Florence Anne Lemon Balcombe Stoker lived at the meeting point of family life, the theatre and literary history. After Bram’s death, she managed the publication and adaptation of work whose influence was still growing.
Florence Stoker with her son NoelCourtesy of the Bram Stoker Estate.
Florence Balcombe
Florence Anne Lemon Balcombe married Bram at St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin, on 4 December 1878. They moved to London as he began his work with Henry Irving. Their son, Irving Noel Thornley Stoker, was born the following year. Before her marriage, Florence had been courted by Oscar Wilde, a connection that places both families within the overlapping cultural world of Dublin, and eventually London.
Florence Stoker, sketch attributed to Oscar Wilde.Courtesy of the Bram Stoker Estate.Florence Stoker, drawing attributed to Edward Burne-Jones.Courtesy of the Bram Stoker Estate.
A landscape for Florrie
Florence received a watercolour landscape from Oscar Wilde. Known as View from Moytura House, it shows a view across Lough Corrib from the Wilde family’s summer home near Cong, County Mayo. Its dedication to “Florrie”, dated September 1876, preserves a personal trace of their courtship.
The Stokers’ London life was shaped by the demands of the Lyceum, but Florence also developed friendships and interests of her own. The family account describes her taking part in charitable theatrical performances and entertaining writers, artists and theatre people at home. Her sister-in-law Matilda lived with the couple for a time.
In 1914 Florence published Dracula’s Guest and Other Weird Stories. Her introduction described the title story as an episode removed from Dracula. Scholars have debated its exact relationship to the novel; it is best read both as a story in its own right and as part of the history of Bram’s writing.
Nosferatu and the stage
F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922) adapted Dracula without authorisation, changing names and moving the English action to Germany. Florence successfully pursued the production company for copyright infringement, and prints were ordered destroyed. Copies survived, allowing the film to become a landmark of silent cinema.
Florence licensed Hamilton Deane’s stage adaptation, first performed at Derby’s Grand Theatre on 15 May 1924. See the Derby premiere research.
Revised by the American writer John L. Balderston, the play reached Broadway in October 1927 with Bela Lugosi, and the Deane – Balderston version was the basis of the 1931 Universal film. See Dracula on Stage and Screen for the adaptations themselves.
Contemporary records
A bit confused
Australian Town and Country · 26 January 1889
Sir John J. Millais, the artist is a man who; though young in years and still very fit for his special life work, has become somewhat dull in his perceptive senses, and is apt to be a bit confused, about names and faces. The other night at a Sunday, dinner party, while the ladies were trooping out of the room, Sir John, addressing one of them who was passing, said, “How do you do, Mrs. Bernhard Beere?” “I’m not Mrs. Bernhard Beere,” replied the lady tartly. “O, to be sure; how stupid I am!’ How do you do, Mrs. Bram Stoker?”(The wife of Henry Irving’s manager.) “I’m not Mrs. Bram Stoker; I’m Mrs. Beerbohm Tree,” shouted the lady, still more snappishly. “O yes, of course. How do you do Mrs. Beerbohm Tree?”
And then the ladies passed out; and Sir John, turning to his next male neighbor, remarked, “Well, I’m sure she needn’t have been so angry with me for mistaking her for Mrs. Bram Stoker, Mrs. Bram Stoker is a better looking woman any day than Mrs. Beerbohm Tree.” “Of that,” replied his neighbor, with a bow, I can be no judge, for I am Mr. Beerbohm Tree.
Walter Osborne’s portrait of Florence
The Times (London), “The Academy” · 4 May 1895
In a lengthy article on the 127th exhibition of the Royal Academy, comments on portraits include this description of Walter Osborne’s painting of Florence Stoker, which was commissioned by Bram.
....“Mrs. Bram Stoker” by Mr. Walter Osborne, who has til now been known for his very clever little paintings, in oil and water colour, of Irish street scenes. To many eyes this portrait will seem to have failed because the flesh tints are somewhat dull and gray, and it may be conceded that this is a fault which will be ruinous if not cured; but in all other respects the picture reveals such power of composition and painting, and is so instinct with grace of line, as to distinguish itself from almost any other work of the year. There are three of four other white satin dresses on the walls of this room; one has only to look at them to see how fine is the quality of Mr. Osborne’s painting.
A Dublin friend of the Stoker family, Walter Osborne painted portraits of many members of the Stoker family.
Florence at the Argonauts Club
The Literary World · 19 October 1897
The Argonauts, as a literary club formed last year with its headquarters in Bondstreet, is called, have instituted ‘Private View Teas,’ which are held on Saturday afternoons, for the convenience of visitors to picture galleries or theatres. Among those present at the first of these functions were:
Mr. and Mrs. Humphry Ward, ‘Helen Mathers,’ ‘Iota,’ Mrs. Alice Meynell, Miss Violet Hunt, Mrs. Bram Stoker, Mr. Trevor Battye, Sir A. Blomfield, Miss Arabella Kenealy, and others.
Hall Caine on Florence’s devotion
Sir Thomas Hall Caine, “Bram Stoker: The Story of a Great Friendship”
Excerpt from the obituary of Bram written by his close friend, the best-selling novelist, Sir Thomas Hall Caine, entitled “Bram Stoker: The Story of a Great Friendship”, which speaks of Florence’s love for Bram.
Of the devotion of his wife during these last dark days, in which the whirlwind of his spirit had nothing lost to it but the broken wreck of a strong man, I cannot trust myself to speak. That must always be a sacred memory to those who knew what it was. If his was the genius of friendship, hers must have been the genius of love.
George du Maurier remembers Florence
The Times · 6 March 1934 · E. V. Lucas
An excerpt from “The Creator of Trilby: A Note on George du Maurier”, “Days from a Diary”, published on the hundredth anniversary of du Maurier’s birth.
.......It was on the death of (John) Leech, in 1864, that du Maurier joined the Punch Table, the suggestion being that he should not worry about being funny but rather should lay emphasis on what was beautiful: a piece of counsel that must have done much to encourage and rejoice the new recruit, for if ever a man worshipped beauty it was he. Not only did he worship it, but he created it. The remark that, by his celebration in Punch of tall and graceful types, du Maurier added 2in. to the height of English woman has often been made; and, such is the imitative adaptability of women, it is probably true.
To Bernard Partridge he once said that the three most beautiful women he had seen were Mrs. Stillman, Mrs. John Hare, and Mrs. Bram Stoker.
Florence’s death notice
The Times · 26 May 1937
Stoker- On May 25, 1937, at Kinnerton Studios,
Knightsbridge, Florence Anne Lemon, widow of Bram Stoker. The cremation will take place very quietly at Golders Green tomorrow (Thursday) at 10 o’clock.
Please accept this as the only intimation.
Explore further
Read Biography for the family’s shared chronology, and Family objects for approved portraits, inscriptions and personal belongings. Archives lists repositories holding Florence’s correspondence and material relating to the stage play.
