When I was old enough to read prose more complicated than Dr. Seuss, it did not take me long to discover the legendary tome written by Irishman Bram Stoker and published in 1897. And, already a buff of horror film and literature in general, I became a lifetime collector of material associated with Stoker, including a collection of Dracula first editions. So, it was with a sense of excitement that I learned a descendant of Stoker’s was implicated in the writing of a Dracula “sequel” that features the descendants of characters birthed in the original.

What is really cool, however, is that Dracula the Undead, which was launched in Montreal this past Monday, was scribed by a Westmounter. Dacre Stoker, Bram’s 51-year old great grandnephew, is the co-author of the book, the other half being Ian Holt. Stoker is as blue blooded Westmount as they come, even though he now resides in the U.S. He grew up on Fordon Crescent and regularly played fantasy role playing games with other blue bloods, including the Bronfmans, Molsons and other Stokers.

“The beauty of the neighbourhood was that we could run through yards, hide behind hedges and it was the type of neighbourhood that was safe and had plenty of great hiding places,” recalled Stoker during an interview last weekend.

“My house was large and it almost felt like an old castle to me. It was four stories tall, with lots of places to play hide-and-seek. I played in Murray Park a lot.” He also attended Selwyn House and remains close friends with two childhood buddies, Westmount resident Mark Terfloth and his sister Corrie.

Regarding his connection to Bram, I already knew that it was no big deal to the Westmount Stokers as a pure matter of fact. Several years ago, I met and interviewed another local, Dacre’s uncle Patrick Stoker, who was not really a fan of the late author’s Dracula legacy although he was big on researching the family tree.

“My two sisters and I were always aware of our connection to Bram,” Dacre Stoker told me. “But it was simply not a big part of our lives. We were made more aware of our lineage around Halloween, by friends who thought it amusing to ask us what would happen at our house if they came trick or treating. Candy or blood?”

Stoker said he has been in touch with two of Bram’s three great grandsons over the past six years “on a frequent basis. Prior to that we were aware of one another, but it was my uncle Patrick who remained closest to our cousins in England.” After the senior Stoker – who swam for Canada at the controversial 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin - suffered a stroke, the Stoker genealogy torch was passed to Dacre’s wife, Jenne.

Regrettably, Stoker does not possess any memorabilia that belonged to the author. “Sadly, one family member had a break in some years ago and family papers were stolen, as well as the medal Bram was awarded for bravery as he attempted to save a drowning man from the Thames River.”

Stoker does, however, possess photos of old stationary from his famous ancestor’s fifth and sixth North American tours as the manager of Henry Irving, one of the most illustrious thespians in all of Europe in the 19th century.

“Bram was in Montreal from September 16 – 21, 1895 with (Irving’s) Lyceum Theatre Company as they performed at the Academy of Music and they returned March 8, 1900 for six additional nights. He may have been here on other occasions, but I do not have more records at this point.”

Stay scared, everyone... and watch out for bats.



PHOTO: Bram Eisenthal