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)
11. Monday March 4th.
- Title:
- Monday March 4th.
- 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:
- 1935-03-04
- 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-1-11
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-04.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Monday March 4th. Motor mended at last. To Palma, to dentist. (Got 3 packets Lucky Strike at Valldemosa for 45 pesetas) Spent most of my time going from one merceria to another looking for grey nacre buttons with rounded tops and button holes behind, for a dress for Honor. None about. Went to Calle Jaime I and got, instead, a set of silver & horn buttons with small white glass tops for 10 pesetas. Then to Margarita Mateu & got about 6O old buttons of various sorts for 4 pesetas: which caused Laura pleasure. In the camión Gelat went for about 30 yds in low gear hooting, behind Castor, who was leading a loaded donkey. The donkey baulked & Castor, furious, kicked it ineffectually in the stomach with his alpargatas . Today both in Deyá & Palma girls dressed in peasant-dress. Washing-boiler bought.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
12. March 5th, Tuesday.
- Title:
- March 5th, 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:
- 1935-03-05
- 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-1-12
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-05.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 5th, Tuesday. In garden with Laura discussing plants. Checked and copied more of Emmie . Draft of Otmoor sequence for Antigua . Barn Shrove Tuesday supper at the Fábrica. Thrushes & chicken. Thrushes wrapped in cabbage. Champagne. Franciscito slightly drunk. The incident of the two boys who barged into a Laura on the way. I was out of it. A Son Beltran boy pushed 'Haciendo casas' against Laura who slapped his face; Carl then punched the real offender. Haciendo Casas(aged 15) wept for shame, and had to have his pardon begged and reassured it was not his fault. Agreed for the Fábrica to eat a kid at Canellun on Easter Sunday. Letter from Arthur Barker suggesting I should write a really great book about Christ & John Bapt. And from a German student whose thesis for a Philologue degree was R.G. as a critic of pre-War culture. Asking my opinion & also books. I wrote, very strongly, that I disliked the idea and would do nothing to further it.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
13. March 6th Wednesday
- Title:
- March 6th 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:
- 1935-03-06
- 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-1-13
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-06.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 6th Wednesday Wrote a long letter to Arthur Barker explaining why his suggestion was inappropriate & offensive, and to the German making it plain that since his revising of the original all-in contract, he could not expect any more work from me. He had not lost and would not have lost if he had kept the contract, which was not however renewable. Went over Remembering War , To Walk on Hills , Advice to Story-tellers , To Bring the Dead to Life and The Goblet with Laura. The first two & the last had already been seen by her and recast according to her suggestions. She now passed them all with only two emendations. Took them to Karl to type. He was in a very funny, ungracious mood a relic of last night when he got angry when I joked about his pommelling the Son Beltran boy, and anger with himself for having lost a page of Emmie . Fourth and fifth drafts of The Mirror . Betty goes back tomorrow.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
14. March 7th Thursday
- Title:
- March 7th 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:
- 1935-03-07
- 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-1-14
- 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_1935-03-07.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 7th Thursday Laura has influenza. Betty went back. A very cold wind blowing. £ down to 34.45 pesetas. Went down to sea. Asphodels out. The Focus January number isn't here yet: it was promised for Sat.24th. Made out a scheme for the court case of Antigua , but got the order of procedure wrong. No matter. Sebastian grafted 2 peaches on 2 almonds. Laura told me a dream. A hall of people being asked questions by a professor of psychology to show his deductive skill. He picked on Laura for the question, “What is the function of a bird?” She replied aggressively, “I do not consider that a proper question; it should be addressed,if at all, to the bird itself, but since And that no answer could can be expected from the bird does not justify your shifting the responsibility for answering from a being without consciousness, to a conscious being who has altogether different functions. Your question to such a being can only properly refer to observed action in the other. If therefore you ask me 'what does a bird do?' my answer would be 'fly!'” The funniest letter and poem sent me by one Sidney Wilson of Ashley, Penn. Filed it in Dictionary of Christian Biography under Lazarus-Leander.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
15. March 8th Friday
- Title:
- March 8th 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:
- 1935-03-08
- 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-1-15
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-08.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 8th Friday Gravel got at last and laid (two years now since it was asked for) as far as the 'cueva' . Laura in bed all day. Focus at last brought from Palma Would have sent it off but mistakes in it to correct. Began trial scene in Antigua ; at length; 12 pp. Bitterly cold wind. Sebastian away with influenza. In bed thought of Lewis Carroll's way of converting one word into another by overlapping words. The change of Graves to Riding by: Graves,ravest, vestige, tiger, germane, maneater, terrible, blear arid Riding written: GRAVESTIGERMANEATERRIBLEARIDING is amusing because If one separates the middle part into whole words they are TIGER, MANE, A, TERRIBLE A. or TIGER, MANEATER, RIB, LEA. Conversely RIDINGRATEDENGRAVES RATE & DEN
