Sept 1 Tuesday

Troy. Lunch with Kyllmann at Etoile: talked about Dictionary.

To Mr Deeds goes to Town1936 film, directed by Frank Capra eds. with Jenny David Sam

To Spread it Along Abroad a London revue, with music by Harold Link, Jack Strachey, and Eric Maschwitz. eds with James & Mary, David & Jenny. Nelson Keys & good ballet. Bought Jenny garnet brooch: she & David had bought Laura an aquamarine & paste ring.

* &

Talked to Catherine o

New glasses from Curry & Paxton.

Bought Meccanoa toy eds. for Sam & hairbrushes for David and met Sterling again (at Selfridges). Prevented from going to Spain by medical guild regulation.

Sept 2 Wednesday

Saw David & Sam off to Harlech, after helping tidy up Maisie's flat.

With Jenny to settle her in Curzon House & discuss the whole financial problem. Lunch at Mrs Cook's (American)restaurant? eds. near Leicester Square.

Then shopping: shirts from Marshall & Snelgrove, Laura's shoes from Rayne's and at Little Gallery a tea service 37/6, a patchwork quilt £5.5, 6 sherry glasses at 4/shillings eds. each, an ash chair 30/-, beads for Laura. Met Sterling for the 3rd time near Nottingham Place. Forgot to phone Karl who got alarmed: with him down Tott. Court road to eat modestly and see news reel: after visit from Glendinning fixing up Ant contract.

Enclosure – Letter from Catherine Nicholson

Erinfa, Harlech, W. Wales

Sept 2nd. Wed. Dear Father,

I was so happy to be able to speak to you for the first time since you went to Spain. I will see you then, on Wed 9th unless you think that that will mean too short a time for me to stay in London. I will have to go back on the 15th to Sutton Veny as I have to get my school things in readiness for the 18th.

I am so looking forward to seeing Sam and David this afternoon as it is so infernally dull without them.

Last night it was very funny when the wireless was switched on to very vulgar comedy. Grandmother looked up suddenly and said Is that English? thinking that we had got on to a foreign station.

I am awfully excited about Jenny and the probability of jobs. I will ask David what he knows about them.

We had lovely weather up here for a few days but now that the boys are turning up it turns unpleasant again.

Love to Laura. Love to all XXXX Love from Catherine.XXXX

Sept 3 Thursday

10 o clock – 12 visit from Michael Roberts: prospects of a book by him about Science & English (vocabulary) talk about Grigson, Yeats, Bronowski etc.

Troy in afternoon.

Rang up Cape for Arnie's address (Utah or somewhere) & told him my feelings.

Supper with Norman.

Caviare Caviar & bread & butter, Moselle nectarines in his British Grove Hammersmith KG studio: details of Elfriede's death.

First rain since we have been here.

Sept 4 Friday.

Troy all morning.

Afternoon bought a table (25/-)25 shillings? (20 shillings=£1) eds., 6 tumblers 4/- each, ordered sofa cushions – Tottenham Court Road district.

It showered all day, so we did not go to the Caledonian Market with James Harry Kemp as arranged.

Depressing news of the fall of Irun & arrival of German & Italian planes for the rebels.

In the evening finished checking Troy Chapter? 6, the end.

At night long walk with Laura down Oxford Street etc exploring.

Another odd letter fron Savage.

Sept 5 Saturday

Troy a little. Decided to distemper flat, & go away during the process.

Shopping – 2 Dunn hats 15/- – and visit to Buddy Bradley's Dance Hall, where picked up Jenny for lunch at Cervantes Spanish Rest Restaurant . Thun Thunderstorm (couple killed in Hyde Park) and headache. Jenny distressed by bad photograph.

Revised contract of Antigua made out in Seizin Press name.

Saw Kitty West.

McCormacks came & took us down in their car to Old Bursledon, having coffee on the way at Camberley.

Sept 6 Sunday

Troy a little. Shown over the garden mostly made by Mr. M. with his own hands, and the house, the ancient and the modern part.

Mr. M. took me to buy lobsters at a big breeding ground near at Warsal. In evening to Southampton & saw Eddie Cantor in "Strike me Pink"1936 comic movie directed by Norman Taurog eds..

Over radio news of withdrawal of Majorcan expedition. Mr. M pro-rebel, gradually his views mildening.

Sept 7 Monday.

Page proofs of Antigua. Troy.

To Southampton where bought two golf jerseys & Laura a naval blue serge cape (£5).

Talk of buying or renting a houseboat here.

A car-ride to Gosport, past all sorts of many housing schemes and new sea-side settlements. At Tichfield bought Laura a red-riding hood cloak for 10/6. Work on proofs & Troy till late.

Sept 8th Tuesday

Work on Ant & Troy all morning.

At midday Jennifer turned up.

