New Brighton Palais de Danse

The New Brighton Palais de Danse was the name given sometime in 1926 to the ballroom located within New Brighton Tower:

The Ballroom was one of the largest in the world, with a sprung floor and dance band stage. The orchestra had as many as 60 players. Big bands played at the Tower, including Bert Yates, Bill Gregson and Victor Sylvester. Other well known artists appeared at the Ballroom including Mae West in November 1945. Well over 1,000 couples could dance without undue crowding. It was decorated in white and gold, with the emblems of various Lancashire towns. The Ballroom had a balcony, with seats to watch the dancers below. Behind this was an open space, where couples used to learn the dance without interfering with the more proficient ones. History of Wallasey

The phrase Palais De Danse was a popular name given to many dance halls in England during the early 20th Century conjuring up images of cosmopolitan Europe.

The above photograph is one of the most famous dance halls called Palais De Dansein Berlin before the First World War and maybe the precursor to the others. Read more on Malcolm Lowry @ 19th Hole

Lowry refers to the New Brighton Palais de Danse in his novel Ultramarine when Dana recalls dancing there with his girl friend Janet Travena; "I shut my eyes and imagined that this was indeed Janet and I dancing at the New Brighton Palais De Danse. (Pg 106) and later Dana and Janet see "the two saxophonists of the Palais de Danse, Zez and Mas..." (Pg. 130). These recollections are probably drawn from Lowry's visits to the ballroom with Tess Evans in 1927. Lowry may even have originally met Tess at one of the dances at the ballroom as she lived in nearby Liscard.

Richard Dehan The Dop Doctor

The Dop Doctor is a novel written by Clotilde Graves in 1911 under the pen name of Richard Dehan, although she was already known as a writer (chiefly for the theatre) under her own name.

The story hinges around a drunken and disgraced medic who eventually makes his way to South Africa where he redeems his honour at the Siege of Mafeking. Albert Gérard, in his European-language writing in Sub Saharan Africa, regards the book's description of the siege of Mafeking "as a heroic justification of British Imperial strategy and the vindication of a belief in the righteousness and superiority of the British cause. The Dop Doctor contains pro-Jingo arguments of the type which offers the stereotypical portrait of the Boer as backward and despicably primitive, and the black man as a shadow figure behind the civilizing foreground, an appendage of an argument over what to do with his labour". The incidentials of the novel, however, should not distract from its pimary objective of tracing a story of redemption through expiatory suffering and kenosis, a subject much explored by writers, in several European languages, connected with the literary renouveau catholique movement. It was made into a film in 1915 by Fred Paul. The film gave considerable offence in South Africa due to the harsh portrayal of English and Dutch characters. It was eventually banned under the Defence of the Realm Act. Wikipedia

We must assume that Lowry read the book as he makes reference to a drink and comments about the drink only found in this book to date:

"Dop," being the native name for the cheapest and most villainous of Cape brandies, has come to signify alcoholic drinks in general to men of many nations dwelling under the subtropical South African sun. Thus, apple-brandy, and peach liqueur, "Old Squareface," in the squat, four-sided bottles beloved no less by Dutchman and Afrikander, American and Briton, Paddy from Cork, and Heinrich from the German Fatherland, than by John Chinkey—in default of arrack—and the swart and woolly-headed descendant of Ham, may be signified under the all-embracing designation." (The Dop Doctor Pg. 99).

Lowry refers to Cape Dopp in his short story 'Seductio ad Absurdum'; "And it wasn't wine at all but Cape Dopp, wot we call Cape Dopp— raw spirit gawd blimey. Why, do you know, we all went mad, mad, and they had to tie Deaffy up to the bullock post." (Pg. 9) and "Fellers used to keep em as pets and make em drunk on Cape Dopp." (Pg. 9); these lines are repeated in his first novel Ultramarine (Pgs.127-128).  Lowry also uses the phrase 'Old Squareface' in Ultramarine when the quartermaster on board Oedipus Tyrannus asks Dana to his cabin for a drink; "Come along to my room and have a slice of old squareface."  Pg. 37

