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Mabel Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's mother, writes to her husband's parents saying that John Ronald does not go outside in the daytime due to the ...
This letter to Arthur Tolkien, father of Ronald and Hilary, was dictated by Tolkien's nurse.
May Incledon writes to Mabel Tolkien on the subject of her prayers. Her and Mabel (her sister), were converting to be members of the Catholic chruch and...
Tolkien writes a puzzling letter, for Father Francis Morgan, written in rebus code.
Tolkien sends a Telegram to Edith informing her that he has won his Scholarship for £60 a year.
Edith replies to Tolkien's Telegram of the same day in which he informs her of his success in gaining a Scholarship.
Edith sends an unsigned, printed Christmas card to Tolkien. It will be one of the last times they communicate before he turns 21 when he will write aski...
Tolkien writes to Edith about registering as a reader at the Bodleian Library.
Writing to his friend, after reading parts of Wiseman's letter to G.B. Smith, Tolkien agrees that the group (T.C.B.S.) has drifted apart but that i...
G.B. Smith writes to Tolkien at Brocton Camp, thanking him for the letter he wrote to him. Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull note that "Tolkien pro...
Smith writes to thank Tolkien for hosting him, describing it as a "splendid two days". He is very encouraged to have seen that Tolkien has not...
Upon his return from a night working party, Gilson replies to Tolkien's letter noting that he is cheered to hear from the T.C.B.S. This is the last...
Smith writes to Tolkien, he has seen the newspaper and Rob Gilson is named among the dead. He had died on 1 July but had originally been named among the...
Cary Gilson, Rob Gilson's father, writes to Tolkien and likely includes a memorial card for Rob who had been killed at the Battle of The Somme in e...
Smith thanks Tolkien for his letter, he thinks that "there are still a great many sober men and true..." This letter is among the 'Tolkie...
Smith writes to Tolkien having not received Tolkien's letter of 12-13 August . he has been unable to sleep for thinking about Rob. He remarks that ...
Smith writes to Tolkien, he encloses a letter from Christopher Wiseman. Wiseman had sent to Smith, the letters written by him and Tolkien during the win...
Smith replies to Tolkien's earlier letter. He is relieved to hear that Tolkien is "still alive". Tolkien is at this time recovering at 3 ...
Wiseman writes to Tolkien on politics, and the war. Thanking Tolkien for his letter and more of his poems. He says that R.W. Reynolds thinks that Tolkie...
Writing to Tolkien, Wiseman returns the manuscripts of G.B. Smith's verse noting that he does not think the book should be "Opera Omnia",...
Edith had given birth to their first child, John, on 16 November but she had a difficult time. Tolkien could get leave for a few days and Aunt May write...
A two page letter sent from 1 Alfred Street, St. Giles, Oxford, 17 March 1920, to Miss Duncan, enclosing a "mixed bag" of 50 possible examinat...
Tolkien and Johnson had met on 12 February when Tolkien handed over material for A Middle English Vocabulary. Tolkien had forgotten to include a revised...
Tolkien sends the completed manuscript of his A Middle English Vocabulary which was intended to be part of Kenneth Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse...
Details of this letter are not known, but Tolkien used the rear of a letter from the Clerk of the Senate at University of Leeds to write notes on '...
Details of the sender and contents of this letter are currently unknown but Bodleian Library remark that MS Tolkien A 19/3 "fol. 138 is written on ...
Details of the sender, date and contents of this letter are currently unknown but Bodleian Library remark that MS Tolkien A 19/3 "fol. 149 is writt...
Tolkien writes to the wife of Joseph Wright thanking her for sending him her article about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and some kind comments about ...
Following his letter of 14 June, Gordon writes again to Kenneth Sisam. Tolkien has agreed to provide the glossary for the Clarendon Chaucer and will beg...
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter and agrees with his changes but asks if he could try to keep any changes to punctuation, mainly due to costs. He ...
Tolkien returns further proofs of the Clarendon Chaucer, and thanks Sisam for his advice and for two copies of proofs of Sir Gawain which he had receive...