A car-ride to Beaulieu Abbey and New Forest generally – very bare, heather, ponies. Through Southampton. Coffee, & a handbag for Laura.

Work all evening but for radio hour.

Phoned A.G. about Catherine coming Thursday.

Wednesday Sept 9th

Worked on Troy all morning: packed & back to town in afternoon; crowded train.

Found flat all clean and flowers there poss put by Carl.

Norman came & went over some Villon translation with Laura.

Supper at Delhi Indian Restaurant (L. K. & I) curry, rice, mango, very good.

To bed early.

Thursday. Sept 10th

L & I to Denham by car: lunch with Korda. Discussed Troy. Decided to have talk with me after my seeing the Claudius scenario. Offered to be with us at Jenny's Dorchester opening.

Met Catherine at Paddington: supper in a pub off Oxford St. Went with her alone to a cinema – Secret Agent1936 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock eds. – came out when climbing precipices started.

To Curzon House where C. had to sleep in Diana's most untidy room.

Friday Sept 11th

Catherine, PennyNicholson? KG, Harry, Alix, Laura, Karl & I to Caledonian market at 10 o'clock.

Bought carbuncle & moonstone necklace 25/-shillings? (20 shillings=£1) eds.: two Staffordshire zebras 12/612 shillings, sixpence eds., ivory fan £1, George IV constable's truncheon 6/-6 shillings eds., blue Bristol glass vase 3/-, pinchbeck green earrings 3/-, 8 old English cupboard knobs 1/- each, Venetian glass necklace & ivory papercutter for Catherine 9/-, pink bead ditt necklace for Penny 1/-, star earrings for Laura 2/-, blue Bristol bowl 2/-, 3 saucers 2/-. Lunch at pub 1/- each!

On return found Honor had been, with last chapters of The Heathen & gone away thinking us in S'hampton. Later she phoned & came & stopped night, sleeping with Laura; & coming to dinner with Kitty & Douglas West. Moonstone necklace to Honor.

Carl took Catherine to a film.

Saturday Sept 12th

Poisonous letter from Grigson.

Took Catherine to Zoo – very empty of people. Norman turned up, (saying he would break things off with Grigson) & took Honor back to Arkesden in his car.

Almost Forgotten Germany to have a Dutch Danish & Moon's no fool a Dutch translation.

Cat Troy. Reassuring letter from Deyá.

Catherine & I cooked sausage and mash & then we went for a walk: to news cinema at Studio One.

Amythyst Amethyst necklace for C. £1.1.0

Laura gave her the jagoon Mallorquin ring.

Sunday. Sept 13th

To Jenny's to pay her hotel bill. She gave me a suggestion for Ant.

Fuller to lunch at Prada: he had found about 10 passages for change.

Catherine sent to Ward & Dorothy's, & Ben Ben Nicholson? KG's while we worked.

Troy in afternoon, in evening to It's Love Again1936 movie directed by Victor Saville at the Tivoli (Jessie Matthews). Troy till 2.30 am

Monday Sept 14

Up at 7.30

To Constables with Catherine. Kyllmann enthusiastic about dictionary.

* Gave him final proofs of Antigua.

Shopping in Selfridges with Catherine. (Her silhouette cut) then to my tailor to try on dress-suit, to shirtmaker. Back. Jenny had phoned Laura about a wedding present for Sarah Churchill who is running off with Olivier the Cochrane Follow The Sunrevue KG; see note June 27, 1936 eds. humourist. Laura to Selfridge to get it. I went to Morning Post to interview Osborne about the Grigson affair. He asked (after being properly horrified) what do you want me to do? I said Deal with the matter in the best traditions of Morning Post.

To cinema Mickey Mouse & Jessie Matthews in 'It's Love Again'see note September 13, 1936 eds..

* Troy till 3 am. Finished *

Tuesday Sept 15

To Caledonian Market with Catherine. Bought a brown garnet brooch Georgian 11/611 shillings, sixpence eds., ruby & pearl ring for Dorothy 15/-15 shillings eds., Hester Bateman tongs 15/-, tea spoon M.S.an initialled teaspoon? eds. for Maisie,silver salt & pepper castors 6/0 each, 4 Wedgewood plates 1/- each, 37 piece pink tea service 7/6, Worcester sugar bowl 2/- ,pink china beads 2/-, Staffordshire water jug 6/-, Persian bedspread 9/- (from Spanish speaking Safardists from Selonika) cufflinks & stud 18/6, Victorian solitaire set 6.6d6 shillings, sixpence eds., 2 pewter ashtrays 4/-.

Norman asked to mediate: apology on way from Grigson. Told Osborne, by phone, matter ended for me, if apology decent.

* Met David & Sam & saw them & C. off at Paddington (another platform) to Warminster. To Liddell Hart: he was very sticky.