God’s Agwine Ter Move All De Troubles Away

Lowry may have been exposed to African American spirituals for the first time in America through his contact with Conrad Aiken, who is known to have had some knowledge of spirituals. Lowry worked on a draft of Ultramarine while in America in 1929 and may have noted the refrain below, which he incorporated into the finished novel:

(And Samson tol’ her cut off-a ma hair
If yo’ shave ma hade
Jes as clean as yo’hair
Ma strength-a will become-a like a natch-erl man,
For Gawd’s agwine t’move all the troubles away,
For Gawd’s agwine t’move all the troubles away….) (Pg. 143)

Natalie Curtis-Burlin

The above verses are from a spiritual entitled ‘God’s Agwine Ter Move All De Troubles Away’. Natalie Curtis-Burlin first transcribed the song in 1918 in her Hampton Series.  She states that the song was recorded by a quartet in Hampton consisting of Charles H. Tynes ("Lead"), Freeman W. Crawley (Tenor), Samuel E. Phillips (Baritone) and John H. Wainright (Bass). The origins of the song are lost but it was popular in Virginia and St Helena Island off the coast of South Carolina.

CHORUS [sung twice after each verse]
[For] God’s agwine ter move all de troubles away,
God’s agwine ter move all de troubles away,
For God’s agwine ter move all de troubles away,
See ’m no more till de comin’ day.  

1.
Genesis you understan’,
Methusaleh was de oldes’ man;
His age was nine hundred an’ sixty nine,
He died an went to Heav’n in due time.

2.
Dare was a man of de Pharisee,
His name was Nicodemus an’ he wouldn’t believe;
De same he came to Christ by night,
wanta be taught out o’ human sight.
Nicodemus was a man who wanted to know,
Can a man be born a whena he is ol’?
Christ tol’ Nicodemus as a frien’,
a-Man, you must be born again.”

3.
Aread about Samson from his birth,
De stronges’ man ever walked on earth;
a-Read way back in de ancient times,
He slew ten thousan’ Philistines.
A-Samson he went a-walkin’ about,
a-Samson’s strengtha  was never found out
Twell his wife set down upon his knee an’
a “Tell me whar yo’ strengthalies, ef you please.”
ASamson’s wife she done talk so fair,
a-Samson tol’ her, “Cut offa ma hair,
Ef you shave my head jes’ es clean as yo’ han’,
Ma strengtha will becomea like a natcherl man.”

Aiken spent his childhood in Savannah, where he had at least two black nurses who may have taught or sung the song to him, or indeed he may have heard it from his mother.  Aiken himself was interested in spirituals and may have had a recording of the song. Another possible connection is that Aiken may have known Curtis-Burlin or her book, as she wrote for Poetry magazine, to which he contributed. There is also an article on spirituals by Gilbert Seldes, "An End and a Beginning" Rev. of twos book of Negro spirituals, Dial 83.1 (July 1927) Pgs.70-2  alongside a piece by Aiken. Therefore, Lowry could possibly have read about spirituals in the magazines prior to his visit, been exposed to them through Aiken, or picked up on them from an unidentified source in America on his first visit.

Lowry’s dalliance with African American culture continued during his time in New York in 1934 and 1935 with trips to Harlem to listen to jazz, though details are sparse. He also included the black character Battle in his novella Lunar Caustic, which allowed him the opportunity to include further references to African American speech idioms, slang, jazz music, stories and prototype rapping.

Lovis Corinth The Blinded Samson 1912

Lowry's use of the refrain comes in Chapter 4 is perhaps chosen to reflect on the story of Samson - a man who must abstain from alcohol and not cut his hair otherwise God would abandon him and he would only have the strength of a natural man; who is betrayed by his wife and who commits suicides - themes contained in Ultramarine.

Huberta the hippopotamus

The journey of Huberta the hippopotamus began in 1927 north of the Black Umfolozi and ended in April 1931 south of the Buffalo river, near East London in South Africa.

