TCG Letter #907

Henry Bradley writes a letter of recomendation to Leeds University where Tolkien has applied for the position of Reader of English Language. Bradley had overseen Tolkien's work on the Oxford English Dictionary.

Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull note that this letter will be enclosed in Tolkien's application in June 1925 for the Chair of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford.^{Chronology, p. 139 (entry for 'End of June 1925')[1]}

On 21 July 1925, the electors to the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon met to discuss and elect one three applicants (Tolkien, Sisam, and one other who has remained unnamed) to the vacated chair. Tolkien is elected in a vote of four to three from Kenneth Sisam. Present are [1] H.M. Chadwick, Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Cambridge; [2] R.W. Chambers, Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College, London; [3] Hermann G. Fiedler, Taylorian Professor of the German Language and Literature, Oxford; [4] C.T. Onions, Lecturer in English, Oxford; [5] the Rev. Charles Plummer, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, editor of medieval texts; [6] Joseph Wells, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University; and [7] H.C. Wyld, Merton Professor of English Language and Literature, Oxford.^{Tolkien's election is announced the following day in The Times[2]}