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The Rotary Club of Edinburgh
History
JEAN THOMSON HARRIS - Introduction
Ed Lucas has been carrying out research on Jean Thomson Harris, the Scottish born wife of Paul Harris.
Ed has produced an excellent piece of work and come up with many interesting
facts on the life of Jean Thomson before she married Paul and after she
returned to Edinburgh.
Jean Thomson was born on the 8th November 1881 at 9 Cumberland Street
in Edinburgh.
Her parents were: -
John Thomson, from Logiepert, Forfarshire
Anne Thomson, nee Youngson from Peterhead.
In 1891 the family moved to 33 Cumberland Street, a house located behind
a local shop.
The Census of 1891 lists John Thomson as a Furniture Packer, Jean aged
9, a scholar her elder sister Anne aged 16, a Dressmaker, brothers John
aged 13, an Apprentice Clothier and Alexander aged 11, a scholar. There
were also two younger children; James aged 6 and Mary aged 5.
In 1892 the Thomson family moved to rented flat, no.81 in the newly built tenements in Comely Bank Avenue.
Jean probably attended St Bernard’s School in Dean Park Street.
On leaving school Jean served for a time as a lady’s maid with several
well-known families in Edinburgh.
JEAN THOMSON HARRIS - Part One
By 1905 the Thomson family had departed from Comely Bank Avenue-various
members heading for Canada and eventually settling in the USA. Jean's
brother John, trained in the ministry and on returning to Scotland, was
minister at churches in Leith and in Ayrshire-he was Chaplain to the Moderator
of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1931.
One Saturday afternoon on a ramble in the Beverly Hills, Paul Harris was
out with the Chicago Prairie Club and on Climbing through a fence tore
the sleeve of his fine tweed jacket. Jean Thomson who was also on the
ramble with her sister Mary noticed Paul's dismay and offered to repair
the rip for him. Just three months after that meeting, on 2nd July 1910
Jean and Paul Harris were married a union which lasted 37 years until
Paul's death.
In 1912 Jean and Paul named their house in Chicago-'Comely Bank'
JEAN THOMSON HARRIS - Part Two
By 1905 the Thomson family had departed from Comely Bank Avenue-various
members heading for Canada and eventually settling in the USA. Jean's
brother John, trained in the ministry and on returning to Scotland, was
minister at churches in Leith and in Ayrshire-he was Chaplain to the Moderator
of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1931.
One Saturday afternoon on a ramble in the Beverly Hills, Paul Harris was
out with the Chicago Prairie Club and on Climbing through a fence tore
the sleeve of his fine tweed jacket. Jean Thomson who was also on the
ramble with her sister Mary noticed Paul's dismay and offered to repair
the rip for him. Just three months after that meeting, on 2nd July 1910
Jean and Paul Harris were married a union which lasted 37 years until
Paul's death.
In 1912 Jean and Paul named their house in Chicago-'Comely Bank'
JEAN THOMSON HARRIS - Part Three
Following the death of her husband Paul in 1947 Jean experienced a breakdown. On her recovery she continued to give much voluntary service in the City of Chicago but always felt a strong desire to return to her native Edinburgh. This she did in 1955.
On her return to Edinburgh Jean Harris made it very clear that she wished to be left alone and did not care to be invited to any function. Although she did not attend any meetings of the Inner Wheel, of which she was their first Honorary Member she generously contributed to their Edinburgh's Charity Fund.
However Jean Harris agreed to be a guest at the Special Dinner of The Rotary Club of Edinburgh during the Jubilee Year celebrations in 1962 at which the President of Rotary International was also a guest.
She reported to one of the older members of the Club that "she had had enough of Rotary to last two lifetimes." On 23rd February each year (the founding day of Rotary) she was visited by Past President Bob Murray and Secretary Kenneth Dow from the Rotary Club of Edinburgh who took her flowers.
On 9th November 1963, the day after her 82nd birthday Jean Thomson Harris died in a nursing home in Newington, Edinburgh. The Scotsman Newspaper carried the following death notice on 11th November.
Harris- at a nursing home in Edinburgh on 9th November 1963-Jean Thomson-Mayfield Gardens beloved wife of the late Paul P Harris-funeral private-no flowers.
Jean Thomson Harris is buried in Newington Cemetery in a grave with her younger brother James. Other members of the Thomson family are buried nearby.
(Thanks are due to Ed Lucas for his research into the life of Jean Thomson Harris and for the articles on her life).