Sisam writes to Gordon. He has become alarmed at the lack of progress with the Clarendon Chaucer, saying that Tolkien "is occupied with Gawayne > i...
In spite of his letter to Tolkien early in March, Kenneth Sisam writes to David Nichol Smith to complain that Tolkien is not only holding up the Clarend...
Sisam replies to Gordon's letter. He supports Tolkien leaving the Clarendon Chaucer, noting that Tolkien has too much else getting in the way.
A manuscript letter from Tolkien to Cyril Brett, on the subject of Tolkien & Gordon's edition of Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (Oxford, 1925).
Sisam had sent Tolkien a proof of the frontispiece for Sir Gawain and two sets of proofs from the Clarendon Chaucer with comments from Gordon and Tolkie...
Sisam replies to Tolkien giving him dates to return the Clarendon Chaucer. He wants the glossary by end of year, 31 December at the latest and the notes...
George S. Gordon writes to Kenneth Sisam. Tolkien has sent to him manuscript of his glossary for the Clarendon Chaucer, with a preface, for Gordon to lo...
A manuscript letter from Tolkien to Cyril Brett, on the subject of Tolkien & Gordon's edition of Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (Oxford, 1925).
Sisam writes to Tolkien, reminding him that he was meant to have handed in his notes on the Clarendon Chaucer by the end of January.
Tolkien writes to Mr. Ashton about his son, who is a student at the University of Leeds. He may not be able to take the degree he was hoping for, and To...
This handwritten letter over 2 pages finds Tolkien discussing academia at Leeds University and his own poetry. Brett-Smith had written Tolkien a letter ...
As with Tolkien's ealier letter this handwritten letter finds Tolkien again discussing academia at Leeds University. He promises Brett-Smith that h...
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. The contents of this letter is currently unknown.
Tolkien writes to Kenneth Sisam with news that he has finished his modern prose translation of Beowulf.
A one-page typewritten letter of recommendation JRRT wrote on behalf of A. H. Smith, recommending him "for an appointment as lecturer and teacher o...
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. Very little is known of the contents. One of three letters from the Leeds Library Collection.
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. Few details are known on the letters contents. One of three letters from the Leeds Library Collec...
Tolkien offers to write a testimonial for Ashton. He remarks that Oxford is very focused on the motor trade.
Gordon was intending to start an Icelandic collection at Leeds. Tolkien writes to him on the matter. Included with this letter was a copy of Tolkien&apo...
Tolkien et al. sign a letter to the Secretary of Faculties on appointing a lecturer to teach English Language.
Tolkien writes to Sisam. He has done as much work on the Clarendon Chaucer as possible during his "shattered vac". He is now to be snowed unde...
Robert Chapman replies to a letter from Tolkien, encouraging him to finish the Clarendon Chaucer.
Robert Chapman writes to David Nichol Smith after hearing from Tolkien who it appears will knuckle down and complete his parts on the Clarendon Chaucer.
R.E.M. Wheeler, from London Museum, writes to Tolkien on the news that the Society of Antiquaries will publish a report on the excavations at Lydney Par...
Wheeler replies to Tolkien's letter with thanks for his note. He suggests that Tolkien retain his note on 'Nodens' for the time being whi...
Allen Mawer, of the English Place-name Society, replies to Tolkien's letter on Lydney. He says that he himself has looked into the name but has not...
Allen Mawer, of the English Place-name Society, replies again to Tolkien on the matter of 'Lydney' including early occurrences of the name.
Wheeler writes asking Tolkien to return the 'Nodens' proof as the publisher is asking for it. But later on the same day, the note arrives as T...
Wheeler writes a second letter to Tolkien thanking him for sending the proof note on 'Nodens'. In July 1932 Tolkien's note 'The Name...
A Philologist on Esperanto is the title given to a letter (written in the early part of 1932) from J.R.R. Tolkien to the secretary of the Education Comm...
Letter of recommendation for his B.Litt. student A. F. Colborn.
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter on the subject of the Old English Exodus and its possible influence from Gallican Psalters. The description in th...
