The Tolkien Society began informally on Thursday the 6th of November 1969 with an announcement in The Middle Earthworm fanzine. Vera Chapman wrote a letter to J. R. R. Tolkien on the 1st of May 1970 to introduce her new group and its goals.
The Tolkien Society held its first official meeting on the 29th of January 1970 at University College London. Legal status came after ratification on the 15th of January 1972, followed by charitable status on the 7th of July 1977.
Mallorn appears once a year while Amon Hen comes out six times annually. Both titles remain published by the society alongside other historical journals like Quettar which ran from 1980 until 1995.
Chapman met Tolkien at a sherry party hosted by Allen & Unwin publishers where he agreed to become the honorary president during that meeting. He died the following year leaving the position open before Chapman offered it to his son Christopher who suggested keeping the father as president forever.
One plaque 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 and a third honors The Plough and Harrow Hotel where he stayed with Edith on the 3rd of June 1916.