Lowry refers to the journey of Huberta the hippopotamus in his novel Ultramarine; " 'Well, I can't rightly say as I've ever been on a ship with animals before but this much I will say, and I ain't tellin' you the word of a lie, that I was on a ship once that was carrying a stuffed hippopotamus, for Christ sake! She was called Huberta or something of that and she'd been shot in Cape Province, you know, King William's Town. This hippo'd been the bloody masterpiece in South Africa, see? They reckoned she'd walked ten thousand miles and the natives thought she was a goddess or something and sacrificed oxen to her. And I ain't telling you the word of a bloody lie but a special law was passed - nobody could shoot her, see? She walked all the way down from Vongolosi and Lake St Lucia to Durban where she walked into a concert just as they were starting Tchaikovsky's 1812 or or something of that and she walked through the main street of sodding Durban too, only in the end four bastards of farmers shot her-' " (Pg. 127).

The probable source of Lowry's account of Huberta's journey in Ultramarine is in an unidentified news paper as news of the hippopotamus's walk received widespread coverage across the world. The story was also told by G. W. R. Le Mare in his The Saga of Huberta: Being the Tale of the Hippo who Walked Back 100 Years published by Robinson & Company and the Central New Agency in 1931.

The hippo's story was initially publicised in 1928. The press originally called the hippo "Billy", later changed to "Hubert". After her death, her name was altered to "Huberta" when it was discovered that hippo was female.

Among the exploits eagerly followed by the public were appearances at Umhlanga Lagoon, in the city of Durban, various South Coast resorts, and a sojourn in the Nahoon River near East London.  She became known as South Africa's "national pet" and "the Union's most famous tourist".  Crowds of curious sightseers dogged her trek along the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast, often hurling stones, bottles and sticks in order to make her emerge from hiding places. 

On 23 April 1931, her carcass was found floating in the Keiskamma River, 30km from King Williams Town. Great public outrage followed the discovery that Huberta had been killed by a hail of bullets. The killing was discussed in parliament and the police were instructed to investigate. Four farmers eventually appeared in court for killing royal game. Each was fined £25. Huberta's bullet-perforated skull formed a gruesome (and somewhat smelly) exhibit in court...........Amathole Museum

Huberta's body was sent to England to be mounted and returned from London on the S.S. City of Hong Kong in 1932, she was displayed at the Durban Museum.

Lowry's account appears to be accurate in most details - see Geo-Coaching though whether the hippo disturbed a concert remains unknown to date.

Lowry's inclusion of the story in Ultramarine is another example of him using something which is outside the 1927 time line of the novel - see further examples - Love' Crucifixion and Liza

Geoffrey Durrant suggests in his article 'Aiken and Lowry'; "What may seem at a first reading to be a loosely organized novel appears on more careful reading to be carefully constructed, with every detail, however much it may at first appear to be merely casual or anecdotal, taking its place in an elaborate pattern of significance. The sailor's yarn about the hippopotamus Huberta, which wanders four thousand miles to find a tragic fate from the guns of farmers is itself an animal Odyssey." (Canadian Literature 64 Spring 1975 Pgs. 24-40).

Trondheim

Trondheim, historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The settlement was founded in 997 as a trading post, and was the capital of Norway during the Viking Age until 1217. Trondheim is situated where the river Nidelva meets Trondheimsfjorden with an excellent harbour and sheltered condition. The river used to be deep enough for most boats in the Middle Ages. An avalanche of mud and stones made it less navigable and partly ruined the harbour in the mid-17th century.Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry refers to the port in his poem 'For Nordahl Grieg Ship's Fireman'; "Spring plants staring at the sun in Trondhjem." (Collected Poetry Pg. 42).  Lowry refers to a ship from the port in his novel Ultramarine; "Let me tell you this when I was in Belawandelli, it was on a Norwegian bastard out of Trondheim, the Hilda—" (Pg. 128). There is no record of Lowry visiting the port on his 1931 trip to Norway

Olga Tschechowa

Olga Konstantinovna Chekhova, née Knipper (1897 -1980) was a Russian-German actress. Born Olga Knipper, she was the daughter of Konstantin Knipper, a railway engineer and the niece and namesake of Olga Knipper (Anton Chekhov's wife), both Lutherans of ethnic German descent. She went to school in Tsarskoye Selo but, after watching Eleonora Duse, joined the Moscow Art Theatre's studio. There she met the great actor Mikhail Chekhov (Anton's nephew) in 1915 and married him the same year, taking his surname as her own. Their daughter, also named Olga, was born in 1916.

