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Loves of Frank Harris

Since his sexual relationships were so much a part of Frank's life, it would seem fit to set aside a page for them. This is by no means a definitive list, but attempts to cover all those mentioned in My Life and Loves and Philippa Pullar's biography. At the moment there is little more than just a series of names, which I intend to (ahem) flesh out as I find the time.

(In drawing up such a list, one finds oneself making absurd rulings: at what point does one of Harris' flirtations become a 'love'? To insist on a record of full sexual intercourse as a prerequsite seems too harsh, while to admit those that he merely kissed must be too generous: nevertheless there has to be a decision, so I have ruled in or out some border-line cases, on the arbitrary basis of how I felt about them. One unnamed lady who may or may not count received some letters from Harris.)

The My Life and Loves list

These are in the order that Harris mentions them. At one point he says "I forget nine out of ten girls I have had ..." which would imply a grand total of something like 250, a figure to be given as much credence as any of his assertions.

  • Jessie Kerr.
  • Lorna Mayhew.
  • Kate Gregory.
  • 'Lily', a servant.
  • 'Rose', a servant.
  • Sophy Bevridge, aka Topsy.
  • Eliza Gibby, aka Lizzie.
  • Bessie C.
  • Mme M. aka Eirene.
  • Marie Kirschner.
  • Margaret aka 'Molly'.
  • Laura Clapton.
  • 'Bridget', a servant. Possibly Norah Stack.
  • Jeanne d'Alberi.
  • "Mrs. (Emily Mary) Clayton. His 2nd wife.
  • 'Katie'
  • 'Sarah', aka 'Sadi', a servant.
  • 'Grace'
  • Mrs Sterling (Grace's aunt).
  • An unnamed native South African girl.
  • 'Flora', 'Adriana', 'Clara' and numerous unnamed others - of equally dubious actuality - in the orgies of San Remo.
  • 'Lisabeth'.

Additions to the above from Philippa Pullar's biography

What is weird about the following list is how biographically significant the names on it are. Somehow in My Life and Loves he omitted two of his three wives! Strictly speaking Nellie was not his wife when he wrote it, but while there is a passing reference to 'my wife' which can only refer to her, he never mentions her by name as far as I can tell.

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