Bram Stoker’s penniless widow was rescued from poverty by the Dracula author – from beyond the grave.

Long-lost documents reveal he was one of the first writers in history to copyright his work.

He took the groundbreaking step because the boom in Victorian theatre-going had led to the rise of “Dramatic Pirates”.

Unscrupulous bosses adapted best-sellers for the stage – without paying the author a penny.

When Dracula was published on May 16, 1897, a “copyright performance” was staged just two days later at London’s Lyceum Theatre where Bram was the manager.

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This involved reading passages to an audience to secure the stage rights. Bram then completed the copyright registration the next day.

He died in 1912, and by 1922, his widow Florence – although the holder of all rights to Dracula – was far from being a wealthy woman.

Then German film director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau produced his silent film “Nosferatu”, starring Max Schreck. The credits, acknowledged the film was based on Dracula.

Florence took legal action and won after a seven-year battle.

National Archives researcher Sarah Castagnetti, who found the documents about Bram’s copyright at Kew, said: “Stoker’s efforts to protect his rights went on to make cinematic history.”

Although no records of the settlement survive, Florence received a huge payday when Tod Browning made the first Dracula film in 1931.

Florence was paid $40,000 for the film rights – the equivalent of $800,000 today, or £638,000.