L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e ~ D o s t o ï e v s k i

L a - b e a u t é - s a u v e r a - l e - m o n d e  ~  D o s t o ï e v s k i



Sunday, November 20, 2016

The Sepia Valentino - Paul Meeres, photographs by Carl van Vechten, 1932



Preston Paul Meeres (13 August 1902, Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas - 13 September 1962, Nassau), Bahamian dancer and club owner. The grandson of an English minister, Charles Edwin Meeres, rector of the Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau, he grew up in Grant's Town. His father, Paul Aitken Meeres, had six children; four of them were illegitimate, the younger Paul among them. Like many young Bahamian men during the early decades of the twentieth century, Meeres came to the United States as a farm worker on what was called "the contract," an employment agreement between the two countries to meet the United States' demand for farm workers. Soon enough, though with no formal training, he embarked on a dancing career. Strikingly handsome - he would be nicknamed "The Brown Valentino" or "The Sepia Valentino" - and rumored to be gay or bisexual, after a brief first marriage, he married for the second time in 1925; Thelma Dorsette, born in Brooklyn to Bahamian and Jamaican parents, was around fifteen at the time. As pretty as her husband, she became his dance partner, their act consisting mostly of ballroom dancing, but also ballet and West Indian numbers. Billed as "Meeres & Meeres", "the Negro Astaires", they became stars of the Harlem Renaissance, performing at the Cotton Club and Con­nie’s Inn. They also appeared on Broadway in the production of “Hot Chocolates” with Cab Calloway. The couple had two children - their son would also go on to success as a dancer, billed as Paul Meeres, Jr. - but they divorced in 1930. (He must have married again, as it appears he had a second daughter, born in 1931.) 

Costumed for an unknown dance number.

Meeres went on to tour much of America, as well as Cuba, the Far East, and Canada. He gained further success in Europe as a solo act; among other engagements, he performed at the Folies Bergère, working with Joséphine Baker whom he'd known in the Harlem days. (It's even said that he gave a command performance at Buckingham Palace, but that sounds perhaps a bit far fetched to me.) In 1939 he returned to the Bahamas and opened his own nightclub, theatre, and hotel. The Chez Paul Meeres Club turned out a great success, very popular with international travelers and big name celebrities; Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner are said to have been among the guests. He brought in the very best bands and performers, and having himself appeared in all the best and most famous clubs in Paris, London, New York, and Cuba, he was able to replicate much of that atmosphere. Things turned very sour in the late Fifties, though. When a nephew escaped from prison and hid in his mother's house, Meeres took the rap for housing a fugitive. He was arrested, convicted, and spent six months in prison for the offense. He was never the same after that. He fell into a deep depression and started drinking heavily; he still had the club, but "he just walked the street drunk". In 1957 a couple from Sweden, took over the club and renamed it "The Tropicana"; it burned down the following year under suspicious circumstances. Four years later, a drunken Meeres staggered into the path of an oncoming bus. He was pronounced dead hours later at the Princess Margaret Hospital. He was sixty years and one month old, exactly.


***

With Joséphine Baker, performing at the Folies Bergère. Inscribed:
"To my old Pal Jimmie, so good to meet in Paris all my
very best ever, Paul Meeres and Josephine Baker."
A rather more private image, "Venice" in the background.

***

(Additional information provided by Phil Austin Roberts of the Bahamas.)



31 comments:

  1. Were tattoos that common in the early 20th century? Surprises me! The first pictures show pure joy / love - must have been an interesting relationship with the photographer I'm guessing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The tattoos surprised me as well; I don't know enough about the history of "ink" to have any idea of expected clientele and under what circumstances a fellow would get one. Except sailors, God bless 'em!

