10 Facts About Bram Stoker
From making friends with U.S. presidents to seeing the world by
the side of an actor, Bram Stoker lived a colorful life that allowed him time to
pen one of the most memorable vampire tales. In this article, you will learn
more about the man behind the Count.
1) His Birth
Born Abraham Stoker on November 8, 1847, in Dublin, Ireland, to parents Abraham
Stoker and Margaret Isabella Balfour. He was the third of seven children.
2) Athletic Skills
Attending Trinity College in Dublin between 1964 and 1870, Bram was known as
quite the athlete despite suffering serious health problems as a child, which
left him bedridden as a youth. He was also given the honor of ‘University
Athlete’ during his attendance at the school. He would eventually graduate from
school with a degree in mathematics.
3) Published Non-Fiction Book
During his time as a civil servant in 1876, Stoker penned a non-fiction book
titled ‘The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland,’ which was published
in 1879.
4) Business Manager
Holding the position of business manager of the infamous Lyceum Theatre in
London from 1879 to 1898, Stoker was able to add to his income by writing an
assortment of sensational novels , one of which would later become the
vampire-based tale of Dracula.
5) Assistant
Stoker was once the personal assistant of actor Henry Irving, which allowed him
to travel the world whenever the actor was on tour. Ironically, he never visited
Eastern Europe, which would serve as the setting for his most famous
publication. After Irving passed away, Stoker went on to manage the productions
at the Prince of Wales Theatre and also became employed at the Daily Telegraph.
Mostly, he spent a great deal of time on his writings.
6) Presidential Meetings
Stoker visited the United States , a destination he quite enjoyed. By Irving’s
side, he got a chance to visit the White House on two different occasions,
holding conversation with the likes of William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt.
7) His Spouse
Stoker married Florence Balcombe in Dublin in 1878. The daughter of
Lieutenant-Colonel James Balcombe of 1 Marino Crescent, Florence was known for
her beauty and was once sought after by Oscar Wilde. In the end, Florence would
outlive Bram by 25 years , dying in London on May 25th, 1937. Her ashes were
scattered at the Gardens of Rest.
8) His Death
After suffering more than one stroke, Stoker died on April 20, 1912 at the age
of 64 in London. It is believed that he may have succumbed to tertiary syphilis.
His body was cremated and his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders Green
Crematorium.
9) His Child
Bram had a son, who was named Irving Noel Thornley Stoker. After his death in
1961, Irving’s ashes were added to the urn that held his father’s remains.
10) Family Tradition?
Expanding off of Stoker’s original ‘The Un-Dead’ title, his great-grandnephew (Dacre
Stoker) and a Dracula documentarian named Ian Holt have combined their talents
to write a sequel to Dracula. Dacre claims that portions of the publication are
based on material Stoker meant for the original novel, as well as from Bram’s
notes.