Two years after the 1917 October Revolution, Chekhova divorced her husband but kept his name. She managed to get a travel passport from the Soviet government, possibly in exchange for cooperation, which led to permission to leave Russia. She was accompanied by a Soviet agent on a train to Vienna, then she moved to Berlin in 1920. Her first cinema role was in Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau silent movie Schloß Vogelöd (1921). She played in Max Reinhardt's productions at UFA, the same studios where Fritz Lang directed Metropolis (1927). She made the successful transition from silent film to talkies. In the 1930s, she rose to become one of the brightest stars of the Third Reich and was admired by Adolf Hitler. Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry refers to the Olga Tschechowa in his novel Ultramarine when Dana, Norman and Popplereuter enter a cinema in Tsjang Tsjang (Dairen); "'Hullo,' I said, 'that's next week. Look what we've got today, for Christ's sake. Olga Tschechowa in Love's Crucifixion. What do you make of that, Watson?' 'Olga Tschechowa in Love's Crucifixion,' spelt out Popplereuter..." (Pg. 96). However, the 3 seamen only appear to see a "short" before the projector breaks and they leave the cinema before the main feature. Later, a drunken Dana meets Olga Solugub, the White Russian prostitute, she shows him her card; " 'Olga Sologub.' Olga Sologub. No relation to Olga Tschechowa? No? Not Olga Sologub - Love's Crucifixion?". (Pg. 106). Later, Lowry refers to the film again when Dana recalls him and Janet walking around Egremont; "Later, however, avoiding Egremont Ferry as they ascend a street of houses built on an incline to Brighton Road, which runs parallel to the promenade, as they waver at the King's picture-house, with its peeling stucco, where they are showing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Love's Crucifixion, with Olga Tschechowa....." (Pg. 131).

Love's Crucifixion 1928

Love's Crucifixion (Pawns of Passion in USA or Liebeshölle in Germany) was a 1928 film directed by Wiktor Bieganski, and Carmine Gallone, produced by Erda-Film GmbH (I), starring Harry Frank, Henri Baudin, Oreste Bilancia, Hans Stüwe, and Olga Tschechowa. The film was released in USA May 26, 1929, Germany August 8, 1928, Singapore 13 November 1928, Japan April 18, 1929 and in England in May 1929.

Lowry refers to the film in his novel Ultramarine when Dana, Norman and Popplereuter enter a cinema in Tsjang Tsjang (Dairen); "'Hullo,' I said, 'that's next week. Look what we've got today, for Christ's sake. Olga Tschechowa in Love's Crucifixion. What do you make of that, Watson?' 'Olga Tschechowa in Love's Crucifixion,' spelt out Popplereuter..." (Pg. 96). However, the 3 seamen only appear to see a "short" before the projector breaks and they leave the cinema before the main feature. Later, a drunken Dana meets Olga Solugub, the White Russian prostitute, she shows him her card; " 'Olga Sologub.' Olga Sologub. No relation to Olga Tschechowa? No? Not Olga Sologub - Love's Crucifixion?". (Pg. 106). Later, Lowry refers to the film again when Dana recalls him and Janet walking around Egremont; "Later, however, avoiding Egremont Ferry as they ascend a street of houses built on an incline to Brighton Road, which runs parallel to the promenade, as they waver at the King's picture-house, with its peeling stucco, where they are showing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Love's Crucifixion, with Olga Tschechowa....." (Pg. 131).

