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Today in History: Whitby Shipwreck Inspires Dracula's English Arrival

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 24 October 1885 the Russian cargo ship Dmitry, traveling from Antwerp to Newcastle, sought refuge from a gale in Whitby. After evading harbour rocks, she drifted onto a sand bar and wrecked. Bram Stoker observed the wreck in 1890, using it as the model for the Demeter that carries Count Dracula to England in his 1897 novel.

1 of 1

Story summary

On 24 October 1885 the Russian cargo ship Dmitry, traveling from Antwerp to Newcastle, sought refuge from a gale in Whitby. After evading harbour rocks, she drifted onto a sand bar and wrecked. Bram Stoker observed the wreck in 1890, using it as the model for the Demeter that carries Count Dracula to England in his 1897 novel.