Background
The grandson of Henry Harben who founded Prudential Assurance, Harben was educated at Eton College and Magdalen College, Oxford, before qualifying as a barrister.
The grandson of Henry Harben who founded Prudential Assurance, Harben was educated at Eton College and Magdalen College, Oxford, before qualifying as a barrister.
He was a notable supporter of womens suffrage. He stood unsuccessfully for the Conservative Party in Eye at the 1900 United Kingdom general election, but by 1902 had switched his affiliation to the Liberal Party. He stood for the Liberal Party in Worcester at the 1906 United Kingdom general election.
Harben next stood in Portsmouth at the December 1910 United Kingdom general election, but came bottom of the poll.
By 1910, Harben had joined the Fabian Society, which published his pamphlet, "The Endowment of Motherhood". Although at the time, Liberal Party members were permitted to hold office in the Fabian Society, it was affiliated to the Labour Party and the position of Liberals was a matter of ongoing debate.
A vocal supporter of women"s suffrage, he resigned from the Liberals in 1912, stating that he could not remain a member while the party, he claimed, persecuted suffragettes. Following this, he was appointed to the board of the Daily Herald newspaper, and became treasurer of the Men"s Political Union for Women"s Enfranchisement.
Harben gave both financial and practical support to the Women"s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the run-up to World War I, providing accommodation for Annie Kenney on her release from prison, and making the same offer to leading figures in the movement.
He also provided £50 funding annually to Sylvia Pankhurst"s East London Federation of Suffragettes. He also began funding labour movement publications, giving enough money to the Daily Herald that it was able to purchase its own printing press and remain open, and being one of a small group who funded the setting up of the New Statesman. Despite this, Harben visited Christabel Pankhurst in Paris to inform her that she could rely on his financial support on matters relating to women"s suffrage.
During the war, Harben bought the Hotel Majestic in Paris and converted it into a hospital.
He also joined the Labour Party, and stood for it, unsuccessfully, at the Woodbridge by-election, 1920. Harben"s son, also Henry Harben, became a first-class cricketer.
He was elected to the society"s executive the following year, and was soon acting as its liaison with Clifford Allen"s Inter-University Socialist Federation.