Hors d'oeuvres at Prada.

Lost my fountain pen in taxi.

Wednesday Sept 16

Apology arrived: just acceptable. Sent original letter to Osborn to hand to Grigson.

Korda rang up that he couldn't come but would another day.

Laura lunched with Gordon: Karl & I nearby. Len has a job.

I bought evening shoes: had a splitting headache all day.

Ward & Dorothy to supper at flat. Laura went over Ward's Majorca article? eds: Dorothy, Karl & I played solitaire and various marble games.

Thursday Sept 17th

Margaret Russell & Leonardson of Margaret Russell KG came. Sent them to Ba Liddell Hart took them to Madam Tussauds & then me to Bishopsgate to see Eliot about the business. We explained difficulties with Savage & proposed two alternatives: 1500 limited (England & U.S.) no payment to trustees, republication 6 months after Letterscollected letters for T.E. Lawrence to his Biographer. eds, material available up to 33% to Letters T.E. Lawrence to his Biographer. eds. or trade edition paying 33 1/3 % to trustees. At Chata's found Jenny in trouble with Churchills about her part in the Sarah businesselopement KG. Helped her write to Mrs & enclosed a covering letter to Winston. Tea at flat with Margaret: sent sent her to a cinema with Carl. Dinner with Liddell Hart (L & I) Laura quarrelled with him rather about his drawing-out tactics. To Dorchester Midnight Laughter Cochran revue eds. with Maisie too, first dinner jacket since 1927. 4 bottles of champagne. Laura wearing gipó, volant, giró volant? = "swirling, flying ruffles" eds. red & green embroidered brocade. Jenny danced well (3 Wiere brothers danced with hats). Introduced to C.B.Cochrane & Shellick the cabaret promoter. Saw: Iris March, Violet Lorraine, Aga Khan n, Frances O'Day, Jack Hulbert, Tom Webster etc.etc. Returned at 3.30. Supper cost £10. Jenny had got evening dress from Peggy: spoilt it climbing in at Curzon House at 5 o clock: no key.

Friday Sept. 18th

Woke late. With Laura To to Constable's: arranged about various American contracts. Cancelled blurb on Antigua flap.

Lunch at Criterion brasserie: ordered mistook choucroutesauerkraut eds. for choufleurcauliflower eds..

Slept in afternoon.

In evening made Canellun list- of necessaries.

Saturday, September 19th

Bought relief nib fountain pen.

To lunch with Bridget in Blenheim St.

Bought To Chichester in Maisie's car via Haslemere (tea at Wheatsheaf Inn there). with L (& Timothy). Stopped Rooms at Dolphin & Anchor. Supper with James & Mary at their house (quite nice); while Maisie, Honor & Gordon, & Karl ate at Dolphin. Then all together afterwards. Not much said. Too many of us.

Timothy's education the great subject of conversation: he bullies Maisie, and is not happy in his Dartington Hall independence.

Sunday Sept 20th

Lunch at Dolphin with James, Mary, Karl, L. (others had gone off). In afternoon made Epilogue plans with James. Dull train journey back: nothing to read but a Saturday Evening Post & an R.A. Royal Airforce regimental journal lent by a gunner officer in opposite corner.

Nice sight of Arundel Castle.

Heavy rain.

Tried to write a poem about parents and children Parent to Children eds., while Laura read Strabo.

Monday Sept 21st

Worked on Strabo poem again (four drafts now): L & I went over the L.H. analysis and sent it off.

Mr. Brooks (of A.M.Heath) came & arranged with us about translation rights in Seizin books. Jenny to borrow money: had almost a row with her. Shortage due to letting a broke boy-friend off paying for night-club on the Thursday. To Charing Cross road bookshops. Bought dictionary: little else. News theatre – no news, only jokes.

Back to work. Cards for Epilogue. Fifth draft of Parent to Children.

Tuesday Sept 22nd

Jenny has been offered £100 for her life story for Daily Sketchaccording to RPG, the amount offered was £10 (254). eds Worked on outline for her, to keep it within bounds.

Perceval suddenly came to lunch, full of old stories and a new farce he has just written.

Supper with Norman at Prada – he has quarrelled with Dylan Thomas because D. threw a drunken party in Norman's studio & didn't clean up afterwards.

Then went to Chelsea to see if M.G.M. had used any of my Copperfield version in their film. Awful. Noticed an anachronistic banana . No plagiarisms, though.

Nice note from Mrs. Churchill.

Wednesday Sept 23rd

Splitting headache: to bed again with Asprobrand name Aspirin eds. and hot bottle.

Letter to Sat.Rev. Saturday Review of Literature record of the letter's publication not found eds. to correct solecistic inversion of names.

Margaret Russell sel sent me a Parker fountain pen.