Lowry has transposed the film from 1929 back to 1927, the time setting for Ultramarine. Lowry may have done this for several reasons: the linking of the name Olga; the fictional Olga is a White Russian as was Olga Tschechowa both escaping Russia after the revolution; the title of the film ties into Lowry's use of crucifixion and love; the film provides a tension between Dana's drunken meeting with a real "Olga" and him and Janet seeing the celluloid Olga together at the Kings Cinema; the use of images from the film - the escape across the snows of Poland link into Dana's fantasy of rescuing Olga Sologub:

Olga's shadow ran before her along the snow. I saw her stir the samovar and sweep the kitchen and break the ice to get more water. I saw how in the deep dark cold winter her mother put more wood in the central stove and threw her wolfskin coat on her daughter's bunk to keep her warm. I heard her brother's merry shout, as he chopped wood, and saw him blow his hands. I heard the tinkle of sleigh bells, and saw snow, light as wool, falling from the eaves. (Pg. 118)

Checkova In Tearful Film
Film Guild Cinema Shows Dull Movie in Pawn's of Passion

Pawns of Passion with Olga Chekova, Sidney Suberly, Henry Baudin, Hans Stever, Lola Josane, directed by carmine Gallone, story by the Director.

A dull piece of cinematography is "Pawns of Passion", a film which is helped little by its title and less by its cast, of which Olga Chekova is the leading player.......

The story is one of mother love. But such a mother as has not been seen hereabouts since Belle Bennett brought in the lachrymose gushers with "Stella Dallas". Miss Chekova, as Anna, is separated from her young son in the Russian revolution. The boy is picked up, curiously enough, by the spurned lover. Anna wanders all over Europe looking for her son.

Why she should leave Russia, where they were separated, to seek him in Germany, Poland and France, is reason enough, for another scenario. On a false scent she tries to find him in Paris, and failing this, she attempts suicide in the Seine, but is saved by an artist. The painter takes her to his atelier, helps her find her son  and marries her which is the path of all motion pictures tread, ot trod, some years ago.

Miss Chekova is a passive performer. She seems inhibited by a set of rules prescribing soul-searing dramatic tactics. Why the painter casts aside the witty and decorative model for the adipose Anna is another baffler that only the casting agent can answer.

The film is nicely photographed and some exciting scenes of armies clashing on a field of snow, of horses falling through thin ice, of bleak peasant villages. New York Times 27/5/1929

Lowry must have seen the film in the England in the summer of 1929 possibly in Seacombe or Liscard. It is not impossible that he was still seeing Tess Evans in 1929 though there is no documentary evidence. The film was shown at the Marina Cinema from 13/5/1929 to 15/5/29 and the Liscard Palace from 27/5/1929 to 29/5/1929. Liscard Palace is only 200m from Tess's former home at 26 Thirlmere Street, Liscard. Therefore, the reference to Dana and Janet maybe based on a real event.

Marina Seacombe: The story features Olga Tschechova who takes the part of a dancer in the Imperial Russian Ballet. She finds herself at cross purposes with captain of the Imperial Guards through having declined his advances. He joins the "Reds" in the revolution, and betrays the man whom Anna, the dancer, has married. From that point the picture becomes a succession of rapid thrills with scenes of Polish cavalry charging, and a sleigh chase across the snowy wastes of Poland. Wallasey and Wirral Chronicle 11/5/1929

Marina Seacombe: Love's Crucifixion on Monday next, transfers the attention from gay Paris to the snowy wastes of Poland. Wallasey News 11/5/1929

Liscard Palace: This is a human story telling of a Russian mother, widowed as the result of the "Red" revolution, who has also the misfortune to lose her little son. Her efforts to trace him provide scope for scenes so far different as the wastes of Poland and the gaiety of Montmartre. Star: Olga Tschechova. Wallasey and Wirral Chronicle 25/5/1929

Liscard Palace: Russia is once again in perspective in 'Love's Crucifixion'', a gripping melodrama. Starring Olga Tschechova and Hans Stuwe, booked for the beggining of next week. Wallasey News 25/5/1929

