| Admin/Biog History | In 1948 Nicolson held two jobs: Editor of the Burlington Magazine and Deputy Surveyor of the King's pictures. He was also in relationship with David Carritt. After a tempestuous year, the relationship finally ended in September 1949, and shortly afterwards - struggling to juggle his two jobs - Nicolson formally resigned from his position at the Royal Household. |
| Description | In which Nicolson is largely concerned with the breakdown of his relationship with David Carritt and the breakdown of the marriage of his best friends: Philip and Anne Toynbee. Much of the diary is taken up with the developments of these relationship: he writes about the twists and turn of events, including the practicalities of separating and seeking a divorce in the late 1940s. He focuses, in particular, on Philip: the changes to Philip's character and their friendship, from the moment the separation is announced up until the time Philip departs to take up a post as correspondent for the Observer in the Middle East. He also focuses on the relationships of other friends including, in particular, Richard Wollheim (with whom Anne Toynbee has fallen in love); Lawrence Gowing; Julia Strachey and Jocelyn Baines. Most of the entries are reflective and philosophical, documenting Nicolson's thoughts about the complexities and values of life, love and friendship. He also writes about ageing - in particular the attractiveness of youth and the physical changes that accompany middle age.
Also includes much reflection on his sexuality and how, after finally embarking on a same-sex relationship in his 30s, this has altered his outlook and social circle. He writes about his attempts to seek future happiness in this regard including his aim to find a wife and his consideration of Catherine Wolfe (former girlfriend of David Sylvester) for this position. There is very little mention of his work as an art historian.
Entries are sporadic, rather than daily, and longer, covering the events of several days. There are no entries at all for seven months between February and September 1949, the period during which Nicolson is experiencing acute problems with his relationship with David Carritt.
Of particular interest:
1948
August
-14th: reflects on his love affair with David Carritt; David's growing maturity; reports that his brother (Nigel Nicolson) has been deserted by Shirley, and Richard Wollheim deserted by Mary Ball-Dodd for Giles Romilly; writes about Wollheim's emotional state and plans to win Mary back
October:
-8th & 14th: writes exclusively about his love affair and feelings for David Carritt; 'I have been to dozens of parties, but I have not bothered to mention them because D was not present'.
-20th: discusses, with Richard Wollheim, his relationship with David Carritt including, in particular, David's infidelity and the influence of his twin sister, Christina
-25th: has an enormous row with David Carritt; confides in Richard Wollheim and his mother (Vita Sackville-West) about his relationship with Carritt
-27th: Richard Wollheim reveals his affections for Anne Toynbee; dines with Douglas Cooper and Richard Neville
-30th: writes that his love-affair with David Carritt is 'all over' [A digital copy of this entry can be found below]
November
-2nd: John Pope-Hennessy and Douglas Cooper write to him saying that 'the Burlington is going downhill, is no longer respected on the continent'; debates whether he should leave his position there
-10th: discusses with Anthony Blunt the difficulties of juggling his post at the Burlington and as Deputy Surveyor; spends 'the most gruesome weekend' in Yafford talking to Philip and Anne Toynbee about Anne's love for Richard Wollheim and her plans to divorce Philip
-11th: discusses love and lovers with Derek Hill; has an interview with Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in which he presents six pictures from which they choose to purchase a work by Nash; discusses the idea of Princess Elizabeth sitting for a portrait by Oswald Birley
-16th: spends the day with Philip Toynbee and writes about how Philip has changed since the breakdown of his marriage, and how this event has changed Nicolson's friendship with both parties; spends the day with Richard Wollheim in Oxford
-21st: spends time with Philip Toynbee and records how Anne is 'slowly sinking away from him'; meets David Carritt for the first time since their break up
-27th: spends an evening with David Carritt and 'remorselessly abuses' his character; attends an 'ordinary' with, amongst others, David Carritt, Richard Wollheim, Philip and Anne Toynbee; Douglas Cooper gives a talk on Modern Art
December
-3rd: David Carritt is deferred from military service on medical psychological grounds for being 'too much disturbed by soldiers'; writes about his physical preferences with men
-8th: discusses, with his father (Harold Nicolson) and brother (Nigel Nicolson), the idea of moving in with David Carritt and the impact this would have on the family and his career; writes about his relationship with his mother (Vita Sackville-West); spends time with Philip Toynbee and Richard Wollheim
