Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
User Collection Public
The collection consists of a complete autograph diary detailing four years in the lives of Robert Graves and Laura Riding. The period covered is from 22nd February 1935 to 6th May 1939, during which time Graves and Riding lived in Mallorca, Lugano, England, Brittany and Pennsylvania. The 1,546 page diary also contains 117 enclosures of letters from Graves' children, photographs, and press cuttings, as well as 99 other miscellaneous items such as typescripts of poems, articles and letters.
This important diary represents a highly detailed record of four years in the lives of both Robert Graves and Laura Riding, from whom he was seldom separated for more than a few hours throughout the period that it covers. As well as giving full accounts of domestic events - building projects, gardening, jam-making, shopping expeditions, visits from friends and the like - Graves notes precisely the work that he and Laura Riding have accomplished each day, both separately and in collaboration. All their working projects are minutely documented.
Please also see the Robert Graves Diary project website.
Image: Accession Number: 2002-030, Box 5, Folder 6, Lot Gr-24, Item: Gr-77
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/cd1721f5-933f-421f-866f-317957fef51d
Collection Details
- Items 1731
- Last Updated 2025-02-21
Parent Collections (1)
Works (1731)
1361. Aug 7 Sunday.
- Title:
- Aug 7 Sunday.
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-07
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1267
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-07.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 7 Sunday. (The Montauban fète – not so big because the Mayor died. Bicycle & horse races. We did not go.) Day of rain & thunder-in-air. The furniture came last night and this morning I waxed it and shortened 2 tables legs & took castors off the third. Laura working on Macedonian wives. I rewrote the introduction to my poems for the severalth time, on to Laura's amendments. We divided household responsibilities: e.g. I do fuel supply, seeing kitchen is clean, lamps, bicycles, flowers; Alan does clocks, grounds, lavatory. Beryl groceries & stores; Laura meals & tidiness of rooms. Laura thought of a book for Montague to write: about seasons.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1362. Aug 8 Monday
- Title:
- Aug 8 Monday
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-08
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1268
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-08.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 8 Monday Poems still: now done except for a last going-over by Laura. Showery: Laura in bed with a bad headache. We are all very bored with Modeste Beryl rescued a black kitten, (Barnado) from the farm – attacked by a dog & left out all night in the rain. Bought a fountain-pen filler through which & Beryl gave it milk & brandy. But it died. Laura's application for a carte d'identité went in. By general consent we stopped the nightly 7¼ gamble. Laura, got up, was stumped by a title to the Macedonian lives, went to bed again, had a bad night.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1363. Aug 9 Tuesday.
- Title:
- Aug 9 Tuesday.
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-09
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1269
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-09.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 9 Tuesday. Laura in bed first half of day very bad head. She got up after lunch about tea time, with her title. Yvonne also had a bad head & did not come; so I with a bad head too did a lot of housework. Going over poems with Laura for last time. We also worked enjoyably on Dictionary in evening. Decided to sack Modeste. I bicycled to Montauban: there made an engagement with M.Pinson for L's carte d'identeté tomorrow. We played 7 ¼ in a new form: blind, and the dealer can exchange his first or second card, if he dislikes it, with anyone else. Have taken to making cigarettes again.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1364. Aug 10 Wednesday.
- Title:
- Aug 10 Wednesday.
