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)
401. Wednesday March 25
- Title:
- Wednesday March 25
- 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:
- 1936-03-25
- 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-1-398
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-03-25.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Wednesday March 25 Heavy rain until 11. Finished Chapter XI (9pages). Gelat explained [to] us more fully his political schemes for the April 12 elections: may have to be mayor when the Right Council is elected and then forced to resign by pinpricks. Reading Epilogue . Pansy singing in new cafá. Mystery of Lockharts' not-tipping Juan. Red, and white tulips .(Elegans Alba and Gesneriana)
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
402. Thursday Mayrch 26
- Title:
- Thursday Mayrch 26
- 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:
- 1936-03-26
- 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-1-399
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-03-26.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Thursday Mayrch 26 Gelat's triumph with the pomegranate. It is showing signs of life at last, when all other pomegranates are in full leaf. Gelat threatened it only yesterday that if it died he'd plant it again. Loquats turning yellow. Reading Epilogue . Fine day, rather cold. Getting house tidy. Watt can get £1000 for material - £500 for my letters. But is sending to U.S. to Rosenbach first. Lunch at Costa D'Or with Kitty West & Joyce Ford and Tony West. Much nicer. Then to Soller & back by taxi. Brought back candytuft from Costa Brava. In evening flamenco in Sala, with dancing by a Cuban woman and a dirty tale in Mallorquin by the guitarrist. Raffle as usual. The Pansy, 'Pepito de Can Jordi', was persuaded to sing so we left.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
403. Friday. May March 27
- Title:
- Friday. May March 27
- 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:
- 1936-03-27
- 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-1-400
- 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_1936-03-27.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Friday. May March 27 Three drafts of a poem: No one can Guess . Reading Epilogue . We have more than enough material we find. Ortelius's map of Spain 1573 came (30/-). Took it to be framed in lemon wood. Stomach better: bad for the last three or four heavy days. Lovely day today. Epilogue all day. Yesterday, Gelat says, the Engineer was encouraging about water. Has now decided to look for water in Antonio's ground: water for Puig and our attic that way. (The government to pay 25% of the 30,000 pesetas needed). Carl made a tailor three days ago, 1 today. We play every night.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
404. Saturday May March 28
- Title:
- Saturday May March 28
- 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:
- 1936-03-28
- 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-1-401
- 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_1936-03-28.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Saturday May March 28 Chapter XIII 7 pages. Hot day. Bathed. Mrs Oliphant's Lit.Hist.of England came; one volume short. and Plato in Bohn. Bee-orchids. Laura's new blue silk blouse. Pansy woke us up at 12.30 carolling along carretera . Catalina's gift vase refused: she was very sweet about it. Carl says “Next time she'll give you a book-token.”
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
405. Sunday May March 29th
- Title:
- Sunday May March 29th
- 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:
- 1936-03-29
- 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-1-402
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-03-29.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Sunday May March 29th Chapter XIII Ant . 7 pages. Can't feel well these days. Consulting with Laura about poems for Epilogue . Planted periwinkles, and a hydrangea at the Posada. Matthias who gardens at Can Barcelo gave me roots of the marguerite plant there; put it into the bed. Slept in afternoon by mistake. Read Murder in St John's Wood in the evening.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
406. Monday May arch 30th
- Title:
- Monday May arch 30th
- 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:
- 1936-03-30
- 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-1-403
- 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_1936-03-30.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Monday May arch 30th Finished Chapter XIII. Black boy tulip out. Boira and headaches: Laura with a bad cold. To the Pinets which have been put in order, ploughed & the trees trimmed. Laura wrote for Honor to come, even for a month. Don Pedro & Dona Catalina came to Canellun & we played them boleros & jotas on the gramophone. Laura went to bed at 6 oclock. 7 pages of Chapter XIV. Planted bee-orchids in a pot, from the Pinets.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
