Category Archives: Diaries

Waugh’s Christmas: 100 Years On

A few weeks ago, the following Twitter message was posted: Evelyn Waugh was the least Christmassy of beings. ‘A poor Christmas Day’ he wrote in his diary on 25th December 1919. ‘Like birthdays, Christmas gets duller and duller. Soon it … Continue reading

Posted in Diaries, Evelyn Waugh | Leave a comment

Centenary of Waugh’s Coming of Age: 28 October 1924

Today marks the centenary of Evelyn Waugh’s coming of age on 28 October 1924, his 21st birthday. In Waugh’s diary entry for the following day, he begins: “Yesterday I became a man and put away childish things.” (Diaries, p. 182)  … Continue reading

Posted in A Little Learning, Anniversaries, Diaries, Film: The Scarlet Woman, Hampstead, Oxford | Comments Off on Centenary of Waugh’s Coming of Age: 28 October 1924

Instead of an obituary: James Waugh in the writings of his family.

As noted in a previous post, the Daily Telegraph dated 24 September 2022 announced the death on 12 September 2022 of James Waugh, age 76.  This appears to be the second son of Evelyn Waugh.  No other obituaries have been … Continue reading

Posted in Diaries, Letters, Obituaries, Waugh Family | Tagged | Comments Off on Instead of an obituary: James Waugh in the writings of his family.

MLK Weekend Roundup

–The independent book publisher Sutherland House has posted a brief article entitled “Why Waugh Drank”. This is by Kenneth Whyte and begins with a quote from Waugh’s diary (8 Dec 1924, pp. 189-90) about a drink-fueled Oxford day spent in … Continue reading

Posted in Diaries, Edmund Campion, Letters | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on MLK Weekend Roundup

Waugh, the Stirling Brothers and the SAS

The Daily Mail has posted an article from the Mail on Sunday  by Gavin Mortimer about his new book The Phoney Major: The Life, Times and Truth about the Founder of the SAS. This is about David Stirling, a WWII … Continue reading

Posted in Diaries, Newspapers, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Waugh, the Stirling Brothers and the SAS

Waugh and the Coronation at Piers Court

This week, Britain is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s reign, which began on 6 February 1952, and was consummated with the Coronation on 1 June 1953. The Platinum Jubilee itself will extend from tomorrow, 2 June to Sunday, … Continue reading

Posted in Anniversaries, Diaries, Letters, Piers Court | Tagged , | Comments Off on Waugh and the Coronation at Piers Court

Mid-May Roundup

—The Guardian, apparently in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the serialized publication of Waugh’s diaries, has posted a brief introduction by Chris Hall. Here’s an excerpt: The year 1973 saw a big serialisation of the private diaries of Evelyn … Continue reading

Posted in A Handful of Dust, Anniversaries, Art, Photography & Sculpture, Brideshead Revisited, Decline and Fall, Diaries, Internet, Newspapers | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mid-May Roundup

Keeping Up With Aristocrats (More)

The second episode of the new ITV series “Keeping Up With the Aristocrats” airs tomorrow on ITV at 9pm. This will, no doubt, offer additional examples of enterprising efforts by four aristocratic families to make something of more immediate value … Continue reading

Posted in A Handful of Dust, Diaries, Documentaries, Interviews, Newspapers, Television Programs | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Keeping Up With Aristocrats (More)

Waugh’s Christmas 1946

Waugh records in his Diaries 75 years ago his rather downbeat experience of the second Christmas in the postwar Atlee era. His feelings may resonate with many of us who are experiencing our second Christmas in the Age of Covid: … Continue reading

Posted in Diaries, Evelyn Waugh | 4 Comments

Septimus Waugh: Reminiscence

The Tablet’s latest issue has a reminiscence of the late Septimus Waugh. This appears in the “Word from the Cloister” column and is based on an interview of Jimmy Burns, journalist and member of The Tablet’s board. He was a … Continue reading

Posted in Bibliophilia, Diaries, Edmund Campion, Interviews, Newspapers, Waugh Family, Waugh in Abyssinia | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Septimus Waugh: Reminiscence