Friday May 17

Went to Viña Vieja to prepare house for Honor & Co. Women doing L [Laura]'s bedroom. Wire from E.M. [Eddie Marsh] "Almost no hope: sinking." Got Gelat to put motor in ××××1 to provide power for radio. Listened in but couldn't get news through.
To Palma with Amador: Str. [Strenge] came with us because Schw. arrives tomorrow early. Listened in at Short's 5 p.m.[RG] Unchanged.
Went and bought things. Laura's turquoise ring at Marg. Mat [Margarita Mateu]'s. Also curtain for her room; lace length; for table,[RG] three more silhouettes for Pos [Posada], yellow bits for mesquida table, Ibizenca scarf. Three wicker chairs for Posada. At Pomar's I got a light gold ring 25 pts. which we gave to Str. [Strenge] because she was upset; and chose a baroque pearl necklace to be strung by[RG] an hour later for 140 pts. Laura liked it. She & Karl talked things over with Sabater. Got 400 odd pts from Short and he helped me send off T.E. [T.E. Lawrence]'s self-written obit [obituary] by airmail to Pinker to be used only in case of. Cabled to Pinker that it was coming.
Listened in at 9.15p.m. but no news obtainable.

Editorial Notes

1Refers to power plant before turbina. WG

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Mesquida

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    The dining room in Canellun was called the Mesquida after a painting hanging in it. WG

  • Posada, La

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    House on the Puig next to Deyá church. Originally part of the Es Molí property. It had been rented by the church for Sunday school. RG and LR bought it in February, 1935, to use as a guest house for their visitors. WG, eds.

  • Palma

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

  • Viña Vieja

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Name of group of houses behind the Fábrica, of which Can Gelat was one. When the Glovers were staying in the house they were called the "Viñas". WG

People Mentioned

  • Strenge

    Strenge, Frau Emmi
    Schwarz's house keeper and ? mistress. 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.

  • Laura

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

  • 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.)

  • 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

  • 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).

  • Amador

    Amador
    Gelat's right hand man. Drove the bus. WG; also Gelat's chauffeur KG

  • Margarita Mateu

    Mateu, Margarita
    Antique dealer, mostly jewellery, in Palma. WG

  • Edward Marsh

    Marsh, Edward
    Influential civil servant and friend of R.G.'s and many others from WW I, also Georgian poets and artists. W.G. & C.P.

  • Short

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

  • T.E.

    Lawrence, T. E.
    'Lawrence of Arabia.' Met Robert in Oxford in the early twenties. Made Robert his biographer and had him write "Lawrence and the Arabs." WG

  • Sabater

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

  • Pinker

    Pinker
    R.G. & L.R.'s agent in London. W.G. They later changed to A.S. Watt. eds.

Organizations Mentioned

  • Pomar

    Pomar
    Palma Jeweller. WG