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)
1721. Ap 29 Sat.
- Title:
- Ap 29 Sat.
- 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:
- 1939-04-29
- 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-1-1539
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-04-29.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Ap 29 Sat. (Ten years ago Laura fell) Tom went off for 2 days to New York. Schuyler fetched us to New Hope in the car. Julie came too with the boys, who went off picnicking with Griselda, Maria, Katharine & Ben Jackson. & had a mudfight We saw the Ruin being built for us (by June 1st) & Schuyler planted a Carpathian walnut, we helping. The trees are not out yet. Introduced to David Owl the Indian & his brood of children. Schuyler wrote a letter to A & B to show Consul for their visa. Only history of Ruin: 'A nigger once lived there & the roof caved in.' Schuyler rather dumb, Katharine not so. On return Laura to bed early: Julie & I talked until passed midnight: very good.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1722. Ap 30 Sunday
- Title:
- Ap 30 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:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1939-04-30
- 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-1-1540
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-04-30.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Ap 30 Sunday Helped Laura (very tired) to unpack. Julie's negro man William admires World & Ourselves he told me. K & Schuyler came over (& children) to tea; Julie's brother Do with a broken jaw & Miss Alexander. L. & S. got things clear.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1723. Log Entries of Letters for April, 1939
- Title:
- Log Entries of Letters for April, 1939
- 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:
- 1939-04-30
- 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-1-1540
- 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_1939-04-30_log.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Log Entries of Letters for April, 1939 Ap 3. Feminà-Vie ; Gownboys; Watt; L.H. 6 Bank (£21.10) 8. A.G.; David; Watt; Bank £61; Mrs Duval 13. Maisie. Income tax 18 S. Times & D. Telegraph 19 A.G. Montague 21. David G. Beryl 28 A.G., Paulette, CN. 30 Beryl & Alan, Isabel
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1724. May 1st Monday
- Title:
- May 1st 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:
- 1939-05-01
- 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-1-1541
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-05-01.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- May 1st Monday Finished the poem written on the ship in 5 drafts. Went over to Trenton the State Capital & had my back treated by a cheiropractor chiropractor called Jacobs: Schuyler took us Meanwhile Laura & David bought a Ford 1936 black sedan 4 door car for $365. Met Julie's mother. Laura did a painting for Tom in his big map-book. Tom's Time week ended.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1725. May 2 Tuesday
- Title:
- May 2 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:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1939-05-02
- 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-1-1542
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-05-02.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- May 2 Tuesday We – Tom, Julie, Laura, David & I – went over to a picnic at New Hope; the lower floor boards were down and the planking started. Saw the plans; approved but for the opening of one door. (Griselda with rash from pigeons.) Getting to know Katharine better. Tom showed us a memorandum from Luce about Time 's function: very heartening. Schuyler will work on Dictionary . Laura happy but thinner and not sleeping well. Drink with the Bishop & Mrs Matthews: they froze.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1726. May 3 Wednesday
- Title:
- May 3 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:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1939-05-03
- 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-1-1543
- 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_1939-05-03.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- May 3 Wednesday Letters all day. Katharine came over in the morning for her first talk alone with Laura. At night Schuyler & she came to supper & after we talked about Friendship Protocol . David sad: would not say his Bull sentence when asked.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1727. May 4 Thursday
- Title:
- May 4 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:
- 1939-05-04
- 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-1-1544
- 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_1939-05-04.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- May 4 Thursday Did not see Schuyler or Katharine all day, which made it queer. L had a temperature & seemed thinner. Another journey to the Trenton cheiropractor chiropractor who pushed my sacrum into place, he claimed. I feel better, but stiff-backed. At night Tom, L, J & I discussed his book-page in Time : how it could be made closer to what a book-page should be.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1728. Log Entries of Letters for May, 1939
- Title:
- Log Entries of Letters for May, 1939
- 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:
- 1939-05-05
- 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-1-1545
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-05-05_log.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Log Entries of Letters for May, 1939 2 Alan & Beryl 5 Watt about Ebro & about Cape; Flower about Feminà Vie ; Karl; Norman, Dorothy, Maisie, Eric Margaret, Anita & Juan.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1729. May 5 Friday
- Title:
- May 5 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:
- 1939-05-05
- 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-1-1545
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-05-05.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- May 5 Friday Schuyler came over early, just to see us. We went to New York Laura & I in a train while David went to Long Island to look up his friend but found his letters uncollected at the Box. We got on the Grand Central & Times Square shuttle & shuttled too much by mistake then got out at the Bloomingdales on 59th where Laura had been lost as a child. Went to Robin Hale's apartment where met Duncan Miller for a short time; he was pleased but uncertain. Then with Robin to a Cosy Tea Room which at 4.45 served only suppers, then to eat applepie, cheese & coffee somewhere. Robin very sweet, but bringing forward wrong names – Faulkner, Auden, Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck. Next supper at Fornos Spanish Restaurant. Julie, David, Tom, Laura me & Noguera & Portela. Noguera was the man who put March into jail in 1932: will tell Time about him. Portela said he liked Red Indians & cats, not negroes or dogs. Called Laura Captain Araña who embarked his crew & stayed ashore himself: i.e. she ordered drinks for all but herself. Tom showed the Time review to L & me (of Frost & me).
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
1730. Enclosure – RG Poem “The Moon Ends in Nightmare”
- Title:
- Enclosure – RG Poem “The Moon Ends in Nightmare”
- 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:
- 1939-05-06
- 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-1-1546
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1939-05-06_01_enc.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Enclosure – RG Poem “ The Moon Ends in Nightmare ” The Moon Ends in Nightmare I had once boasted my acquaintance With the Moon's phases: I had seen her, even, Endure and emerge from full eclipse. Yet as she stood in the West, that summer night, The fireflies dipping insanely about me, So that the foggy air quivered and winked And the sure eye was cheated, In horror I cried aloud: for the same Moon Whom I had held a living power, though changeless, Split open in my sight, a bright egg shell, And a double-headed Nothing grinned All-wisely from the rift within. the gap. At that this I found my earth no more substantial That the lower air, or the upper, And ran to plunge in the cool flowing creek, My eyes and ears pressed under water, . And there did I drowned, and left leaving my corpse in mud ? Yet still the thing was so. I crept to where my window beckoned warm Between the white oak and the tulip tree And rapped – but was denied, as who returns After a one-hour-seeming century To a house not his own.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.