Tolkien writes to Robert Chapman saying that he must finish the Clarendon Chaucer or else he will lose his good will with the Clarendon Press. Tolkien s...
Kenneth Sisam writing to Tolkien on the subject of a collation of relevant Latin texts in the psalters. Tolkien in reply, #TCGLetter1768, will mention h...
Writing to Kenneth Sisam, Tolkien informs him that Sigelwara Land will be published over three volumes of Medium Ævum. He thanks Sisam, likely for the ...
Writing to Tolkien, Simonne d'Ardenne asking how his recovery is coming along after his injury. She will update him on her viva once she knows a da...
Gordon replies to Chapman's letter saying that he believes that Tolkien has finished his parts on the Clarendon Chaucer, but that they are finished...
Following his letter to R.W. Chapman, Gordon must have spoken with Tolkien as he replies that "Tolkien will have another try."
This entry covers various letters between Tolkien, the Registry University of Oxford and King Edward VI School, Birmingham, relating to Tolkien's t...
Tolkien details work he has recently completed on maps for The Hobbit, as well as other suggestions.
C.A. Furth writes to Tolkien on matters of his illustrations for The Hobbit. His drawings are admirable and blocks for them are being produced. It is no...
Tolkien discusses the details of, and placement within the text, some of his illustrations in The Hobbit, as well as potential changes to his illustrati...
Susan Dagnall writes to Tolkien, correcting a misstatement in her previous letter. Thror's Map will have to be used as an endpaper due to costs, bu...
R.W. Chambers writes to Tolkien. He tells him that he must not "delete a single word from" his Beowulf lecture.
Tolkien replies to Susan Dagnall of GA&U on matters of the reproductions of some of his illustrations in The Hobbit. He is happy to let the "Produc...
Tolkien makes mention of the new volume on Buckingham by P.N. Tolkien also promises to send Chambers a copy of his book, written for his children and oc...
Tolkien writes back to Furth in regard to the dust jacket design for The Hobbit. Furth wrote on April 15th that the pink hue that Tolkien put on the mou...
Furth writes to Tolkien to say that the red will have to be removed from The Hobbit jacket and the sun will have an outline to highlight it.
C. A. Furth informs Tolkien that a US publisher is interested in publishing The Hobbit and they would like to add four colour illustrations to the book....
In this three-page handwritten letter, Tolkien writes to his publisher about the release date for The Hobbit, going on at length about how it would be b...
Tolkien, writing to GA&U approves the dust-jacket for The Hobbit but feels the sun would be better with a finer outline. He prefers the green binding an...
Writing to Tolkien, C. A. Furth of GA&U asks him to return the approved binding for The Hobbit. He agrees that the 'wavy line' will be removed...
Allen Mawer writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congrat...
David Nichol Smith writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his ...
F. E. Harmer writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congra...
Tolkien writes to Furth of GA&U. He agrees that the revised binding would do. He had hoped that the 'wavy line' would be transformed into some...
Tolkien writes to GA&U and encloses the most recent photograph of himself as requested by Susan Dagnall. He asks them again about Houghton Mifflin'...
F. Molina writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congratul...
Russell Meiggs (editor of the Oxford Magazine) writes to Tolkien with thanks for a copy of The Hobbit. The letter was described by Meiggs himself as an ...
Oliver Elton writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congra...
George S. Gordon writes to Tolkien with praise for his published lecture on Beowulf and refers to his own review of The Hobbit.
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien hopes that they can lunch together when he visits London next, most likely in November. He has not as yet had time to ...
Tolkien writes to C. A. Furth asking that copies of The Hobbit be sent to R. W. Chambers and George S. Gordon. He says that GA&U can use the colour illu...
As requested by Tolkien, C. A. Furth sends a copy of The Hobbit to R. W. Chambers. It is assumed that with any manuscript/proofs or copies of books sent...
Chambers writes to Tolkien thanking him for a copy of The Hobbit. It is this letter which is forwarded by Tolkien with a letter to GA&U. He updates Tolk...
Furth confirms that he has sent the copies of the Hobbit to the people Tolkien requested. He includes the drawing of a dragon that Tolkien had produced ...
