MANUSCRIPT: Pepita (manuscript notes).
Manuscript Material
Sackville-West, Vita. Notes for Pepita. 1937.
Foolscap; ca. 50 leaves; green ink and occasional red pencil manuscript, primarily on rectos; stapled signature loosely inserted into originally stapled blue hand-labeled wrappers labeled “Pepita notes 1936.”
Approximately 50 pages of manuscript notes for Vita’s biography of her grandmother, written in green ink, with red pencil markings. Her index includes such categories of information as “Grandpapa’s children,” “Pepita, chronology,” “labourers at,” “servants at,” and “friends at” various properties; just to name a few. Published in 1937 by the Hogarth Press, it sold 10,000 copies in the first two months. (See Cross A32.)
As Harold’s advance into politics grew more determined, Vita retreated more deeply into her gardens. Her mother’s death at the beginning of 1936 was a catalyst for further reflection. The substantial inheritance Lady Sackville bequeathed to Vita provided her with both financial security and treasures with which to furnish Sissinghurst. Inadvertently, her mother also provided her with the inspiration for her next book.
The biography of her maternal grandmother, a famous Spanish gypsy dancer was Vita’s attempt, not only to capture the intriguing nature of Pepita, but to reconcile her perennial ambivalence towards her mother. In 1936 she wrote to Harold
While at Brighton [Lady Sackville’s home] yesterday I found some papers which absolutely thrilled me. These were the depositions of the Spanish witnesses taken before the Knole succession case … all labourers and suchlike people, living in a little village in Spain. I have not read them through yet, but have read enough to make my mouth water. They are all people who knew Pepita and her mother.
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