Abstract for December 1936 Abstracts of Robert Graves Diary 1935-39 Shoichet, Jillian compiled by L.R. Roberts University of Victoria Libraries
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
July, 2006 UVic Text Analysis Portal for Research URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm UVic Humanities Computing and Media Centre URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm University of Victoria, Victoria B.C., Canada

Copyright of diary available by permission of the Robert Graves Trust

Copyright of introduction to diary available by permission of Elizabeth Grove-White

Copyright of diary markup, editorial notes and abstract by permission of the University of Victoria Libraries

Copyright of notes marked WG by permission of William Graves

Copyright of notes marked KG, Robert Graves Trust

 University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre and University of Victoria Libraries

held in the University of Victoria Libraries, Special Collections, Robert Graves Collection
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
acquired by the Libraries from Robert Graves in 1971 through the offices of Bertram Rota SC050GR01 Diary of Robert Graves 1935-39 and ancillary material Graves, Robert (1895-1985) University of Victoria Libraries
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
July, 2006 UVic Text Analysis Portal for Research URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm UVic Humanities Computing and Media Centre URL: http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/tapor/tapor.htm University of Victoria, Victoria B.C., Canada

Copyright of diary available by permission of the Robert Graves Trust

Copyright of introduction to diary available by permission of Elizabeth Grove-White

Copyright of diary markup, editorial notes and abstract by permission of the University of Victoria Libraries

Copyright of notes marked WG by permission of William Graves

Copyright of notes marked KG, Robert Graves Trust

 University of Victoria Humanities Computing and Media Centre and University of Victoria Libraries

held in the University of Victoria Libraries, Special Collections, Robert Graves Collection
P.O.. Box 1800, STN CSC Victoria B.C., VH3 2W5 Canada
acquired by the Libraries from Robert Graves in 1971 through the offices of Bertram Rota SC050GR01 Victoria, BC, Canada University of Victoria Libraries Special Collections OHC0005681 PR6013.R35

Graves' diary manuscript includes 1546 pages including 117 enclosures: letters, clippings, photographs post cards, notes, games, etc.

Private URIs to the ref prefix are pointers to entities in references.xml, which contains all people, places, organizations, and other entities referred to throughout the project.

Pointers to the repository of facsimile images of the Graves diary.

 Primary hand. Secondary hand. Secondary hand.
DECEMBER 1936

Riding and Graves continue to work on Korda's refugee film scenario, but when they finally receive the contract from Korda, Riding isn't mentioned. Riding promptly writes to Korda to clarify the details.

Alan Hodge has completed three chapters of his novel Year of Damage, and is manfully doing his 10 pages a day. Graves helps Bill Fuller to map out a plan for a legal novel that Fuller wants to write, entitled Greek Wedding. Honor brings over a typed version of The Heathen, and Karl works on a sketch for the cover of the book. Riding continues to read over the proofs of A Trojan Ending, and Graves reviews his T. E. Lawrence material.for T.E. Lawrence to His Biographer eds.

Jenny finally reveals to Graves how ill she is, and her medical care becomes a primary focus of the month, even though she doggedly continues to dance for the first part of December. But the Jenny problem is serious enough that Nancy Nicholson takes a flat in London for the time being, and she and Graves discuss their options. Graves informs her that Pat Moran has deliberately tried to force marriage by blackmail. Graves and Nicholson settle Jenny's account at Curzon House and have her admitted to the hospital.Though in the diary Graves never indicates the nature of her illness, Jenny has gonorrhea, presumably contracted from Pat Moran. There is also a possiblity that she was pregnant. eds. See Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves: The Years with Laura 1926-40 261-264; Miranda Seymour, Robert Graves: Life on the Edge 247-48

Graves' mood is not improved by his general suspicion that he is much too fat and a gloomy feeling that King Edward will abdicate the throne in order to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Later in the month, after much public speculation, this is exactly what the king does. Graves and Mary Hale agree to stop smoking for one week. Though Hale quickly succumbs to her cravings, Graves writes that he has no more appetite for cigarettes, although a few days later notes in the diary that he is smoking four cigarettes per day.

Graves visits Jenny almost daily in the hospital, and writes worriedly about complications. He also frets that Jenny is silly again about Pat Moran, and notes that Laura talked her sensible, after tears.

The political situation in Spain does not enhance the tenor of the month; Graves writes that everyone is waiting for Hitler to make up his mind.

But Christmas is coming, and with it a certain Christmas cheer. In spite of his worries, Graves seems to enjoy himself. Sam and Catherine visit, and Graves takes them Christmas shopping in the neighbourhood. Then Karl takes them to Ward Hutchinson to be photographed, and Riding takes them for more Christmas shopping later in the day. Graves and Riding holly the flat, and enjoy Christmas dinner at Maisie's with Honor, Gordon, baby Julian, Alix and Karl.

Graves and Riding hold a New Year's celebration at the flat at 10 Dorset Street, and everyone writes New Year's resolutions for each other. Graves writes a New Year's letter to Jenny.

There are four enclosures this month:

1. News clipping: The King Abdicates. 2. Handmade (joke) Christmas card for Laura from Catherine - [online indicates indecipherable; xl file indicates from Catherine - photocopy doesn't seem indecipherable to me] (xl file indicates December 12; online at December 11) 3. Second handmade Christmas card for Laura from Catherine (print of a seal on a rock) (xl file indicates December 12; online at December 11) 4. News clipping, Daily Telegraph, 31 December 1936: "A Memorable Year in Retrospect"