Tea with Jenny: went over with her, notes I had made of her life-story.

Sherry party at Constables: representatives of W.H.Smith, Jackson, Times Book Club, Simpkin Marshall, Bumpus etc. Depressing talk, but sherry & olives & prawns carried it off.

Maisie to supper.

Thursday Sept 24th

Looking over Alan's poems; wrote to Mrs Churchill, Black about the £1000, A.G enc. enclosing £52 for Sam's school.

Catherine to lunch, and Jenny, at Prada's. Afterwards Jenny Laura & I went through her life-story with her. Then with Catherine to Selfridge to buy her chocolates & marshmallows etc for school; then saw her off at Marylebone St Station.

Norman to supper: getting Jenny's life in order for her, Karl typing it. Laura going over Norman's poems.

Reassuring news of Government counter-offensive at Talavera.

Friday Sept 25th

21st ann. anniversary of LoosBattle of Loos 1915 eds..

Left Jenny's life at Charles', collected Timothy, who was very well-behaved. Went to Caledonian market. Bought pinchbeck chain 2/-2 shillings eds., carbuncle & red glass brooch 4/64 shillings, sixpence eds., dark blue Victorian beads 1/-, Victorian tartan stamp-box 2/6, blue Wedgewood platter 5/-, completed solitaire set at 2dpence eds. a marble, turquoise ring 15/-, French carved shell and silver powder puff (1790) 15/-, length of silk 2/6, soup-plates 1/-.

Also for Maisie Wedgewood coffee pot 6/-, Scotch brooch 2/6, for Dorothy a brooch 2/6, a shell with cameo of Wellington for Gammers Hall (The Hutchinsons).

Karl took Timothy to a cinema.

Started on a difficult poem.

In evening David Reeves came & worked out with Laura dimensions of a jewell-case for her.

Sat. Sept 26th

Worked at the poem: tore it up.

Lunch with Glendinning at Prada: he explained the composition of Constable's.

Went down the Caledonian road looking for a table to replace the limed oak one in the living room – nothing. Feet ached Shin muscles ached with the pavement.

Anxiety about Spain.

Going over Harry Kemp's & Ward H's poems with Laura for Epilogue.

Margaret Russell's Parker pen which she sent me refitted with a medium nib; cushions from Heal in brown glazed chintz.

Sunday, Sept 27th

Richards came at 12.30 and stayed with us till 11 (news film). He was very pleased & talked a little too much: rejected food at Prada's as not in his line, but enjoyed cold supper at flat. Told of Blaina's unemployment problem – all as happy as trout. Has just got his birth certificate clearing up the mystery of his birth. His real name is Francis Philip Woodruff & his father was a colliery owner.

Spanish news still more anxious.

Richards & I called on Jenny, who was had heard nothing from Charles.

Monday Sept 28th

Honor & Julian came: Julian played with marbles.

I lunched with Faber & Morley at Simpsons – with Richards. After hot brandy at a pub with R. & M. Morley was surprisingly better than I had expected. I told him that Auden was a thief. He agreed – 'a magpie'. Faber was surprised. Silverside, Stiltoncheeses eds., lager, port.

Laura had lunch with Norman & Honor.

To Antique dealers exhibition with David Reeves Grosvenor house. Great sameness of exhibits: bought 5 Hester Bateman teaspoons (45/-)

T ue hur sday. Sept 29th

Checking Harry's Philosophy, for Epilogue, with Laura; & the reconstituted Ward Hutchinson poems.

Charles has returned Jenny's life – saying that she ought to say how what chorus girls earn their & how they spend their money.

Letter from Mallik after 12 years: he is coming to England. Written as if all just the same as ever.

Lunch with Eddie Marsh at Etoile. He is now p.s. personal secretary to Malcolm Macdonald. We had thought to Ramsay, & were surprised that he thought him so nice and that he had never heard a word against him.

To Selfridges: L. bought lizard shoes & mackintosh, I, mac, warm slippers, brown jersey.

Bridget to supper (black hat & volantflounce, hanging trim? See Sept. 17 entry. eds. for L.): stories about the beastliness of rich customers: Mrs Foch, Mrs Simpson etc.

Lost wallet with £2. ? ¿.

Wednesday Sept 30

Poem about writing a poem. No good.

Laura to Doctor who reassured her about her heart tonsils and appendix: told her to stop smoking because of inflammatioin of throat. New spotted muslin curtains in work-room.

Walk in Park with L. (Dahlias.)

Michael Sadleir & Miss Smith (publicity) of Constables. Talk about impossibility of selling good books.

To Student of Praguemovie adaptation of novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers and Bed & Sofa1927 silent film eds. at Forum under Charing Cross station.

Temporarily stopping smoking except for a cigarette after each meal.