Enclosure – Letter to RG from Jenny Nicholson

Curzon House Club,
Mayfair, W.1.
Mayfair 0164 (4 Lines)
Bank Holiday Sunday
Dear Robert,
It has been difficult to answer your letter until I had got another job and knew the answers to your questions.
I wrote a covering letter but lost it in the interval – which was a shame because it was quite a good letter – but still – it can't be helped! So I will head the answers:–
HEALTH
There has been positively no reoccurance[JN] recurrance of former troubles (according to Greene Armytage) I had a swelling of one 'ovary' which might have been taken for appendix [sic: apendix] (as it was by the other doctor) for which I had [sic: has] a series of injections given me by Dr Barber (of pleurisy fame). I also had severe lumbago for which I had Ultra Violet light and the same cure was given for my spots (which got worse) by the same
doctor. I am now very well indeed and getting a lot better for my big campaign against permanent 'ill-health' which I think I've won. Roz does not seem to come into it. I did not know that she was to be my 'general-doctor' for 6 months – it would be better if in future these things were made quite clear to me and not thrown at me afterwards (Peggy Graves did this). You knew my reason for going to Doctor Howard as I told you in hospital – on thinking it over after my holiday I returned to G.A. and was glad I did. I wrote a nice honest letter to Roz afterwards which she showed to everybody saying it nauseated [sic: neausiated] her – I'm sorry about that. I also forgot to say that I was coughing terribly and it was painful and I went back to my other X-ray man in a fear of T.B. [tuberculosis] but was okayed.
E
CARR[JN]EER
'Paganini'1 is finished. I have resolved to either do 'straight-work' or stick-out for parts in musical plays and anyway refuse to work in another [sic: anothe] chorus under £6 ×××× [indecipherable] or[JN] £8 per week. Am at present working in the ×××× Cochran Cabaret for a few weeks while a girl is on holiday to fill in time and to keep me in London while getting another job.
MONEY
I was put back a week's rent[JN]by being in Cornwall and not earning anything and since then I have missed at least two performances a week from either bad reactions to bad injections or lumbago or coughing (14/62 per performance). So paying you back so far has been impossible (would you rather I stole it to win my 'test-case' because that's [sic: thats] all I could have done)
As for debts I owe my tailor £9 photographers £5 doctors £? Thats all but its quite enough. I am now earning £5.
I am living here while Peggy is in Cannes and while they have put the prices down for August – I live here for 2qus [quid]3 a week breakfast included. I was not turned out of 48 Gloucester I don't know why you should have thought so – I shall probably go back but Peggy doesn't [sic: dosn't] want to.
FRIENDS & ENEMIES
I have any amount of acquaintances and any amount of people I know really well. I know a very few people really well and like. But a friend I must trust and a friend must trust me so I have no friends.
The sort of people I know are very varied [sic: varried] as the places I meet people are varied – but I am liked by most people and have very few enemies like Sarah. I have a few friends I can trust now I come to think of it. Robert Bristow and Mother4 & Anne5 ×××× [indecipherable] & David but that's [sic: thats] all as you won't trust me (or perhaps you do and are a friend – and Laura too – ×××× [indecipherable] how nice that would be.)
Was there anything else – I wonder? I don't think so. I have persuaded [sic: persauded] everyone that my Cornwall holiday was very chaperoned thank you for doing the same.
I am sorry about mails but we took much longer sailing to Southampton than we thought.
I am most awfully glad you are better and I hope you are alright in every way.
Love to Laura. Best Love
Jenny x x x x x

Editorial Notes

1an operetta that played at the Lyceum Theatre in London May, 1937 eds.
214 shillings, sixpence eds.
3£2 eds.
5? eds.

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction of letter enclosure
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Curzon House

    Mayfair, London, England
    Jenny Graves' lodgings starting September, 1936 eds.

  • London

    England

  • Cornwall

    Cornwall, England

  • Cannes

    Cannes, France

  • Southampton

    England

People Mentioned

  • Laura

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

  • Robert

    Graves, Robert
    [1st person]. (1895-1985). Poet, novelist, essayist, critic, and author of his diary. eds.

  • Jenny

    Nicholson, Jenny
    Jenny Nicholson: oldest daughter of Robert by Nancy Nicholson.

  • Green-Armitage

    Green-Armytage, Dr.
    Jenny Nicholson's doctor at Belleville hospital eds.

  • Dr. Barber

    Barber, Dr.
    RG and family's doctor; treated Jenny Nicholson in 1937 eds.

  • Ros

    Cooper, Rosaleen Dr.
    Dr. Rosaleen Cooper, R.G.'s sister. W.G.; husband Jim, sons Dan, Roger & Paul RPG.

  • Peggy Graves

    Graves, Peggy
    Married to Charles Graves, R.G.'s brother. Both provided support to Robert's daughter Jenny while she was performing in London. (RPG 249, 265) eds.

  • Cochran

    Cochran, C. B.
    Director of musical revues in London: RG's daughter Jenny performed as a chorus-girl in his "Follow the Sun" and "Midnight Laughter". (RPG 252-53) eds

  • Sarah

    Churchill, Sarah
    Daughter of Winston Churchill. Became friends with R.G.'s daughter Jenny when they danced together in Cochran's revue. There was a scandal when she eloped with another performer, and Jenny leaked the story to the press. (RPG 252) eds.

  • Robert Bristow

    Bristow, Robert
    friend of Jenny Nicholson eds.

  • Nancy

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

  • David

    Graves, David
    R.G.'s second child [by Nancy Nicholson]. W.G. In RAF; killed in the war. The only one of Graves' children who might have become a poet had he lived. K.G., eds.

Organizations Mentioned

  • Editors

    Editors of the Graves Diary Project.