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)
231. Oct 10 Thursday Moon nearly full.
- Title:
- Oct 10 Thursday Moon nearly full.
- 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:
- 1935-10-10
- 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-1-231
- 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_1935-10-10.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 10 Thursday Moon nearly full. To village for cigarettes: visited Posada where water now in well. Syringa in bud: took cuttings. Went over garden with Laura: we decided on new crescent bed. Planted cuttings of yellow creeper, & of wall flowers snapdragons. Two more drafts of Moments in Never : now called Proofs of Royalty & then Laura went over it with me. Packed up folding bed. Workmen not working at Casita . Row of geraniums cleared out & replanted with cuttings. To Margarita's, but didn't get there: instead to Fábrica: radio, with news of sanctions voted. Medora says Dr & his party in Palma yesterday: may appeal. Helped Catalina stuff aubergines & peppers for supper. Cards (66) after with Laura. Worked (2 drafts) on Historical Particulars . Laura at Troy again
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
232. Oct 11 Friday
- Title:
- Oct 11 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:
- 1935-10-11
- 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-1-232
- 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_1935-10-11.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 11 Friday Two more drafts of Historical Particulars . Training Solomon to walk properly behind. To village: got lemons (few left) & apples from Can Juni. Medora gave me persimmons. Juan brought earth from the bosque . Planted cuttings of hydrangea & that red plant. And again Historical Particulars & alterations to Gulls & Such . In afternoon planted seedbed at Can Torrent. Letter from Barker, satisfactory: mentioned Penguin (6d) Books project: I said I would agree if he wanted his £100 returned, but preferred him to do it at 2/- or 2/6. Money has reached him from Germany £40-£50. Telegram to Sabater. Morley wrote including Private of Buffs poem: & saying that people were coming round to Old Soldier Sahib title, but Faber wanted it merely Soldier Sahib Proof of Epilogue came: went over first part (the part already seen in galley) Ordered things in village (sent in corals, sheepskin, & my silk trousers) on return found Laura tired so we played 66 & she won 76 points on 14 games.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
233. Oct 12 Saturday.
- Title:
- Oct 12 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:
- 1935-10-12
- 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-1-233
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-10-12.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 12 Saturday. Small points in Old Soldier Sahib (Chinese dollars, Mahdi's forces, Private of Buffs). Cuttings of Can Pabo rose-tree. Hillgarth wrote, would interview Daily Chronicle news-writer & take steps against offence. Letter from Norman to Laura sending book of poems. It rained hard in afternoon: proofs of Epilogue by candle-light. Letter to Michael Roberts about Faber advertizing advertising : to Morley about Old Soldier Sahib hyphen. 66 with Karl & Laura Sala supplied with glass doors & windows. Wrote to Amy Graves Dream. Saw advertised x-shaped celluloid gadgets. Babys Finger Separators for Babies. Keep your Baby's fingers apart: those that swallow them die, those that don't, grow up famous. Mallorquin- Castillian Castilian dictionary bought by Karl for 3 pesetas for us.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
234. Oct 13 Sunday.
- Title:
- Oct 13 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:
- 1935-10-13
- 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-1-234
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-10-13.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 13 Sunday. Cooked Sunday joint: read Epilogue proofs all day; a difficult job finding original French quotations. Rain. Big hot bath. Only distraction in day visit to Can Medo where Gelat was instructing 'Sebastian aquel in water control, & cards in evening. Miguel the Carpenter brought his bill: 747.20. The little round morey table cost only 25[pts.] & the oval one 35[pts]. This bill included window netting, all doors & windows at Posada, two doors here. Letter from Amy Graves about Jenny's expecting her first dancing engagement, & Sam going to special school at Folkestone
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
235. Oct 14, Monday.
- Title:
- Oct 14, 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:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1935-10-14
- 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-1-235
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-10-14.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 14, Monday. Epilogue proofs again, all day. Laura rectified Madeleine Vara on War. To village to verify imitate in James's poem hanging at Posada. Well there appears to leak, but perhaps not. Doctor has appealed. Went on until 12 p.m. Doctor is going to retire from politics. 'Arapesh' book came. The Murcians — Pepe have made a very good job of the sea-stone terrace for Schwarz & Strenge
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
236. Oct 15 Tuesday
- Title:
- Oct 15 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:
- 1935-10-15
- 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-1-236
- 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_1935-10-15.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 15 Tuesday Gelat turned up: has every confidence in winning case & has right of appeal, which other side haven't. Is going to raise Can Madó deposito by 1 metre. Talked with boss of doctors' union about getting in a rival into in competition with the Doctor : & with Mayor of Valldemossa, trouble there too. Epilogue finished and sent off. End of a 4-5 years job. Faber & Faber agree to alterations in Old Soldier Sahib contract. Juan Vives ill in bed with rheumatic feet from getting feet wet, when fishing. Prescribed rhus tox 3 2 hourly from Prescriber; also glycerine & hot salt. Listened in at Sala Café. First clear reception for 10 days. Supper with Schwarz & Strenge Candles, fire in grate, flowers zinnias, German hors d'oeuvres & then a young turkey, Rioja Alta wine, all thevarious accompaniments of turkey — also caraway cheese a Hartz cheese, I had never tasted before. The Krasniks went off; a parting growl to Amok from Solomon.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
