July 26 Friday St Anita1

Honor & Mary went ×××× [crossed out] today.
To Palma at 10. Schw came, too, in camión2. Bought hermit ring for Mary, fan & bracelet for Honor, belt for Joan with 3 little pigs, bone-ring with bell for Julian, presents for John & Lucy (box with zigzags and silver ×××× [crossed out] church plaques) & for James (straw cigarette box with mirror)& red stuff silk with stripes for Lucy – also turquoise earrings (95pts), for Maisie: purse for Gordon.
Went over things with Sabater.
Thelen hopes to finish Sch. job by Aug 18th. Food at Parisien. (Laura had bad stomach & couldn't eat much) I had whets, lobster, beefsteak, beer, fruit salad.
Chance of selling boat for 500pts.
Gelat happy now he finds that as owner of a spring he can make it run where he likes. Anita's fiesta (sent her ensaimada3)
Said goodbye to the chaps at about 6.
Telegram from H.S., "Postpone".
Laura gave Carl cigarette-lighter.4
Borrowed Balearic History from Short.
To village after supper to eat Anita's cakes. Gelat showed us the law about water in a book. Beddoes5 came.

Editorial Notes

1St. Ann's Day. KG
2bus. KG
3local pastry. KG
4In his editorial notes, Kenneth Gay (formerly Karl Goldschmidt) remarks: "Hence the now ever-reocurring expression: "Strike a light, Karl!"". eds
5? a book? WG; Thomas Lowell Beddoes (1803-1849): British poet. eds.

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Palma

    Palma, Majorca, Sp
    Capital and largest centre of Majorca.

  • Parisien

    Palma, Majorca, Sp
    Restaurant in Palma. WG

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Sabater

    Sabater
    Printer in Palma who did work for R.G. & L.R. eds.

  • Thelin, Frau

    Thelin, Frau
    German lady who translated Schwarz's "Almost Forgotten Gemany "after Karl had decided he could not do it. WG

  • Swartz

    Schwarz, Georg
    German Jew. Deyá neighbour. Antique dealer. Lived with Frau Emmy Strenge, his house keeper, in Can Caballo some hundred yards from Canellun. RG and LR translated his "Almost Forgotten Germany." WG

  • Karl/Carl

    Goldschmidt, Karl
    Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl.

  • Gelat

    Más, Juan Marroig
    Juan Marroig Mas, called Gelat: Landowner on Deyá and friend of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (L.R. & R.G.'s factotum. W.G.)

  • Honor

    Wyatt, Honor
    Journalist. Arrived in Deyá fortuitously. Married to Gordon Glover...Son Julian. W.G. First acquainted with R.G. and L.R. early in 1934; returned to visit in 1935; continued friendship in England. eds (RPG 211).

  • James

    Reeves, James
    Schoolmaster, writer and Poet. Friend of Jacob Bronowski. W.G./ K.G.; m. to Mary Phillips; daughter Stella born June 14, 1938 eds.

  • Gordon

    Glover, Gordon
    Married to Honor Wyatt. WG

  • Julian

    Glover, Julian
    Honor & Gordon's baby. WG

  • Mary

    Phillips, Mary
    Visitor. Typed most of I, Claudius. Later married James Reeves. WG

  • Joan

    Joan
    Surname? Julian Glover's nurse-maid. She stayed behind at the Viña Vieja when they moved up to the Posada. Was sent left-over cakes and ice-cream. WG

  • Maisie

    Sommerville, Maisie
    Head of BBC Education broadcasting department. Friend of R.G. and L.R. Arranged accomodation for them when they returned to London as exiles. W.G., eds.

  • Aldridge

    Aldridge, John
    (1905-1983), painter and close friend and collaborator. WG m. to Lucie Brown 1940 eds.

  • Lucie

    Brown, Lucie
    Married artist John Aldridge. eds.

  • Short

    Short
    Shipping agent and operator of a lending library in Palma. K.G.

  • Anita

    Mas, Anita
    Gelat's daughter-in-law, married to Juan Mas. WG

Organizations Mentioned

  • Harrison Smith and Robert Haas

    R.G.'s American publisher for I, Claudius and Claudius the God. eds.