Writing to C.A. Furth, and apologizes for his lengthy letter regarding the dustcover blurb. Tolkien believes he is still waiting on five copies of The H...
Chambers writes again offering thanks for a copy of The Hobbit, and presumably, criticism on it. He gives Tolkien an update on his recovery after a bout...
A short note enclosed with a copy of The Hobbit which was published on the same day. It was sent to Simonne d'Ardenne as a gift. This letter is hel...
Kilbride writes to Tolkien from Bradford offering praise for The Hobbit. This letter is held among the Tolkien Papers at the Bodleian Library.
E. V. Gordon replies to Tolkien to thank him for a copy of The Hobbit and offers comments on the story. The letter is held at the Bodleian Library archive.
Helen Buckhurst writes to Tolkien to thank him for arranging for a copy of The Hobbit to be sent to her. She says the book is delightful, though she wis...
Jennie Grove writes to Tolkien thanking him for the copy of The Hobbit she has recieved. She is "delighted" by it and hopes that it is a huge ...
Hilary writes to Tolkien thanking him for sending a copy of The Hobbit. He will read it soon and then will read it with Gabriel, his eldest son. He also...
Tolkien had arranged that a copy of The Hobbit be sent to Childe, and Childe writes to congratulate Tolkien on its publication and offers thanks for his...
Tolkien's Aunt Jane (Neave) writes to Tolkien demanding to know more about his new book, The Hobbit. Tolkien had written to her, and signed a copy ...
Mary writes to Tolkien asking if he would send her a presentation copy of The Hobbit. In return she will send him prayers. This letter is found among th...
Aunt Jane writes again to Tolkien now that she has recieved a copy of The Hobbit. She is delighted with it and says that "the origin of golf" ...
Following his previous letter offering Tolkien thanks and congratulations on The Hobbit, Childe sends a postcard with congratulations on the positive re...
Writing to Tolkien, Stanley Unwin suggests 17 November for their next meeting. Tolkien had written earlier that day suggesting other dates but writes an...
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin. He had suggested they meet in November for their next meeting and gives various dates, but Stanley writes a letter whic...
F.E. Harmer, a colleague from Manchester writes to Tolkien to ask advice on the meaning of various Old English words and if Tolkien could present any ci...
Tolkien's aunt, Grace, writes to him offering thoughts on The Hobbit.
Stanley writes to Tolkien and includes his manuscript of Farmer Giles of Ham which GA&U had previously viewed. He tells Tolkien that if he has a similar...
Selby writes to Tolkien on various matters related to The Hobbit. He asks about discrepancies between the text of The Hobbit and 'Thror's Map&...
Arthur Ransome, best known for his Swallows and Amazons series of childrens books wrote to Tolkien in 1937 after The Hobbit had been published, firstly ...
Further to his earlier letters to Tolkien, Chambers had recently finished writing a review (see reference below) of Tolkien's Beowulf: The Monsters...
Replying to Arthur Ransome's letter of 13th December Tolkien opens with exclamations of honour at receiving a letter from Ransome. Tolkien apologiz...
Stanley writes to Tolkien with news that the first edition of The Hobbit has sold and a new printing will be issued almost immediately. He notes that To...
Tolkien has received a letter from Arthur Ransome, who wonders about the use of the word "man" in The Hobbit, as well as a few other letters f...
Following a letter the previous day from Stanley Unwin, Le Fall of Geoffrey Tyndale's Bookshop in Bath writes to Tolkien with details on the compet...
C.A. Furth writes to update Tolkien on their efforts to get the reprint of The Hobbit out for the Christmas rush. The demand for it is high, GA&U had to...
Frederick Klaeber sends Tolkien a Christmas card.
K.M. Kilbride writes to Tolkien asking if he would sign a second printing of The Hobbit for her if she sent one to him. She had lent the book to a child...
Tolkien's Aunt Lily congratulates him on the publication of a second printing of The Hobbit. This letter is held at the Bodleian Library among thei...
