harris, Rotary International 1928

Jean Harris is by far the most famous of the wives of Rotarians who make up the Inner Wheel organisation and here are some up to date photographs of the wife of the founder of Rotary.

Jean Harris's was born on the 8th of November 1881 and her birthplace commemorated at 9 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh with this plaque (above) donated by the Rotary Club of St. Louis, Missouri, USA in April 1978 on the suggestion of Alex C. West, a past President of Edinburgh Rotary Club.

This famous club (the eleventh Rotary Club in the world) obviously recognises the importance of its history in making this splendid gesture.

The street is at the heart of Edinburgh's New Town designed in the late eighteenth century by James Craig . The streets designed to be"symmetrical, clean and classical" and many were named with the British Royal House of Hanover overtones e.g., Princes Street, George Street, Hanover Street, Charlotte Square, Fredrick Street, Quen Street and of course, Cumberland Street after the Duke of Cumberland , brother to King George III and infamous for his merciless Highland clearances after the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.

A few blocks up from Cumberland Street, walking on the lengthy, uphill, majestic Dundas Street - from the top we see Edinburgh Castle and below the view is of the Port of Leith and the firth of Forth - we encounter the birthplace of another famous Edinburgh resident - Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

The famous street name where Jean spent her childhood and whose name, Paul and Jean Harris affectionately named their home after. The actual address was 41Comely Bank Avenue. The photo is taken at the crossroads between Comely Bank Road and Comely Bank Avenue.

This is one of the most pleasant areas of Edinburgh very close to the thriving little "village" of Stockbridge. Nearby are some of Edinburgh's famous private schools including Fettes where current Prime Minister Tony Blair was educated.

Jean Harris is buried in Newington Cemetery, Edinburgh where this unmissable plaque donated by the Rotary Club of Braids ( a nearby suburb of Edinburgh in District 1020) stands at the cemetery gates. Jean died on the 9th of November 1963 having returned to her native land in 1955.

Unfortunately, Newington Cemetery is under some disrepair after many years of neglect, the local authority - Edinburgh City Council have taken over the maintenance from the private sector. Many gravestones have unfortunately toppled over and I regret to say many have been deliberately so desecrated.

Jean's unremarkable gravestone is about the 14th in on the left directly from the main entrance at Dalkeith Road. It would be quite possible to walk straight past it in this large cemetery as there are no directions.

Perhaps it is appropriate that such a simple family inscription covers the gravestone. Its style is very similar to other graves in Edinburgh. Jean Harris had asked for a private burial and her true modesty is sybolised here in this headstone.

Looking at this bare and desolate plot, so similar to its neighbours, it seems a very apt place to "sow the seeds of love" - Rotary International's theme for 2002-3. A few flowers on this grave would be an appropriate gesture, I believe. There is a rose named in memory of Jean Harris developed by Aberdeen Rotarian Alex Cocker in 1976. It is described as "a short growing plant, and a very effective one, with double flowers of bright orange salmon shaded peach yellow".

Jean's grave at Newington Cemetery. Contrast this sad place with husband Paul's last resting place by visiting the Rotary history fellowship web site.

Why is Jean Harris buried many thousands of miles away from her husband?

In short, it is because her family are all buried in Newington Cemetery, includung her parents.

Paul Harris, in 1935, told the story of how Jean's parents aged around 90 both said farewell to their daughter to return to Scotland in order to be buried in the "old soil". They had stayed in the USA for over 25 years but never bacame "American". Jean's mother wished to return in order to be buried in Newington next to her mother. So, now we have three generations of daughters at rest in this cemetery.