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-10
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1270
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-10.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 10 Wednesday. More work on poems with Laura. Went to Pinson. Was kept waiting 45 minutes before I realized that he went by ancienne heure not heure legale So came away, not to miss lunch, and Laura & [I] went in by car in afternoon. L. gave P. a present of 200 francs (privately in an envelope) & hopes he took it well. Carte d'identité application sent in. No cigarettes: so Montague & I bicycled to Montfort & got 1000 (Highlife at 2 francs for 10), back by St Uniac. He has decided to give up his Home Office job. Spongecake bought at Montauban with wine & strawberry jam sauce.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1365. Aug 11. Thursday
- Title:
- Aug 11. Thursday
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-11
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1271
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-11.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 11. Thursday The day largely taken up with talk about Montagu: his blank behaviour & its effect on Dorothy & us. Eventually he talked himself to Laura and but things not really cleared things up. * Finished Poems . By ourselves grinding coffee half-roasted at Montauban made first decent coffee since we arrived in France. Did not go out of the house all day – too busy. Laura on Aristotle; Alan on Dictionary . We are getting very fond of Beryl.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1366. Aug 12 Friday
- Title:
- Aug 12 Friday
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-12
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1272
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-12.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 12 Friday Another morning checking cross-copying of poems: then packed them up. Heavy sunless weather. A walk with Alan to the station & back across country. The M. problem has rather taken the taste out of things. Telephone men came with wires & promises. Dictionary : exploring words. Found myself staring at a word-group – minutiae & smithereens Getting hot water for a hot water bottle for Laura about 11 o clock I answered 'yes' unthinkingly to a voice that addressed me as Marthe. This kitchen ghost Beryl already knows: it left an old fashioned poker on the stove; which disappeared when she touched it.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1367. Aug 13 Saturday
- Title:
- Aug 13 Saturday
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-13
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1273
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-13.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 13 Saturday Laura had an 'appendix' attack due to tenseness over the Montagu situation & Aristotle & had to get me out of bed 6 times in the night. Better by 6 o'clock after a long sleep: nerves acting on digestion. Did no work. Beryl Dorothy Montague went to Rennes – brought back stores & a rusty 80-franc iron bed from the Market. Alan & I touched it up with Indian ink for David. They sent off my Poems . Laura then got up & worked in her room till 2 o clock on Aristotle Y. Yvonne brought a white & spotted kitten (Caligula) in a basket. Alan & I purposely allowed it to escape again.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1368. Aug 14 Sunday.
- Title:
- Aug 14 Sunday.
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-14
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1274
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-14.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 14 Sunday. Top of grandfather clock fell on my head, so humbled it by taking it to a stable for hens to nest in. Made a telephone-chair from one with a hole in and the top of a sundial (1726). David arrived, rather cross after a crowded crossing from Southampton. L & I talked to Montagu clarifying his problem: letting him see what the problem various parts of the question, sex, Mary, Dorothy, Home Office, 'serious work' looked like. He was still undecided. I sawed wood for the fires. Laura going over D's 'Sculpture'. Beryl offered an illegitimate baby at St. Uniac. Late at night L Alan & I had a dictionary consultation.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1369. Aug 15 Saturday Monday Assumption
- Title:
- Aug 15 Saturday Monday Assumption
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-15
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1275
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-15.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Aug 15 Saturday Monday Assumption This is the day on which Hitler is supposed to be invading Czechoslovakia and there has been a rush of gold-hoarding. Anyhow a bad day. Cold & cross. Anita gave us some greengages for jam, so I had to make it as they were going bad; over a wood fire in my bedroom. Dorothy helping; but then more talk with Laura & Montague – he has almost decided to go out & seek his sexual fortune – so she stopped & the jam caught and I didn't put enough sugar & boiled up again with jello and not enough jars :about 17 pounds of it – Then Alan got cross because Laura arranged two chairs as if in consultation with his own in the staircase room he is using as a study, with a bolster upright in his, and Montague hanging about like a skeleton at a feast. Laura doing Rimbaud – called me in. – A widow from Boisgervilly called, for a job at the beginning of September Everyone crossly peeling mushrooms. We sat around the fire in the dining-room talking painstakingly at night; my back aching with the low chairs. My dolly-washer arrived from England.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1370. Enclosure – “Assumption Day”: draft of poem by RG
- Title:
- Enclosure – “Assumption Day”: draft of poem by RG
- Description:
- Page from Robert Graves diary manuscript. The diary includes 1,546 pages with 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games.
- Subject:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1938-08-15
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright
- License:
- Contact Special Collections and University Archives for access. This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text
- Extent:
- 1 page : 12 x 19.5 cm or smaller
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- The diary is written on quarto sheets, folded horizontally to form octavo booklets, one recto page devoted to each day.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- Robert Graves Diary, 1935-1939
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- diaries
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 1969-003, Item: Gr-1-1275
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection and Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1938-08-15_01_enc.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Enclosure – “ Assumption Day ”: draft of poem by RG Assumption Day What was wrong with the day, doubtless, Was less the unseasonable gusty weather, Than the bells ringing on a Monday morning For a church-feast that interested nobody could welcome – Not even the bell-ringers. The pond had shrunk: its yellow lilies Poked rubbery necks out of the water. I paused and sat down crossly on a tussock, My back turned on the idle water-beetles That would not skim, but floated. A wasp, a humble-bee, a blue-fly Uncoöperatively at work together Were sucking honey from the crowded blossom Of a pale flower whose name someone once told me – Someone to be mistrusted. But, not far off, our little cow-herd Made mud-cakes, with one eye on the cattle, And marked each separate cake with his initials. I was half-tempted by the child's example To rescue my spoilt morning.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.