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)
511. July 10 Friday.
- Title:
- July 10 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:
- 1936-07-10
- 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-1-505
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-10.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 10 Friday. Wall gravelled: now called 'The Mercado'. Mediaeval schools. Honor wired she will come on 14th. Castañer saw house & garden. ashamed & jealous, it seemed. Fixed curtain rods properly at Posada: rose dying, lemon surpisingly coming to life again. New blue-mechanics trousers. Certain anxiety about money. Castañer identified our 'mortar' as a holy water stoup from the Palma temple — the heads are knights templars. This explains the [figure – unidentified drawing] Schw. says if genuine worth 5000 pesetas.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
512. July 11 Sat
- Title:
- July 11 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:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1936-07-11
- 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-1-506
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-11.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 11 Sat Wrote to Watt, hurrying. Mediaeval Schools . Bartolomé paving the plaza with sandstone. Jenny wrote about C.N. wanting to come. Vyvyan sent his T.E. book. Rosa brought two new linen shirts. Coldish day with rain in the early morning. Have had toothache, dull & low, over since Thursday. Difficult to work. Also cut hand still painful.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
513. July 12 Sunday
- Title:
- July 12 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:
- 1936-07-12
- 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-1-507
- 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_1936-07-12.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 12 Sunday Mediaeval schools . To Barker about Penguin Books . Catalina Martina brought a present of cana canna lilies from Soller; planted them. The cook Catalina apparently fouled our olive oil drum — a tradition of angry cooks. It has to be cleaned out. The new cook is the best yet: made us almond ice-cream as a surprise today and cooked the joint beautifully. To A.G. Toothache still. Going over Fame with Laura for Epilogue III .
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
514. July 13 Monday
- Title:
- July 13 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:
- 1936-07-13
- 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-1-508
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-13.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 13 Monday Going over Advertising , finishing Fame & cross-copying. A little ' Schools .' Toothache a bit better. Bartolome doing circle round Can Torrent stone table. Almond at Can Gelat has died. Went to see work there: cementing back wall. Tooth & hand still a bit painful. Sebastian planting yellow zinnias around plaza. Double primus came back mended.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
515. July 14 Tuesday.
- Title:
- July 14 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:
- 1936-07-14
- 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-1-509
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-14.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 14 Tuesday. Great heat. Five versions of a poem about a lucky half-penny (recourse to Laura) instead of Schools . All day. Still pain from tooth & hand but felt well enough to bathe. Several more almonds have died. Bartolome has finished the redondo at Can Torrent, now putting up the stair rail. Laura doing her last section of Troy . Schw. wouldn't sign the libel clause in the A.F.G. agreement. Laura also went over poem called It Has Happened Well : title not approved, rest passed with alterations.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
516. July 15 FridayWednesday.
- Title:
- July 15 FridayWednesday.
- 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:
- 1936-07-15
- 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-1-510
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-15.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 15 FridayWednesday. Checked Alan's drama notes, changes in Halfpenny and other poem, now called End of Play . Bartolomé putting up st balustrade. To Can Gelat where garden being put right, & frame in upper window. Oil tank cleaned: no evidence of Catalina's tricks, only verdigris in tap. No letters Painted well-head cover, with Alan, at Posada. Coffee at Str. & Schw. Schw. a bit funny because of having refused to sign the libel contract in his A.F.G. clause. Worked on two more drafts of To disown the records . Bathed: brought from sea a stone batiked by bark-dyed fishing nets, a sort of knife of sea-worn bark, a pouch-fish.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
517. July 16 Thursday.
- Title:
- July 16 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:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985 and Authors, English
- Creator:
- Graves, Robert, 1895-1985
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1936-07-16
- 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-1-511
- Fonds Title:
- Robert Graves collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC050
- Is_referenced_by:
- Robert Graves Diary project URL: http://graves.uvic.ca/diary_1936-07-16.html and Special Collection finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/robert-graves-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 16 Thursday. Great heat, but breeze. Another two drafts of ' To Disown the Records ' now called ' Birthday '. Bartolomé between balustrade (waiting for smith) and path outside my work-room window. Francisca the cook has a touch of sun, keeps her bed. Work on a difficult passage of Alan's drama notes over which L & I stuck last night, very tired, at 12 o clock. Counting up Epilogue III find we have already 250 pages & more to come from Norman and Alan; possibly Tom. Sent Cooke [£]4/- for Ant. stamp and O.S.S. American to Richards. * Ice-chest came. Slowly at Schools . It appears that the girls' distemper was due to drinking with the boys the other night.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
518. July 17 Friday
- Title:
- July 17 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:
- 1936-07-17
- 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-1-512
- 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_1936-07-17.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 17 Friday Balustrade being mounted by smith. Schools . Two new drafts of Birthdays . Gelat, smith, Amador, Bartolomé & Seb. Aquel all helping with the balustrade: now finished all but painting and one knob, minus a thread. B Can Gelat will be finished by Monday, except for two plumbing jobs. Sent off Ant. to America, and letter To to Eliot asking for Wills wills back. Juan spraying trees. Very tired but better after bathe bath and worked until 1 or so on Cards for Epilogue . * Epilogue II arrived Oranges about the size of golfballs.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
519. July 18th Saturday.
- Title:
- July 18th 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:
- 1936-07-18
- 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-1-513
- 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_1936-07-18.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 18th Saturday. Worked on Cards again all morning. Telegram from Constable 'very glad to publish Antigua '. Laura wrote suggesting contract. Bartolome finishing path outside my window. Heavy day. Rosa's bill for 6 months only 190 pesetas Sebastian planted zinnias at Posada: sent old ice-chest up there. Bathed with Alan: fisherman gave us green-&-yellow coral. Went over Lost Alternative . Wrote note for Poetry & Politics about Baldwin and 'more poets' Laura, at the village, rowed Pancho in front of the Franciscas and Juan of Calabat, saying that she had no confidence in him. Over the radio news of military insurrection at Melilla & Seville and the degradation of Franco and 5 generals.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.
520. July 19th Sunday.
- Title:
- July 19th 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:
- 1936-07-19
- 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-1-514
- 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_1936-07-19.html
- Date Digitized:
- 2002-07-19
- Transcript:
- July 19th Sunday. Painted part of the balustrade with red lead (taking on from Karl's lead). Francisquita and her mother came: F brought some pillow-lace she had made by hand. Laura for 2 days busy on A's Courage homily: anxious for Troy . Bathed from fishermen's huts, the foreshore being sea-weedy. Could not bring myself to work on schools – revulsion against education. Wrote to Julie. No letters because of trouble in Palma Rumours over the radio of fighting in Barcelona & air-bombing in Valencia, of death's in Palma from Fascists armed by the Captain-General who went over last night to Barcelona to lead a revolt, & has now surrendered. Laura & I to Fabrica where stories of the two F's doings came out.
- Technical Note:
- 300 dpi TIFF. Migration metadata by MT.