Belfast Fishing Smack

A smack was a traditional fishing boat used off the coast of England and the Atlantic coast of America for most of the 19th century, and even in small numbers up to the Second World War. It was originally a cutter rigged sailing boat until about 1865, when smacks had become so large that cutter main booms were unhandy. From then on, cutters were lengthened and re-rigged and new ketch-rigged smacks were built, but boats varied from port to port. Some boats had a topsail on the mizzen mast, while others had a bowsprit carrying a jib. Large numbers of these boats could be seen operating in fleets from places such as Brixham, Grimsby and Lowestoft. Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry refers to a smack on the River Mersey in his novel Ultramarine; "A dirty Belfast fishing smack , very low in this tide and under a modest spread of brown sail, suddenly careens as she slips through the lapping choppiness of the viscuous Mersey, her patched brown sail bellying slightly out to leeward, leaning, leaning, till her curved gunwale is almost under. 'Oh, look, Dana look, its going right over, its going to capsize, look!' 'Good lord, no,' he gently reassures her with the pressure of his arm. 'It's intended to do that...' But what does anything matter except their love? The fishing smack continues merrily and confidently upon her course down the Mersey." (Pg. 131)

Kings Picture House

The site of the King's with new housing in 2009

The Old Court House Picturedome was in Liscard Road and began life as a Police Station, being built in 1845. The building was then converted into a 400 seater cinema and opened on Saturday 31st January, 1914.

Performances began each evening at 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm with matinees at 3.00 pm on Wednesday and Saturdays. On Mondays and Wednesdays the programmes were changed twice weekly. Ticket prices were 3d for the Pit Stalls, 6d in the Stalls and 9d for the Balcony.

On the outside of the theatre wide, steep steps led to a small entrance hall with its central paybox and a pair of steep staircases on either side provided access to the balcony. Inside the theatre the auditorium was square shaped with a lofty ceiling and a silver screen was raised high up on the end of the wall. The electric generator was housed in the former basement which had been the prison cells.

Between the 13th June 1914 and the autumn the Old Court closed, in part due to the drab design of the building but on 14th November of that year the newly decorated cinema reopened as the Kinema under the management of C.W Harrison.

By the early 1920s the cinema was renamed Kings and in 1931 talkies were being shown. Throughout the 1930s the Kings underwent several changes in management and refurbishments. On 2nd November 1963 the cinema closed for the final time. The building was subsequently used for a time as a bingo hall but was finally demolished in 1986 and new properties built on the site. Read more

Lowry refers to the cinema in his novel Ultramarine when Dana and Janet are walking around Egremont; "Later, however, avoiding Egremont Ferry as they ascend a street of houses built on an incline to Brighton Road, which runs parallel to the promenade, as they waver at the King's picture-house, with its peeling stucco, where they are showing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Love's Crucifixion, with Olga  Tschechowa.." (Pg. 131). We must assume that Lowry and Tess frequented the cinema which was about a mile from her home at 26 Thirlmere Street in Liscard from which they could have walked or got a tram.  Love's Crucifixion was not shown at the King's according to newspaper records from 1929 when the film was released though it may have returned at a later date.

Brighton Street, Egremont

A street which runs parallel to the River Mersey from running from Church Road, Seacombe to King Street, Egremont. Built as part of the expansion of Wallasey in the late 1800's linking Seacombe to New Brighton with the main tram route between the 2 places. Once a major shopping and business area in the 1920's which has seen declined with many of the original buildings being demolished.

Lowry refers to the street in his novel Ultramarine though he calls it a road; "Later, however, avoiding Egremont Ferry as they ascend a street of houses built on an incline to Brighton Road, which runs parallel to the promenade" (Pg. 131) and "the one figure now drifts slowly under the grainy sky past Morgan Roberts' Osteopathy and Manipulative Treatment and the children's playground on the left and into Brighton Road again." (Pg. 132).

Children's Playground, Egremont

Lowry refers to a children's playground in his novel Ultramarine;  "the one figure now drifts slowly under the grainy sky past Morgan Roberts' Osteopathy and Manipulative Treatment and the children's playground on the left and into Brighton Road again." (Pg. 132).

Given the topography of the above - the playground would be one which overlooked the Seacombe Promenade and accessed from Demesne Street. The playground still exists as seen in the above photograph.

