Dylan Thomas and the West Coast 1950/52

Geoff Madoc-Jones

Simon Fraser University

 

Dylan Thomas made two visits to Vancouver, one in 1950 and one in 1952. A town which he called "a quite handsome hellhole," that was "more British than Cheltenham". His visits were extensively reported in the Vancouver daily newspapers and wherever he spoke he was greeted by full houses. He met many of the members of the local artistic and literary community, including Malcolm Lowry and the Canadian poet Earle Birney. On both occasions Dylan also made recordings for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

The events of the visits are reconstructed on the basis of Dylan's own letters, newspaper accounts, the Lowry and Birney papers and accounts by individuals who met him. Additional material include Dylan's lecture notes for his first talk at the University of British Columbia in April 1950, a card which Dylan wrote to Malcolm Lowry in 1952 from New York, the 1950 and 1952 CBC recordings and surviving photographs.

These visits to Vancouver are also placed in the context of the West Coast legs of two of Dylan's road trips. His relationship with Theodore Roethke, who was teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle at the time and the various artists, poets, writers and film stars who he met in California provide a rich and turbulent backdrop to his Vancouver visits.
            As part of the DYLAN THOMAS AND CANADA Fiftieth Anniversary Conference that is being held at SFU Harbour Centre from October 14 to 18. 2003 we are hoping to interview people who either met or heard Dylan during these two visits. If you did meet him or went to one of the events at which he spoke, or know of anyone who did, please contact Geoff Madoc-Jones at madocjo@sfu.ca

 

 

Dylan Thomas in Vancouver 1950/52

Basic Chronology

1950                                                                           

April 4 (Tuesday)                   Berkley, Cal.                University of California

April 5                                     Train to Seattle Letter to Caitlin.

April 6                                     Plane to Vancouver

April 6 (Thurs. noon)             UBC, Vancouver, B.C. Reading                                  

April 6 (Thurs. pm)                 Hotel Vancouver          Reading recorded by CBC

April 6 (evening)                     Hotel Vancouver          . Reading.

April 6 (evening)                     Davie Street, The Mansion. Dent. Meeting with Malcolm Lowry

April 7 (Good Friday)             Hunter Lewis to airport. Letter to Caitlin

April 7. (Evening)                    Seattle, Wash. University of Washington

 

1952

April 3.                                    San Francisco, Cal.      San Francisco State College

April 7                                     Arrives in Vancouver (without Caitlin)

April 8 (Tuesday)                    UBC. Vancouver, B.C.            Reading

April 9 (Wednesday)               Reading recorded by CBC.

April 9 (evening)                     VAG.   Community Arts Council. Reading

April 10 (Thursday)                Seattle  University of Washington