6.The Alcatraz Rose (33 page)

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Alcatraz Rose is based on an event that took place on Alcatraz Island in 1989. That year, a group of Bay-Area rose aficionados from the Heritage Rose Group visited the island to search for and collect cuttings of old roses.

Two members of the tour, Gregg Lowery and Phillip Robinson, spotted an unusual rose in a weedy, overrun garden. Questioning its heritage, they took cuttings and cultivated the rose at their Sebastopol nursery at the time. Later, they identified it as the Bardou Job rose, among the rarest of about 100,000 known rose varieties and presumed to be extinct.

The deep red, climbing rose, was hybridized in 1887 in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of Southern France and named after Jean Bardou. Bardou’s fortune came from manufacturing the famous JOB (his initials) cigarette papers. The rose is also recorded as once having been cultivated, 100 years ago, at St. Fagans Castle in Wales.

Over a span of 30 years, the two Heritage rose authorities, cultivated more the 3,000 old and rare roses at their garden in Sebastopol, California. The “Lowery-Robinson” collection is now owned and maintained by The Friends of Vintage Roses. Rosarians world-wide consider the collection to be one of the most comprehensive multiple-class collections of old roses ever assembled. (
thefriendsofvintageroses.org)

Thanks for the inspiration Gregg. Without your discovery, I wouldn’t have had a story.

While entirely fictitious, The Great Highway Robbery is based loosely on The Great Train Robbery (as described on Wikipedia), a similar grand robbery that took place in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1963. Belmaris Castle is modeled in part on Sudely Castle, Gloucestershire.

Britain’s historic “Great Storm” occurred in 1987.

A very special thanks to Alcatraz historian, Chuck Stucker, son of a prison guard, who grew up on the island throughout his childhood. Chuck was beyond generous with his time, during numerous phone conversations and letters, and without his profound knowledge of all things Alcatraz—his verbal recollections, detailed information and descriptions of island during the prison years—my story would not have the same authenticity or accuracy.

Once again, kudos to the indispensible DC Claire Chandler, Hampshire Constabulary, for keeping me in conformance with U.K police procedural matters.

As in the past, I am deeply grateful and consider myself exceptionally fortunate to have had the support of my brilliant team of editors, advisors and copy checkers: my plot guru/editor, Dave Stern, the remarkable editing talents of Cynthia Merman, the meticulous John Joss, and horticulturist, Mike Hegerhorst. Lastly, my keenest two collaborators and critics: my wife, Suzie, who keeps me on the straight and narrow ‘mystery’ track, and long-time friend and author, Roger Dubin. Thank you all. Your collective guidance, encouragement and keen eyes have breathed life and substance into my story giving it that all-important final luster.

Last but by no means least, a heartfelt thanks to all my readers. Without you, there would be no Kingston and no future books. I will always remember that.