Queen's Park Railway Station

Lowry refers to this station in his novel Ultramarine; "At a quarter to eight, descending from his train at Queen's Park, where, to please her mother, he has once seen Janet safely into a tin church for a prayer meeting. the one figure now drifts slowly under the grainy sky past Morgan Roberts' Oesteopathy and Manipulative Treatment and the children's playground on the left into Brighton Road again."

There has never been a station with that name on the Wirral. This is a rare instance in the novel when Lowry doesn't use real places on the Wirral or Liverpool. Given the topography of of the above - the station would be in the vicinity of Egremont/Seacombe. The nearest station would have been Seacombe at the junction of Church Road/Borough Road on the former Wirral Railway lines. There is also a possibility  that Lowry for some reason had the Queen Park Station in Kilburn in mind. Lowry does make reference to Kilburn Empire in his novel Under The Volcano and he may have been familiar with the station.

County Inn, Wallasey

Lowry's refers to this pub in his  novel; Ultramarine; "The puddles are lying at the foot of the Wallasey sandhills after the rain, the groundsel is growing on the vacant lot by the County Inn. At eleven-thirty Samuel Broster comes smiling out of the bar parlour, tying his apron." (Pg. 133).

The pub remains unidentified as no such pub existed in Wallasey in the late 1920's.

Morgan Roberts' Osteopathy and Manipulative Treatment

Brighton Street at Junction with Church Street on right

Lowry makes reference to the above business in his novel Ultramarine; "the one figure now drifts slowly under the grainy sky past Morgan Roberts' Osteopathy and Manipulative Treatment and the children's playground on the left and into Brighton Road again." (Pg. 132).

In 1930, John Roberts an oesteopathist was located at 31 Church Street, Egremont (Kelly's Directory) which fits the topography of Ultramarine - though Lowry refers to Brighton Road instead of the street which Church Street joins at King Street in Egremont.  Lowry may have sought treatment or possibly his brother Wilfrid who played rugby.

Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Bankhead, 1927. Photograph by Cecil Beaton.

Tallulah Bankhead (1902 – 1968) was an American actress of the stage and screen, talk-show host, and bonne vivante. Bankhead was also known for her deep voice, flamboyant personality, romances with men and women - Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry refers to her in his novel Ultramarine when one of the crew, Norman sees her photograph on the  wall of the crew's quarters; "He will remark for the hundredth time the pictures on the wall. Tallulah Bulkhead - or is it Bankhead?" (Pg. 138)

Chlo-e (Song of the Swamp)

Chlo-e (Song of the Swamp) (1927) is a show tune with music by Charles N. Daniels, writing under the pseudonym of "Neil Morét," and lyrics by Gus Kahn. It is now regarded as a jazz standard.

The first recording of Chloe was made for Columbia in Los Angeles in September 1927 by singer Douglas Richardson, a vocalist with ties to Charles N. Daniels; it was followed by another Columbia by The Singing Sophomores made in November. The first instrumental recording of Chloe was made by the All-Star Orchestra for Victor, with a vocal chorus by Franklyn Baur, in December 1927. This is identified in the Victor ledgers as "the Fud and Farley Orchestra," indicating the participation of Fud Livingston and Max Farley, though Nat Shilkret probably led the band. Shilkret did record another arrangement of it for Victor with his Rhythm-Melodists in 1928.

However, the record that appears to have popularized Chloe is an elaborate version by the Paul Whiteman Concert Orchestra recorded in 1928 with vocals by Austin Young. This arrived along with a host of other 1928 recordings of the song. Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry refers to the song in Chapter 4 of Ultramarine - Dana and Janet see Mas and Zez two saxophonists from the Palais de Danse on the shore near New Brighton;  "We must get them to play Chloe - but no, they can't hear. It's against the wind". Later Dana recalls "even had Mas heard, it would have been all to no purpose, they would never have been able to dance to Janet's favourite tune - Chloe, the Song of the Swamp - for this is the last day. They are parting perhaps forever..." (Pg. 131).

Lowry's mention of the song is an example of him using a reference outside its proper time. The incident on the shore relates to a time in Lowry's love affair with Tess Evans before he sailed to the Far East in May 1927. The song had not been recorded at that stage. Lowry may have heard the song later while in America in 1929 - possibly the Paul Whiteman version as he was already familiar with the bandleader having seen him perform in Liverpool in 1926.

