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)
341. Jan 26 Sunday.
- Title:
- Jan 26 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:
- 1936-01-26
- 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-1-339
- 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_1936-01-26.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 26 Sunday. It rained hard in the night. sent Karl to Soller, with also a note from me about treatment. Finished advertisement note. To L.H. on points of procedure: & cheque to his typist, in answer to his of January 23 1936. Reviews of Epilogue in Times & Spectator . Read & checked L's Anger . She, the first part of Antigua I transcribed part of Poets Very hot bath very late at night Canary sings well: Nicholas pulled the cage down, but no damage. Stocks in full bloom, also Narcissus.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
342. Jan 27 Monday.
- Title:
- Jan 27 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:
- 1936-01-27
- 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-1-340
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-01-27.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 27 Monday. Honor's Mother stopped for a drink in company with Mr Marsh & Mr Stone (Monte Carlo talk). (Karl's face eczema'd). They found it all so 'different'. Fine day. Planted seedling African marigolds & 'mimulos' (?) in front bed. Also Seb. planted lemon at Posada to obscure Rosa's view. Sebastian planted almond-trees at Posada 'about fifty years ago'. Wrote to A.G. Pruned rose trees. Five rose trees from Barclona: three for Canellun, one for Posada, one for Can Torrent. Went over English Ecc H, 1 & 2 with Laura, & over Welsh .
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
343. Jan 28th Tuesday. King's Funeral
- Title:
- Jan 28th Tuesday. King's Funeral
- 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:
- 1936-01-28
- 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-1-341
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-01-28.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 28th Tuesday. King's Funeral Finished going over Welsh Ecc H. with Laura: started Stealing homily with her. Surprise called by long eulogy of P.of S. by Rebecca West in Sunday Times . To Posada where men have finished plastering the wall. Sebastian has cavar'd the garden there & planted rose. Gave orders for cementing of path, using sea stones. Copied out Welsh Ecc & part of T Stealing for Karl to type. In the evening went [for] a walk with K & L towards Can Mado, Nicholas walking with us all the way. Karl wrote to Mitchell saying that he'd heard that he had been talking about him; & that if he was brooding on the idea of sharing his house, nothing doing; if just idle chatter cut him out. Mitchell came in person with his reply that he would talk about him when where & how he liked.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
344. Jan 29th Wednesday
- Title:
- Jan 29th 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:
- 1936-01-29
- 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-1-342
- 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_1936-01-29.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 29th Wednesday Started work on Latin & Greek schools . Mrs Wyatt to lunch and afterwards took her to see Posada, where men are putting sea-stones in place on the path. By the time she left and we had sat about in cafés (and cut Mitchell) Sent Egypt Ex.Force book to L.H. In late afternoon felt nervously tired: to bed with bottle. After supper worked at Schools again.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
345. Jan 30 Thursday
- Title:
- Jan 30 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:
- 1936-01-30
- 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-1-343
- 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_1936-01-30.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 30 Thursday Went over Laura's Anger with her, which was sent off to James. Mr McCormack in bed with a cold, went to see him bringing him two books. Very cold wind. Everyone in village seems to have a cough. More Schools : finishing Greek ones.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
346. Jan 31 Friday
- Title:
- Jan 31 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:
- 1936-01-31
- 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-1-344
- 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_1936-01-31.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Jan 31 Friday Schools again. Karl to Soller, returned looking human. Gelat came and showed us a mysteriously anonymous circular letter sent to important people in the village about Mayor's duty to ask village to approve of Doctor's extra pay, & complaining of Dr's absence. Juan put up garden light and new round press-room one. Letter from Vyvyan Richards : passages from new book relating to us – might he send us, to approve. Replied friendlily, “please!” Hot day. Plenty of freezias for cutting. Gelat giving trees chemical manure.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
347. Feb 1 Sat.
- Title:
- Feb 1 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:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1936-02-01
- 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-1-345
- 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_1936-02-01.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 1 Sat. To Palma at 9.15. Laura 2 hours at dentist's: new plate. Strenge & Schw. Str had had operation to ovaries. Awful lunch at Parisien Restaurant. The Regnaux & “ MilPesetas ” & people who stared & whispered. At Margarita Mateu's bought old thick silk Mall skirt green with sheen,(900[pts.]) & white linen nightgown 10[pts.] & white damask runner 8[pts.], & at funny little shop where mirror came from a sort of scarf-bodice for 9 olive-grey with ivy trimming, for 9[pts.]. Bought photograph album; bird cage for us & for fabrica, not much else. Margarita to Areñal for week-end. In evening worked on Schools . Lemon & apricot planted at Posada.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
348. Feb 2 Sunday.
- Title:
- Feb 2 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:
- 1936-02-02
- 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-1-346
- 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_1936-02-02.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 2 Sunday. Schools again. L.H. having interleaving difficulty. Accounts from Pinker. Sent Arnie cheque for £5 – French publication of the T.E. letter, & wrote to L.H. to comfort. Solomon said by McCormacks to have mange. Gelat & I took him to Palma where vet. said “no, has burned his muzzle on some poisonous plant.” gave lotion Soller blacksmith & son came for designs. Marryat, Trollope & Richard Graves' “Spiritual Quixote” came. Supper at McCormacks. Stewed raspberries for first time since 1929 or so.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
349. 3rd January, 1936. Enclosure – Letter to RG from David M. Mitchell
- Title:
- 3rd January, 1936. Enclosure – Letter to RG from David M. Mitchell
- 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:
- 1936-02-03
- 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-1-347
- 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_1936-02-03_01_enc.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Enclosure – Letter to RG from David M. Mitchell Hotel Costa D'Or Lluch-Alcari (Deyá) Mallorca España 3rd January, 1936 Robert Graves, Esquire, Deya, Mallorca. Dear Mr. Graves, You were, at Oxford Islik on the occasion that you do not recall, and recently when you called on me at the fonda here, very kind to me and that is why I am writing you now although I know you do not wish to have any more to do with the foreign colony in Deya than you can help, in order to be able to get on with your very significant literary work. It is of course up to me to respect your wishes in the matter by leaving you alone now that I have decided to live for some considerable time in Deya, but there is one thing which will be rather awkward for me unless I clear it up. That is the question of whether when we meet, as we are bound to do in such a small place and have done twice already, we are going to recognize each other. I am quite prepared to respect your wishes in this matter also: I just want to know one way or the other; and I am affraid that you may already think I have deliberately ignored you, thus repaying with rudeness your kindness. We have met twice since you came to see me at the fonda, once in the little café opposite the post office and once, last night, at the café deportive. The first time I thought that you deliberately did not notice me, and for this reason I did the same thing last night to you; but it has since occurred to me that perhaps you did not recognize me in the imperfect light of the little café, when I was too diffident to speak to you at first and only tried to catch your eye. I shall do whatever you wish in the matter. I think you are a genius, and that you are quite right to put your work first; but I find the present uncertain position very embarassing, and would like to end it. Yours sincerely, David M. Mitchell
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
350. Feb 3 Monday. Catherine's birthday
- Title:
- Feb 3 Monday. Catherine's birthday
- 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:
- 1936-02-03
- 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-1-347
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-03.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 3 Monday. Catherine's birthday Cold wind. Gelat sprinkling nitrates in garden. Enclosed letter from Mitchell. Replied through Karl that no necessity for letter & that since the situation had been thus complicated I would stabilize it at non-recognition. Going over Stealing homily with Laura. To Posada where paths now finished and lemon & apricot planted. Karl decided to take holiday in Palma. Finished going over Stealing late. Have had canary in my work room for the last few days. Freezias & wild anemone at their best.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.