-12th: writes about plans to share a house with David, the possible scandal and the fact that 'Anthony [Blunt] and Ellis [Waterhouse] and Leigh Ashton and many others have done it without anybody who matters knowing'
-29th: meets Anthony Blunt and writes about the sexual affairs of various friends including Guy [Burgess]; Robin Maugham and his father [Harold Nicolson] [A digital copy of this entry can be found below]
1949
January
-6th: writes about Philip Toynbee's state of mind and suicidal thoughts; rows with David Carritt and writes about the slow demise of their relationship
-18th: writes about his parents [Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West] Edwardian attitude towards his relationship with David Carritt: 'sleep with boys by all means, but for heaven's sake don't gossip about it'
-30h: discovers that Lawrence Gowing and Julia Strachey are separating, that Lawrence is to be married, and that Philip Toynbee has 'taken up with Ruth Jackson again'; writes about Raymond Carr's love life reporting that he is living on the immoral earnings of 'an elderly German tart'; spends the weekend with David Carritt and the Toynbees at Yafford; secures David Carritt a job helping with a Dictionary of British artists to be published by Contact; spends a riotous weekend in Wiltshire staying at Longleat with the Marquess of Bath and other guests
February
-7th & 21st: writes about the slow demise of his relationship with David Carritt
September
-3rd: writes that he has broken up with David finally and that before doing so he told him three secrets: one concerning the restoration of pictures at the National Gallery; the second concerning a casual sexual encounter; the final one concerning Philip Toynbee's suicide attempt whilst staying at Stokke with the Campbells. Also writes about Philip Toynbee's state of mind and attraction to Anne Dunn
-13th: meets Victor Cunard who tells anecdotes about Isaiah Berlin
-14th: learns that Philip Toynbee is in Ireland seeing Anne Dunn and that Cyril Connelly is there too
-16th: discusses, with Anne Toynbee, the idea of getting married, working through 'all the possible candidates'
-19th: writes about what he has learnt about love and relationships following his experiences with David Carritt
October
-10th: writes about Philip Toynbee's adventure in Ireland with Anne Dunn and the involvement of Lucien Freud; writes about a visit to Venice and Paris recording anecdotes about Norman Douglas and Douglas Cooper; mentions 'sweet Luisa [Vertova] whom Derek [Hill] wants to marry and whom I want, in a rather distant way, to marry too'; records that he 'resigned from the Deputy Surveyorship and Oliver is ensconced in my chair'; spends an evening in the Gargoyle club with Jocelyn Baines and Nathalie Newton
-13th: spends the evening with Jacky Hewit who talks about his suicide attempt and relationships with Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt and Christopher Isherwood
-18th: has his 'first intimate conversation' with Nigel - they discuss their respective love lives; the sexuality of their parents [Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West] and the legacy of being the children of 'two homosexuals'; and Olga Davenport's affection for Nigel
-20th: arranges a date for Jocelyn Baines and Ruth [Jackson?]; has a long talk to George Weidenfeld about his partnership with Nigel Nicolson
-21st: writes about his affection for Jocelyn Baines
-28th: spends the evening at [Frederick] Antal's house where Antal tries to 'win me over to Marxism' [A digital copy of this entry can be found below]
November
-9th: writes about his relationship with Catherine [Wolfe?] and his thoughts about David following the end of their relationship
-10th: writes about 'cutting' Douglas Cooper having received an insulting letter from him; writes about the fact that he needs a partner in life to be fully happy
-17th: visits the Royal Academy where 'a fine row is brewing': Anthony Blunt & Douglas Cooper refuse to hang some pictures sent from France for an exhibition of French landscapes
-22nd: dines with Clive Bell who tells stories of his past; looks at photographs of members of the Bloomsbury Group taken in the 1910s
-25th: spends an evening with Sybil Colefax
December
-7th: spends the weekend with Anne & Philip Toynbee at Yafford; reads the first 15 pages of Philip Toynbee's new novel which is 'all about Philip's life from 1939-1949'; discusses David Carritt with James Joll; meets Lawrence Gowing's 'wife at dinner with Julia [Strachey]' and contemplates the issue of social class
-10th: discusses, with his mother [Vita Sackville-West] the idea of marriage 'for companionship and children'
-13th: spends 6 hours in the company of [Frederick] Antal
-16th: spends an evening in the Gargoyle Club with Philip Toynbee, Cyril Connelly, Jocelyn Baines and others; writes about Philip Toynbee's behaviour and character
-20th: writes about Julia Strachey's state of mind following her separation from Lawrence Gowing; and Strachey's opinion of Lawrence Gowing's new wife
-30th: contemplates his future and considers whether he would be happier with 'either a new boy or with Catherine'; expresses his desire for a son; records how difficult it was to write an article for the Burlington criticising Anthony Blunt's French landscape [exhibition?]
