William Averell Harriman, an American, grew up in privilege and had money. He was a man who married and married and married - but seemed never to have happiness. His affair with the married Pamela Digby Churchill probably began at the Dorchester Hotel in London during a bombing raid by the Germans during World War II. Nothing like the fear of loosing your life to make you live life to the fullest.
He had a history of wrong marriages and affairs and mistresses.
The man had a 2nd marriage with Kitty Lawrence who was ill with TB and not compatible. He had mistresses and there were rumors of affairs. Then in 1928 another woman, Marie Norton Whitney was his conquest. She became his third wife in February of 1930. She was 26 and he was 38.
Pamela was still married to Randolph unhappily.
Ave was much older than Pamela and not much to look at. Like her husband Randolph he appeared older than his years. But Harriman was worth multi millions and he was a courtly and debonair man if not in the best physical shape. Women liked him.
By 1941 he and his wife Marie were no longer intimate and so she didn't blame him for his affairs.
In fact they were both having affairs. Pamela even befriended his daughter Kathleen, who was about her age, while having an affair with him.
Pamela's reunion with Randolph, who asked for another chance, did not go well. They both realized their marriage had been a mistake. She went over to tell her father in law, Winston, that she was getting a divorce. He understood.
Pamela had volunteered with the Women's Voluntary Services (WVS) as many houswifed did and served as a guide to visiting American dignitaries. (put in previous post)
page 103 "PAMELA WAS A DOER, NOT A THINKER OR A RECORDER."
Though the affair had to end between she and Harriman, there was Lord Beaverbrook as an intermediary who arranged financial support for Pamela. Randolph was not much of a financial support for her and his son. He spent his money wildly leaving them in debt. Harriman secretly picked up the costs of her apartment by depositing money in Beaverbrook's accounts which then made it to pay the rent. The man actually forgot he was doing so perhaps because he had too many millions to keep accounting of and did so for three decades (check fact. Sometimes it went past due but the Lord would give him a nudge. She was also given a nice yearly allowance. Harriman did well by her... with a little nudging.
At 22, she had the name, the son - heir, and a good relationship with her father in law Winston Churchill. She was done with the husband and was supported financially, even as Harriman left town and went back to his life in America.
Years would pass, the allowance and rent continuing, but later in life Pamela and Ave would marry.
*****
As I read these passages of Sally Bedell Smith's book, I had to wonder. I had learned that Lord Beaverbrook had many house parties that Pamela had attended. Why was he so willing to be an intermediary? Harriman was an American. Did he need to be told how to treat this young British woman who he had an affair with? Could there have been a hint of blackmail or pay back involved?
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