237. Oct 16 Wednesday.
- Title:
- Oct 16 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:
- 1935-10-16
- 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-1-237
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-10-16.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 16 Wednesday. To Palma at 8.30 9. Pancho de Bernardo has sold his bicycle and broken out again. Cashed 1000p[ts.] cheque (750[pts.] given to Gelat to pay Miguel the Carpenter) Sabater not ready: no paper. Made an escandalo in Esperanza shouting & banging fist. Poco de verguenza & why hadn't he replied to telegrams etc. He cried. I left without goodbye. Bought gold chain & green glass set in gold pendant 70 p[ts]. At Casas bought set of six Columbus pictures for 55p[ts]. for Sala; & mirror with wooden inlay for 20 p[ts]. two Aragonese brown lustre with blue jugs for 10p[ts.] the pair. & vellum notebook (nothing). (1792.) Got recipe for Yorkshire pudding from Short & he will send out a maid on spec. tomorrow [who] had been 10 years with English oldman, who died. From Malaga. Steak & kidney pudding at Lena's. Laura got yards of handmadelace at 30 centimos a year yard? & stuff for red wool lazy-dress. Also red damask curtains for Sala. (Juan Vives better for his pills). Bought filing cases (15p[ts.]) Also two silver rings & scarf pin: & blue earrings for Ana. Satisfactory estimates from Beck: only 60% of Constables printers. Daily Chronicle appeared with rather an abject Hillgarth editorial.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
238. Oct 17 Thursday
- Title:
- Oct 17 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:
- 1935-10-17
- 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-1-238
- 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_1935-10-17.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 17 Thursday Put new paper in vellum notebook. Sent bull-advertisement (Belmonte) to Sala (where pictures greatly appreciated) & took wire to village telling Beck to get on with things. Médico approached Gelat through Juan Moli's wife & Juan Vives suggesting an arreglo . Gelat replied he did not propose to talk to Médico, but his offer held to give the people water who had a right to it if they told what hours they wanted. Black & white wing feather of hoopoe: gift of Juan Vives. Got down blankets & other winter things from attic. Letter from David giving sensible reasons for wanting to go to Cambridge: Oxford depressed him. Replied O.K. Application from A.A.Simpson “Poems publishable?”: replied discouragingly. Decent letter from Michael Roberts: replied. And from Arnie Lawrence: thanking for information about books: replied suggesting Mynotz Hagen Began long letter of protest to Left Review . In evening we worked out 66 to exhaustion point. Laura got a 'Tailor' & Karl is owed 6 pesetas 60[centimos] in presents.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
239. Oct 18 Friday
- Title:
- Oct 18 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:
- 1935-10-18
- 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-1-239
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1935-10-18.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 18 Friday Finished letter to Left Review . Dahlias at their best. Anenomes nearly all up. Cuttings all seem to have taken. A few roses again. Maria Luna came for interview: seems all right, only too talkative, a little & too knowing, a little. Dug up no-me-veras-sin-sols & transplanted them across the path, with Karl's help. Also got sand to mix with the earth, for tulips. The old woman of Calabat came in sight with a sister & the Papa. Yesterday the Papa & the Médico were hanging about the Calabat side of Canellun & their idea is to buy the terraces, we think, & plague us into rebuying them. Gelat will get hold of the son-in-law. (Tried tonight) Schwartz came to the Sala: did not like the noise of the radio, otherwise all right. Tired by digging & went to bed, trying to get Address to Customers right.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
240. Oct 19th Saturday.
- Title:
- Oct 19th 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:
- 1935-10-19
- 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-1-240
- 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_1935-10-19.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Oct 19th Saturday. Rosa came: with new linen trousers for me & the collarless jacket with, red & blue, from an old skirt of handwoven cotton. Worked all morning on final Claudius corrections mostly will & shall, should & wood would — also Vesuvius, aconite, Cymbeline, Aramaic & similar points. Laura wrote to Beck. All afternoon planting tulips (leaf mould, sand, ordinary earth) some (Clusiana) 6 inches deep (Kauffmannia) 4, others 3-4. Gave 8 to the Strenge & Schwarz Worked without a shirt. Seeds coming up: Scabious, poppy, Af Marigold, Madora's flower & godetia. Sent off corrections to Arthur Barker — 5 pages of corrections. To Amy Graves enclosing David 's letter & offering to pay Nancy Nicholson for Sam's specialist. Strenge & Schwarz at Sala, where pictures now were hung up, also red drop curtain for stage. Gelat has first option on Calabat (and from the son-in-law.) Catalina roast-beefed us, & later we had a hot bath. Pancho's money having given out, he returned
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.