1950
January
-4th: writes about difficulties in the relationship of Jocelyn Baines & Ruth; writes about his relationship with Catherine [Wolfe?]; spends time with Cyril Connelly and Douglas Cooper
-6th: has a sexual encounter with Felix Hope-Nicholson and writes about being 'emotionally under-developed' and about having to live 'the whole of my life between the ages of 30 and 40, instead of 20-30' [A digital copy of this entry can be found below]
-9th: contemplates his relationship with Catherine [Wolfe?]; writes that 'on Monday next Philip [Toynbee] will commit adultery [with Grace Gold] to give Anne grounds for divorce'; writes about a meeting with Anne Toynbee's father
-24th: writes about the break up of Jocelyn Baines and Ruth's relationship; the break up of Philip and Anne Toynbee's relationship; an exchange of letters with David Carritt; and his relationship with Catherine [Wolfe?]
-30th: spends an evening with Catherine [Wolfe?]
February
-1st: reflects on an 'upper class evening' commenting on changes since the 1920s, politics (particularly communism & fascism) and his position in society
-3rd: has a frank discussion about sexual relationships with Catherine Wolfe [?] & they agree to live together
-7th: is visited by David Sylvester and discovers that Catherine Wolfe [?] has 'fallen in love with a young sculptor named Bill Turnbull'
-9th: writes about the attraction and difficulties of relationships with younger lovers; reports that his father (Harold Nicolson) 'delivered a tirade against low class journalism' on hearing that Jocelyn Baines had been offered a job at the Daily Mail; spends an evening with Frederick Antal
-28th: spends time with Jocelyn Baines, Philip Toynbee and Catherine Wolfe; reports that Douglas Cooper has refused to allow Johnny Richardson to have any communication with Cuthbert [?]
March
-4th: spends time with Lawrence Gowing; writes about the role Philip Toynbee has played in their lives and about Gowing's new wife; spends a night at the docks 'in Antwerp with Richard Neville in search of love' [A digital copy of this entry can be found below]
-8th: reports that Philip Toynbee proposed to Catherine Wolfe; reflects on the changes in his own, and Philip Toynbee's, lives during the previous two years
-13th: spends time at Stokke with Ruth & Robin Campbell; reports that he has written to Peter Frazer, a brief acquaintance 'just out of prison'; writes that he has been trying to 'bring to life affairs that should have taken place years ago'
-14th: writes about Philip Toynbee leaving the family home and the impact of this on his daughter, Josephine; writes about his friendship with Jocelyn Baines
-20th: gives a speech about Abstract Art at the Institute of Contemporary Art (I.C.A)
-26th: meets with Peter Frazer
-28th: compares David Sylvester's relationship with Barbara Skelton and Anne Dunne with that of Philip Toynbee and Cyril Connelly
April
-3rd: has a disagreement with David Sylvester; learns more about Peter Frazer from Robin [?]; reports that Philip Toynbee is living with Grace Gold and that Catherine Wolfe has married Bill Turnbull
-5th: spends an evening with Philip Toynbee, Lucien Freud and Anne Dunne, amongst others; writes about the importance of 'sexual love' in his life
-11th: reflects on his lack of a permanent home & relationship; learns that Cecil Gould has fallen in love with Andrew Porter at Long Crichel and that 'it will mean the end of his relationship with John Pope-Hennessy'
-15th: spends the weekend at Stokke with Henry Green, amongst others
18th: dines with John Pope-Hennessy, Cecil Gould and Andrew Porter; learns that Douglas Cooper was court-marshalled in Beirut for sexual offences; learns that the post of art critic at the New Statesman has been given to Basil Taylor
May
-3rd: reflects on the state of the world declaring that 'it is bourgeois society in its final disintegration' and that 'the Douglas Cooper's of this world will take our place. He, in art history, is the technician of the future'; recalls a conversation with Jackie Hewit, boyfriend of Anthony Blunt & Christopher Isherwood
|
| Image Caption | Journal entry for 30 October 1948 concerning the end of Nicolson's relationship with David Carritt, 1948 |
| Journal entry for 29 December 1948, concerning Anthony Blunt and the sexual affairs of various friends, 1948 |
| Journal entry for 28 October 1949 concerning meeting Frederick Antal, 1949 |
| Journal entry for 6 January 1950 concerning Nicolson's thoughts about youth, sexuality, experience and diary writing, 1950 |
| Journal entry for 4 March 1950 concerning Gowing and Toynee, 1950 |