| Description | Incomplete run of diaries kept by Rose Marie Duncan from 1940-1989. The diaries contain Rose Marie's personal thoughts, descriptions of family life, references to world events, notes on the Duncan's farms' egg production and animal stock, notes of films and books that Rose Marie has seen or read, and mentions of her portraits, paintings and other artistic work. The diaries from the 1940's are particularly strong on entries surrounding farming, the community farm initiative at Gooseham and the impact of the war in Devon (EUL MS 397/1/8/1-6). The diaries include references to the family; 'Bunny' (Ronald Duncan's sister Bianca) and 'Mole' (Ronald Duncan's Mother), along with friends and noteable people of the day, particularly Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears, Nigel Spottiswoode, Tom Eastwood, Gerald and Gamel Brennan, Lord Beaverbrook, Henry Williamson, George & Marion Harewood, Patricia Lascelles, T.S. Eliot, Virginia Maskell and others. The diaries frequently record responses to historic events of the day along with mentions of performances and publications of Ronald Duncan's work. Some of the diaries hold letters, drawings and other inserts.
Some items are closed for Data Protection, though redacted digital surrogates may be available for some of the closed diaries.
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