407. Tuesday Mayrch 31
- Title:
- Tuesday Mayrch 31
- 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:
- 1936-03-31
- 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-1-404
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-03-31.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Tuesday Mayrch 31 Fine sunny day. Tamarisk in bloom. 11 pages of Chapter XIV. Watt reports having made terms with Doubleday Doran & has good hopes of the book selling in U.S. Laura a bit better, doing Hodge's ' Philosophy ' for Epilogue . Planted some mimosa at the Posada. All plants there are doing well. Str & Schw. gave us dahlia roots. Supper at Costa D'Or as guests of Don Pedro & D a Catalina. Lots of laughter. Gelat drank a lot and said joked that he was more than a socialist, he was a communist. “ A ver este pugno puño ” (clenching his fist). Artichokes at their best.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
408. Wednesday Ap 1st
- Title:
- Wednesday Ap 1st
- 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:
- 1936-04-01
- 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-1-405
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-04-01.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Wednesday Ap 1st Hung up map of Spain. In the place of Deyá appears Palomera: this is a mistake. Jaime I landed at 'Palomera' near an island, probably Dragonera: so possibly Andraitx is intended: or Banalbufar. Finished chapter XIV started XV (9pages) Harrison Smith want to distribute Seizin Books. Fine day. Slight cold, first this year. Dug out dahlias for replanting. Bathed: water warm enough for it to be a pleasure. Found narcissus growing wild in cracks of rock above small cala . Laura dictating to Karl in the Francisca room in the evening: To H-S. & Constable. Went to bed feeling not too good.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
409. Thursday Ap 2
- Title:
- Thursday Ap 2
- 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:
- 1936-04-02
- 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-1-406
- 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_1936-04-02.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Thursday Ap 2 Heavy head. Publication date of O.S.S. in England: 6th in U.S.A. Yellow tulip out. Planted dahlias. Heavy boiratic day: no sun. To sea again, recovered pin tie-pin I left on the rocks yesterday: wrote 9 pages finishing Chapter XV. Only two more, it looks like. Wrote to John G. about help promised for Antigua . Another camelia out. Marguerite bush in full flower. Refused to pay bill from Sabater, via Estanco , for 252 pesetas for letter paper. Seeds coming up. Nice letter from David. GardenStone tables still lying about, and deposito beginnings in a forlorn mess waiting for political activity as a result of the Ap.12 elections. Checked Poetry & Philosophy for Laura. Epilogue almost ready. Winter probably over now: no fires since March 9th or so. All the same had fire this evening to keep off the damp. Gelat came and Medora. Apparently water-appeal is being withdrawn. Gelat is going to be Mayor and the Rights will withdraw. Gelat has a 'collar' for the Señor of Sa Pedrissa, having looked at his 'contribution' – can make him pay 2000 pesetas for his land, 5 years back in arrears. If the Dr wants to go to Palma he must ask Gelat for permission then...Sweated out cold with Cafiaspirin Cafiapirina , rum, hot orange.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
410. Ap 3. Friday.
- Title:
- Ap 3. 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:
- Authors, English and Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1936-04-03
- 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-1-407
- 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_1936-04-03.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- Ap 3. Friday. Boirà. Heavy cold, but only in head. Got up late. Gelat will not pursue the matter of the Dr's medicines so as not to get the Secretario complicated implicated . Pedrissa, Son Bauza, & Boy will even if they make this arreglo have to apply to G for special water. Checked Laziness . 4 pages of Chapter XVI, Antigua . Laura went over my poems, chose 3 for Epilogue . Scrapped Enemy in Saddle , Receipt for Moneys and No One Can Guess . (Others all right for book publication) Did a little work on the 3 for Epilogue . Helped Laura choose hers. L.H. reports complications about the book: Savage behind committee. Biography material all right, but letters objected to. Wrote to him. Will have to compromise, rather than not publish. Found much more Epilogue than we had expected. Already half way to the next issue.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.