Lambeth Fantastical - January 2025

 Wheatley and the Fantastical

January 8th marks the birth of prolific author Dennis Wheatley. Born in Streatham Hill in 1897 Wheatley’s early work focused on espionage and adventure before he became better known for his occult novels. However, on a number of occasions, Wheatley also veered off into the territory of sci-fi and fantasy.

His 1934 novel ‘Black August’ presents a near future where society virtually collapses following the fall of the Government. Communists set up soviets as a form of local government in towns across the country. The storyline gives a nod to some predicted technological advances in terms of television, electrical trains and vehicles powered by gas cylinders.

‘Black August’ introduced the character Gregory Sallust, said to be the inspiration behind Ian Fleming’s James Bond. Much of the plot reflects Wheatley’s right wing and monarchists leanings. Communists are presented as the villains of the piece, while the grey shirts, clearly based on Mosley’s black shirts, are treated more sympathetically. And it’s the royal family, through the Prince Regent, who saves the day, sparking a counter revolution and restoring the status quo.

Sallust would go on to appear in another ten novels. During the Second World War he was mainly pitted against Nazi villains. The last two in the series ‘They Used Dark Forces’ (1964) and ‘The White Witch of the South Seas’ (1968) introduced adversaries linked to the occult.

In ‘In Sixty Days to Live’ (1932) a group of wealthy millionaires plan to create a gyroscopic ark which will help them survive an impending apocalyptic comet strike on the Earth. While in ‘Star of Ill Omen’ (1952) the main character Kem Lincoln is an ex-commando and British secret service agent who is sent on a secret mission to South America. What starts off with the key elements of an espionage thriller then takes an unexpected turn and veers off into a plot involving flying saucers, extra-terrestrial abduction, and a race against time for Lincoln to thwart an alien invasion of Earth.

Wheatley also visited the Lost World trope previously explored by the likes of Jules Verne, H Rider Haggard, and Arthur Conan Doyle. The ‘Fabulous Valley’ (1934) has a similar premise to Rider Haggard’s ‘King Solomon’s Mines’ whereby, through the last will and testament of an elderly uncle, a family discover the existence of a lost valley in the Kalahari studded with diamonds. In ‘They Found Atlantis’ (1936) a group of explorers discover the fabled lost city of Atlantis. ‘Uncharted Seas’ (1938) features a lost island discovered in the Sargasso Sea. ‘The Man Who Missed The War’ (1945) takes the lost world trope to Antarctica.

‘Uncharted Seas’ was made into the film ‘The Lost Continent’ by Hammer Productions in 1968. Hammer would also make two of Wheatley’s occult novels into films. ‘The Devil Rides Out’ (1968) and ‘To The Devil A Daughter’ (1976). Both of which starred Christopher Lee.

Turning back to Wheatley’s right wing political views, in January 1947 he composed what he called a letter to posterity which was buried in an urn in the garden of his country home. He intended for it to be found at some point in the distant future when his predictions would, in his view, be confirmed. It was, however, discovered in 1969, eight years before his death, when the house was demolished for redevelopment. His 'predictions' were that socialist reforms would result in the abolition of the monarchy and the ‘pampering’ of a ‘lazy’ working class which would lead to national bankruptcy. He recommended active resistance in the form of ‘ambushing and killing of unjust and tyrannous officials’.

Luckily, no one acted on these suggestions, although a similar premise was used for another right wing inspired dystopia. ‘1985’ was written by ‘Clockwork Orange’ author Anthony Burgess in 1978 as a response to George Orwell's '1984'. The novel throws union bashing and Islamophobic sentiments into the mix. As with Wheatley’s ‘Black August’ it’s the monarchy which steps in to save the country. Which I suppose goes to show that one person’s dystopia can easily be another person’s utopia.

Just time now to mention a couple of other people who share Wheatley’s birthday. David Bowie, born in Brixton on January 8th, 1947, and the original Doctor Who, William Hartnell, born in St Pancras on January 8th 1908.

Belated Happy New Year to one and all!