| Named after | Dracula |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1973 |
| Founders | Bernard Davies Bruce Wightman |
| Location |
|
Main organ | Voices from the Vaults |
| Website | The Dracula Society |
TheDracula Society is aLondon-basedliterature and travel group with an interest insupernatural and macabre works of fiction, as exemplified byBram Stoker'sDracula.
The society was founded in October 1973 by two actors, Bernard Davies (1924–2010)[1] andBruce Wightman (1925-2009)[2] to organize Dracula-themed tours ofTransylvania andCzechoslovakia.[3] Despite the name, its field of interest encompasses allGothic literature, as well as stage and screen adaptations, and their sources in myth and folklore. The society meets regularly five times a year, but also organises occasional one-off events, and trips to locations in the UK and Europe.[4]
The Society presents two awards at its annual dinner, which is held in early November to markBram Stoker's birthday.
A third award, the Bernard Davies Award, was inaugurated in 2012, and is presented only occasionally, for achievement in scholarship. The first recipient was Dr.Elizabeth Miller, Professor (Emerita) of English of theMemorial University of Newfoundland,[4] and president of the Canadian Chapter of theTransylvanian Society of Dracula.[7]
The society also publishes a quarterly journalVoices from the Vaults which contains reviews and articles of direct or related interest to members.[8]
As well as its regular membership the society also presents Honorary Life Memberships; current holders includeRichard Dalby,Christopher Frayling,Jonathan Rigby,Janina Faye andCaroline Munro, and former holders includeMichael Carreras,Radu Florescu,Raymond T. McNally andVincent Price.[9]
