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)
351. Feb 4th Tuesday
- Title:
- Feb 4th 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:
- 1936-02-04
- 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-1-348
- 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_1936-02-04.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 4th Tuesday Hair-cut. Liddell Hart sent new typescript & 2 letters which I answered. Cape wanted title “Side & Asides of T.E.Lawrence,” which I refused. To bed with bottle & worked on typescript. Hot sun, cold wind. One Willet Dorland came, an encyclopaedian Californian bore with roundabout introduction from Isabel. Wasn't invited to supper but taken to Sala for a drink. Laura going over Gordon's ' Enthusiasm '. Julie's mints finished. Read a Murder mystery. Jenny's first night at Cochrane Revue in London.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
352. Feb 5 Wednesday
- Title:
- Feb 5 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:
- 1936-02-05
- 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-1-349
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-05.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 5 Wednesday Blazing hot day. Sent off the L.H. stuff & letter. Laura couldn't work, so we went for a walk – to Can Mado and the saw newly planted trees, then to Can Jordi & saw the millstones, then to tea at Casa Salerosa (fearfully cold there). On return Laura still couldn't work; so to village again & heard radio news, & met Medora's sister of Son Corté. Sent off 4 Focuses , corrected, to Dorothy & Ward Hutchinson. Vet. saw Solomon again. Black looks of Catalina: who was privately talked to by Gelat. She had been told to go for a walk to the visit village to meet Maria Font Fresc & had gone in the other direction, & then chided by Laura.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
353. Feb 6 Thursday.
- Title:
- Feb 6 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:
- 1936-02-06
- 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-1-350
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-06.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 6 Thursday. Hot day again. Another 3 pages of Stealing added. Still undergoing cure, which has improved but not yet cleared condition. Old-fashioned reviews of P.of S. by Gerald Gould & Cyril Connolly Transcribing illegible parts of Stealing Karl turned up; better. We hired camion & took 15 people (Fabrica & Son Canals & the girls) to Soller to see film: “ La Hija de Juan Simon ” with Angelillo & a Spanish gipsy dancer. Back at 12. Rereading [Captain] Marryat's 'The King's Own' which I read 3 or four times between [Chapters?] 10 & 16. Maria Font Fresc gave us green fishing-ball.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
354. Feb 7 Friday.
- Title:
- Feb 7 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:
- 1936-02-07
- 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-1-351
- 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_1936-02-07.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 7 Friday. Cold wind, no sun. Karl back in Palma. T.S.Eliot's books came: also Eothen. Did Madelein Vara note to Enthusiasm . Barker's royalty reports came: £70 more than I had estimated. Wrote to A.G. Parchesi at Sala with Gelat & L. Finished King's Own: sailor crudities kills them all over for fear of sentimental ending. Laura went through 1st chapter of Antigua with me.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
355. Feb 8 Saturday.
- Title:
- Feb 8 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:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1936-02-08
- 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-1-352
- 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_1936-02-08.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 8 Saturday. Bitterly cold wind. Completed 1st Chapter of Antigua . Rosa came Mr Richmond came trying to sell the antiques & furniture at the cottage at Biniaraix, & suggesting the McCormack's car on Wednesday. While he went to Salerosa by road I ran down the valley & up & beat him by five minutes, explaining the case to Mrs M. who said “But Mrs R is coming to live in that house with her sister in 2 weeks time!” She asked R. if when he came if Mrs R knew. He said no. So she called him a cad & said she wouldn't take anything from the house if he gave it to her.(R. did not know I had been there) & on his way back said that it was off because Mrs. M was aware of his difference with his wife). Pruned the syringa at the Posada. Nicholas & Hecate in adolescent & ineffectual love.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
356. Feb 9th Sunday
- Title:
- Feb 9th 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:
- 1936-02-09
- 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-1-353
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-09.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 9th Sunday Cold wind: but not quite so cold. Karl returned. Wrote to Harrison Smith, F & F, Honor etc. Tea to Junyers, where after a long talk we saw Clotilde's pictures on the way to Barcelona Exhibition & bought one (price unknown) of two cab roix cab roig fish against young geraniums. In the evening I translated a passage of Boethius into English, and the same passage into English from K.Alfred's Anglo-Saxon version: for Epilogue translation study. At 66: got a double-tailor – the first ever scored.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
357. Feb 10 Monday.
- Title:
- Feb 10 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:
- 1936-02-10
- 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-1-354
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-10.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 10 Monday. Work on Translation . Karl typing again. Then on R.G. part of T.E. book, checking typescript. In afternoon Medora, Tia (with apples) and Medora's sister came. Laura's Humour & Poetry . Checked it from typing & it went off to James. Really sweet letter from Sam at Folkestone. Juan , Magdalena & Anita to chicken-supper. Juan has cleared 8 pesetas a day with the Sala since he started. On T.E. again until 12.30 am.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
358. Feb 11 Tuesday
- Title:
- Feb 11 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:
- 1936-02-11
- 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-1-355
- 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_1936-02-11.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 11 Tuesday T.E. again. Wrote to L.H. Letter from Vyvyan Richards saying sending the relevant passage soon. Laura had first part of Honor's novel – looks good. To Can Madó where deposito is being heightened by 1 metre or so. Hot day. No brasero needed. Margarita called home by a fishy-looking letter. Cat. thinks she won't return. Finished T.E. with a note about his Irishness. Working on Translations again until 2 a.m. or so.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
359. Feb 12 Wednesday. Karl's birthday.
- Title:
- Feb 12 Wednesday. Karl'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:
- 1936-02-12
- 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-1-356
- 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_1936-02-12.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 12 Wednesday. Karl's birthday. Cure really seems effective at last after 38 days or so. Read first chapter of Honor's Woman Who Never Lived & liked it very much after L's going over. Went through Karl's checks of Schwarz's Almost Forgotten Germany & corrected. Checked Gordon's Enthusiasm and Karl's Advertising . Sent £5.5 to Buxlon for T.E. memorial. Note to L.H. enclosing Irishness note. Hot day; with mist from the sea swimming up & retiring: eventually everything clouded over. Laura feeling blue; doing Poetry & Philosophy Translation notes again. Checked typescript of English & Welsh Ecc H. Margarita wired nada grave .
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
360. Feb 13 Thursday
- Title:
- Feb 13 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:
- 1936-02-13
- 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-1-357
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-02-13.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Feb 13 Thursday Publication day of Moons no Fool & Mistake Somewhere . Expected Margarita but she did not arrive. Maria Font Fresc expects to get M's job if a vacancy occurs: difficult because she is shortsighted. Took tin oven bought from a travelling tin smith up to Posada. Translation all day: finished. Letter from David, & nice ones to L & me from Joän Junyer. Carabinero 's son had accident to head. Médico gambling in Palma: sent for & arrived 3 1/2 hours late. Trouble brewing. Seb. transplanted scabious.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.