Dec 7 Tuesday

Laura worked last night till 4 am.
With Mary Lucy to Caledonian Market where we met Nancy.
Bought Xmas [Christmas] presents for ×××× [indecipherable] various people and for L. a white cornelian on tinsel brooch, done in marcasite [sic: marquisite] and a china blue & white knitting ball for Mary. Also clasps and gold beads for Lucie.
It was very cold.
The Adler picture & John's watercolour reframed and hung £2. Hung the Caledonian curtains in L's room, Maisie not wanting them.
The Bottralls to tea. He nervous & off the track but decent; she very good.
2 pp [pages] Belisarius.
Alix & Harry after supper. Stayed till [until] long past midnight.

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Caledonian Market

    London, England

People Mentioned

  • Laura

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

  • Mary Lucy

    Lucy, Mary
    Visited R.G. and L.R. at Ewhurst. An admirer of both Graves and Riding, but her marital problems brought tensions to their household. See diary entry January 2, 1938 (and K.G. note).

  • 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.

  • Nancy

    Nicholson, Nancy
    (1899-1977) First wife of Robert Graves; married 1918, separated 1927, divorced 1949. eds.

  • 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.

  • Yankel Adler

    Adler, Yankel
    (1895-1949) a Polish refugee painter KG; supported and promoted socially by RG and LR eds.

  • Bottrall

    Bottrall, Ronald
    poet KG; married to Margaret Bottrall, writer and editor eds.

  • Alix Kemp

    Kemp, Alix
    Married to poet Harry Kemp. The couple shared a house with Graves and Riding in Ewhurst, Surrey (1937). eds (RPG 277); also referred to as Frau Eierman by RG eds. see Diary August 30, 1936

  • Harry Kemp

    Kemp, Harry
    Poet. Met Graves and Riding through James Reeves in August 1936, just after their arrival in England. In their previous correspondence, Riding had been intrigued by his falling-out with Communism. He became associated with their circle, collaborating on various projects. (RPG 248-49)

Bibliography

    • Title: Count Belisarius [1938]
    • Author: Graves, Robert
    • PubPlace: London
    • Publisher: Cassell
    • Idno: A47
    • Date: 1937-07-21