The Tolkien Society

• 1. The First Letter

  ›

  Vera Chapman wrote a letter to J. R. R. Tolkien on the 1st of May 1970. She introduced her new group and its goals in that message. Joy Hill, who served as Tolkien's secretary during the 1960s, suggested this contact. The letter arrived at a time when the society was still finding its footing. It began informally in November 1969 with an announcement in The Middle Earthworm fanzine. That publication targeted British members of the American Tolkien Society. Chapman used the pseudonym Belladonna Took for her personal column in the New Statesman. Her address appeared there on the 7th of November. The informal start is now placed on Thursday the 6th of November 1969. This date marks the hopeful conception of a British chapter.

  13

• 2. Growth And Structure

  ›

  The Tolkien Society held its first official meeting on the 29th of January 1970. University College London hosted the Hobbit Society for this gathering. Attendees discussed the name and appointed the initial committee. A constitution was debated but rejected at the general meeting on the 20th of November 1970. Legal status finally came after ratification on the 15th of January 1972. Charitable status followed later on the 7th of July 1977. Five annual events define the group today. Oxonmoot remains the largest conference with around two hundred attendees. It takes place near the 22nd of September, celebrating Bilbo and Frodo's birthday. The event includes academic lectures and closes with Enyalië at Tolkien's grave. Other gatherings include the Birthday Toast on the 3rd of January and Reading Day on the 25th of March.

  2514

• 3. Publications And Pages

  ›

  Belladonna's Broadsheet appeared in December 1969 as an early publication effort. Three issues gave way to The Mallorn by October 1970. This quarterly journal joined The Tolkien Society Bulletin which ran every six weeks. Anduril replaced the official bulletin in January 1972 before Henneth Annûn took over. That new title changed its name to Amon Hen with the second issue. Both Amon Hen and Mallorn remain published by the society today. Mallorn appears once a year while Amon Hen comes out six times annually. Christopher Tolkien and Priscilla Tolkien contributed to these pages alongside Tom Shippey. Quettar served as the Linguistic Fellowship bulletin from 1980 until 1995. It issued forty-nine problems before closing down. One-off publications include proceedings from the 1992 and 2005 conferences.

  1720212223

• 4. The Honorary President

  ›

  Chapman sent a telegram to Tolkien on his eightieth birthday on the 3rd of January 1972. The message congratulated him on receiving a CBE in the New Year's Honours. A gift of tobacco arrived inside a green china jar along with a note. He replied thanking them on the 6th of February. Later that year Chapman met Tolkien at a sherry party hosted by Allen & Unwin publishers. He agreed to become the honorary president during that meeting. He died the following year leaving the position open. Chapman offered it to his son Christopher who suggested keeping the father as president forever. This arrangement was approved at the Annual General Meeting in 1974. The title remains honorary to this day.

  67101112

• 5. Smials And Smiles

  ›

  Local groups affiliated with the society are called smials. This name comes directly from hobbit-holes in The Lord of the Rings. The Cambridge Tolkien Society operates under the name Minas Tirith. That group has published Anor since the 1980s. It functions as an open access journal for members. The Tolkien to the World program sends books to schools and libraries globally. Its goal is ensuring everyone can access Tolkien's principal works. Funds raised support this international distribution effort. Members participate in events like the Birthday Toast across different time zones. Social media platforms now allow fans to share pictures of their own celebrations.

  24252627

• 6. Plaque And Tree

  ›

  The society funded blue plaques at significant locations in Tolkien's life. One marks Sarehole Mill near Birmingham where he spent childhood years. Another stands at 4 Highfield Road where he lived between January 1910 and Autumn 1911. A third plaque honors The Plough and Harrow Hotel where he stayed with Edith on the 3rd of June 1916. A fourth covers 2 Darnley Road in Leeds during his family tenure there. The 1992 Centenary Conference sponsored a memorial in Oxford University Parks. Two trees representing Telperion and Laurelin were planted alongside a bench by the River Cherwell. These trees come from The Silmarillion. The partnership with Birmingham Museums Trust promotes the mill connection further.

  89161819