      The wealthy Van Vechten wrote novels and he photographed - everyone - on the New York literary and artistic scene from the Thirties to the beginning of the Sixties. But he was particularly interested in black writers and artists, and knew and promoted many of the major figures of the day; he was an important patron of the Harlem Renaissance. Married but pretty openly gay, he had a particular thing for black men so, if the rumors about Meeres were true, I guess anything's possible. : )

      Delete
    2. Los tatuajes datan desde antes de la era cristiana, asi que no hay que sorprenderse, pero siempre fueron usados por el bajo mundo.

      Delete
  2. WoW! He was Sexy! Sexy! Sexy! Would love to see a Film about his Life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Stephen. Thank you, this is very informative. I am putting together something on Preston Paul Meeres to be displayed at the Bahamas Historical Society. May I use what you have written and list you as a source ? My email is: icanseeyourroots@gmail.com. Phil Austin Roberts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, certainly, Phil. I'll send you an email. : )

      Delete
    2. Are there any other photos of him when he was a lot younger and older?

      Delete
    3. I'm sure there are, but I've never seen any.

      Delete
    4. I did see one picture of him when he was older on wikitree, but is there any other pictures of him dancing or working as a farmer?

      Delete
    5. Again, probably. But I've never seen anything other than what I've posted here.

      Delete
    6. Sorry if I come out as a bit desperate, but he's so beautiful.

      Delete
    7. Question, did he marry Thelma when she was only fifthteen?

      Delete
    8. That's what I've read. Not unheard of at the time for girls to be married off at a - by our standards, now - shockingly young age. But then, I believe there are still some places in this country where it's legal to marry at that age - am I wrong?

      Delete
    9. Oh wow, I'm just saying that's kind of weird. But it was common for girls back then to get married at ages 15-18 to become housewives.

      Delete
    10. Also, did he wanted to marry her or did she wanted to?

      Delete
  4. Hello There, my grandmother is his daughter and I would love to learn more information about the family history. Is there anyone that I could contact on this matter?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't really know anything first hand or have any contacts. But the Bahamas Historical Society seems like a good place to look for information. Also, as you can see in the comment above, Phil Austin Roberts has been doing research on Meeres for the Historical Society and can probably help you. His email is: icanseeyourroots@gmail.com.

      Delete
    2. Hi - he was my Grandma's cousin!

      Delete
    3. Love hearing about these connections! : )

      Delete
  5. I've known Paul Meeres Jr. for years, in Switzerland. Last time that I saw Paul Jr. was in New York in 1976.He was very well and living mostly in California where he was doing some films part. One was with Clint Eastwood.He just looked like his father. Paul had a daughter called Pia who grew up in Switzerland. I've lost the contact with both of them. Paul should be about 95 years old, by now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just did a bit of quick research and it looks like your friend Paul Meeres Jr. died in Florida on 8 October 1986. The geneology site only lists a Christine Jacobson as his daughter, born in the Fifties, her mother being a Jytte Margit Jacobson, but lists no other information about either of them. (It does list four wives though, again, with no other information, one being "Lorraine".)

      Delete
  6. So you're the grand'daughter of Thelma Betchum who lived in Brooklyn-N.Y ? Do you know Pia Meeres who was the daughter of Paul Meeres Jr. and Larraine ? Please, let me know. Last time, I saw Paul, was in N.Y. in 1976. He was very well and it's striking how he looked like his father.Paul was my great friend for many many years.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Stephen, Paul Meeres was my grand uncle. I have a number of photos a new paper clippings that he left with my mother. She told us great stories about him. Loved the blog post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I think it's so great how many people who are related to him or who knew his family have chimed in here. I just love that!

      Delete
    2. Wow could you blog on that about him leaving with your mother?

      Delete
    3. Hi there,
      Paul Meeres is my great grand uncle. I would love to see the clippings and hear more about him!

      Delete
    4. Oh ok cool, what a handsome man Paul Meeres Sr. was!

      Delete
  8. There's another glorious picture of him here -- https://www.platformspace.net/home/max-ewings-closet-and-queer-architectural-history-part-2

    ReplyDelete