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
16. March 9th Saturday.
- Title:
- March 9th 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:
- 1935-03-09
- 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-1-16
- 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_1935-03-09.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 9th Saturday. Laura up and working on Troy story. 12 pp more of trial scene. Carpenter brought olive-wood mirror that Laura designed for me. I designed a long one for her. The blue borage is now out in the garden. Brought in a stock of dry wood in case it should rain. Bad headache: aspirin & to bed early. Gelat has ordered a bull-dog from Inca where the breed survives: Ca'Buey. The grandfather of the Soller baker was 'muy aficionado' and died in the bull-ring for excitement watching some of his dogs attacking a bull. As described they are like an English bull-dog but chestnut-coloured. Probably not so lumbering and under-jawed.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
17. March 10th Sunday
- Title:
- March 10th 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:
- 1935-03-10
- 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-1-17
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-10.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 1Oth Sunday Wrote to Middleditch of A. Barker & Co, telling of historical mistakes on one selected page of John the Baptist by Margaret Goldsmith. Saying that I wanted no acknowledgements, because probably many other mistakes: this only a specimen. Paid Estanco 50 pesetas on a/c and paid the Baker up to date. A little work on trial scene. Sent off Focus and Second Leaf to the following people: Focus [Second] Leaf Lucie & John 3 4 Ethel Herdman March 25 0 3 Tom & Julie 4 6 James Reeves 3 4 John Cullen 1 2 Letter Harold Edwards 1 3+7 (March 30) Letter Malcolm Thomson 1 March 30 1 Geoffrey Grigson 0 1 and 1 First L Sidney Bernstein 1 1 and 1 First L Letter Ward Ritchie 0 3 Letter Honor & Gordon 6 see March 27 +2 4 Letter Maisie 3 5 Letter Isabel M. 1 3 (For Libraries see March 25th) Len & Jane 1 0 Michael Roberts March 27 0 2 Went with Mrs McCormack to interpret about the Tower which they want to rent for 10 years at 500 pesetas a year.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
18. March 11th Monday.
- Title:
- March 11th 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:
- 1935-03-11
- 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-1-18
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-11.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 11th Monday. It rained during the night: the first rain since January: when it was mostly snow. Made out complete detailed sequence of the rest of Antigua . Feeling better after bed 4 days. Consulted with Laura about Progress of Stories : format decided. Beck told to go ahead. Laura much pulled down by flu. Bronx 1/3 gin, orange juice, vermouth. Good. Found useful anagram for my name: Rose Reatburg. Treating 'v' as 'u'. May use it as pseudonym for Antigua book. Or Rosa Reetburg. Rain most of the day. Sebastian working again. Wrote to Roz. Letter from Isabel about the Life of Fra Junipero Serra , which Laura sent her to sell. Bought from Short for 1000 pesetas. First we suggested we should sell it for him in U.S., as a favour, and asked a reserve price. He said 1000 pesetas and asked Laura “Why not buy it yourself?” She happened to have 1000 [pts] in her purse & bought it. The man who does up packages & insures said to Juan “Only for 2000 pesetas? Worth far more. If the Government knew it would not allow it out of the country.”
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
19. March 12. Tuesday.
- Title:
- March 12. 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:
- 1935-03-12
- 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-1-19
- 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_1935-03-12.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 12. Tuesday. Snow on mountains. Isabel not well. Got Carmen to come & help. Cooked lunch myself. And for Rosa who came. Gelat came with Anita's father from Valldemossa to graft pears & apples. They did some & then it came on to rain so violently that they went away. Rosa tried on new sofa cushion. Did revision of 19 pp of Chapter 5 of Antigua and made out a date-list. Wired and hung up cock-bowl in spare room. It rained all day. To bed early: asleep at 9 o'clock. When Sebastian & I planted the tamarisk, which has now begun to sprout, I cut off two shoots and stuck them in the ground. They are now sprouting too. Peach blossom, apricot blossom, and the wild peony that John & I fetched from the Teix in 1930 now in the grotto after trying various bad places is just about to flower.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
20. March 13 Wednesday
- Title:
- March 13 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:
- 1935-03-13
- 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-1-20
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-03-13.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- March 13 Wednesday Got up at 6.3O, cleaned out stove chimney in Laura's room, got her and Isabel breakfast, got her a bath (with 3 Primuses & a fugón) Gelat came and saw that Sebastian finished the grafting. Carbon came: a sackfull. And Miguel brought Laura's mirror. Cleaned off edging of old green paint & hung up. Laura feeling bad still and Isabel not working yet. Worked on a poem about the sameness of bird tunes: destroyed it. Felt influenza coming on. Found a lot of oranges still at Ca'n Juni.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.