The inference in the saxophonists playing the song is that Lowry is referring to the instrumental version. However, the lyrics may have appealed to Lowry as Dana walks through "dismal swampland" of the red light district of Dairen "searching" for Janet with "empty arms outstretched, he's crying" .

Chloe! Chloe!

Someone's calling, no reply
Nightshade's falling, hear him sigh

Chloe! Chloe!

Empty spaces in his eyes
Empty arms outstretched, he's crying

Through the black of night
I've got to go where you are
If it's dark or bright
I've got to go where you are

I'll go through the dismal swampland
Searching for you
For if you are lost there
Let me be there, too

Through the smoke and flame
I've got to go where you are
For no ways can be too far
Where you are

Ain' no chains can bind you
If you live, I'll find you
Love is calling me
I've got to go where you are

Cape Dopp

Brandy has a long history in South Africa, with the first distillation being recorded in 1672. The Dutch, inventors of brandewijn, naturally brought their stills with them, although the resulting brandy was pretty rough. For two centuries the Dutch produced only a particularly fierce form of marc known variously as dop (short for dopbrandewyn, or husk brandy), Cape smoke, or witblits (an Afrikaans word meaning white lightning).  

Lowry refers to the drink in his short story 'Seductio ad Absurdum'; "And it wasn't wine at all but Cape Dopp, wot we call Cape Dopp— raw spirit gawd blimey. Why, do you know, we all went mad, mad, and they had to tie Deaffy up to the bullock post." (Pg. 9) and "Fellers used to keep em as pets and make em drunk on Cape Dopp." (Pg. 9); these lines are repeated in his first novel Ultramarine (Pgs.127-128) 

Lowry's possible source for knowledge of the drink is most likely The Dop Doctor by Richard Dehan (1910)," being the native name for the cheapest and most villainous of Cape brandies, has come to signify alcoholic drinks in general to men of many nations dwelling under the subtropical South African sun. Thus, apple-brandy, and peach liqueur, "Old Squareface," in the squat, four-sided bottles beloved no less by Dutchman and Afrikander, American and Briton, Paddy from Cork, and Heinrich from the German Fatherland, than by John Chinkey—in default of arrack—and the swart and woolly-headed descendant of Ham, may be signified under the all-embracing designation." (Pg. 99). Lowry also uses the phrase 'Old Squareface' in Ultramarine when the quartermaster on board Oedipus Tyrannus asks Dana to his cabin for a drink; "Come along to my room and have a slice of old squareface." (Pg. 37).

Port Said

Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 kilometres (19 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. The city was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal.

Lowry visited the port on the outward bound voyage of Pyrrhus arriving and departing on May 24th. Lowry returned to the port on the inward bound voyage arriving and departing on September 14th 1927.

Lowry refers to the port in his first novel Ultramarine based on the voyage; "I am on a ship, I am going to Japan - or aren't I?" then he lists all the ports he is due to visit including Port Said and ""One of the elephants for Rome, we get her off at Port Said." (Pg. 142). In an untitled poem "I shall watch them sail; to Saigon the Equator or Port Said"(Collected Poetry Pg. 111). He later referred to the port in the short story 'Elephant and Colosseum'; "Since the ship didn't dock in Rome the beast was to be transferred to an Italian vessel at Port Said. But the ship very nearly didn't get to Port Said, or finally, anywhere else" ('Elephant and Colosseum' Pg.219 ) ; " was this very incident of the elephant's departure  from them at Port Said.('Elephant and Colosseum' Pg.219)"; and "The elephant - harnessed like an infant and, alas, squealing like one, she had been lowered into a lighter opposite the Casino Palace Hotel, while behind her in the wicked city of Port Said the advertisements for the The Lipton winked on and off…" ('Elephant and Colosseum' Pg.220 ). Lowry also had another reference to Port Said in a draft version of Ultramarine in the Conrad Aiken's archives; "Port Side = Port Said = the Dutchman's breeches." (Huntington Library Pg.23).