G.B. Smith's mother, Ruth Smith, writes to Tolkien with thanks for the copy of The Hobbit he sent her. She also touches on Christopher Wiseman.
W.G. Le Tall again writes to Tolkien about the competition his bookshop is running on The Hobbit. The letter is held with the Tolkien Papers at the Bodl...
Tolkien sends a revised script for the Beowulf broadcast. He mentions that one of his children has "suddenly developed a bad heart" and he has...
A reader had written to the Observer newspaper asking various questions on The Hobbit and Beowulf. White sends a clipping of that letter to Tolkien and ...
Le Tall sends his personal copy of The Hobbit for Tolkien to sign for him. He updates Tolkien on the competition, noting that it has not gone as well as...
Tolkien's Aunt Florence (Hadley) writes to thank him the copy of The Hobbit which he sent to her in British Columbia, Canada. She notes that had he...
Tolkien responds to a request, likely from a researcher or enthusiast, regarding the origins and inspirations behind his work, particularly The Hobbit. ...
B.S. Harvey of the National Provincial Bank writes to Tolkien acknowledging payment of some cheques and as a post script asks Tolkien if he would mind s...
Stanley writes a short cover letter to Tolkien explaining that Rayner has had little time (going to boarding school on this day), but has scribbled down...
Rayner "scribbles" a book report on the first three chapters of the Hobbit sequel. His father Stanley sends this review to Tolkien along with ...
Kenneth Sisam writes to Tolkien on E.O.G. Turville-Petre's Viga-Glúms Saga. He notes that it will be published in their Oxford English Monographs ...
M. Williams, a former student at Oxford, now of the Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, New York, writes to Tolkien offering memories of her tim...
Tolkien provides a letter of recommendation for his B.Litt student A.F. Colborn.
Tolkien bemoans The Hobbit being published in 1937 over 1938. His work pressure has left him hard-pressed to get into actions on the sequel. Tolkien has...
Tolkien writes to C.A. Furth. He is struggling to suggest anyone who can fulfill the work for GA&U's Clark Hall Beowulf. He in fact now believes th...
Tolkien wrote to Stanley Unwin in response to a letter from a German publisher, Rütten & Loening Verlag. They wanted to publish a German translation of...
Rütten & Loening Verlag, the German publisher enquired about publishing a German translation of The Hobbit. As part of their conditions they wanted to ...
Tolkien responds to Mr. Masefield regarding the lines provided for a performance. Tolkien expresses no objection to being preceded by the lines and defe...
Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien. he remarks that his letters of 25 July "have been a source of much merriment and satisfaction at this office"...
Tolkien sends his condolences to the wife of E.V. Gordon, who had recently died due to complications from an operation. Wayne Hammond and Christina Scul...
Edith sends her condolences for the death of Ida's husband, E. V. Gordon.
Tolkien pays tribute to E. V. Gordon, and offers any help he can, talking about finances, the publication of 'The Wanderer' and 'The Seaf...
Tolkien has been ill. He offers advice on Ida's financial situation after the death of her husband, E.V. Gordon.
Catherine Lambert, a writer from London writes to Tolkien on The Hobbit and mentions her own publications. This letter is held at the Bodleian Library a...
Tolkien offers more condolences about the Gordon family's loss, and talks more about his childhood. He acknowledges receipt of papers relating to P...
Furth informs Tolkien that he has told the German publisher that he (Tolkien) wishes to see a proof of the translation of The Hobbit before going to pri...
A letter was sent to Oxford University about the derivation of the name Washington in relation to the first President of the United States of America, G...
Tolkien updates Phillip Unwin on the current situation at universities given the news of war with Germany. He says there will be a reduced demand, but s...
Writing to his wife, Charles Willians notes that Tolkien and Lewis have asked him to lecture at Magdalen next term if he's still around at that time.
Tolkien, writing to Stanley Unwin, expresses gratitude for the kind note and apologizes for his neglectful correspondence due to personal and health iss...
Tolkien in a letter to The Society (addressed to Chapman) says he is not able to host The Society meeting and dinner as Exeter and Pembroke are not avai...
Charles Williams, writing to his wife, says that Tolkien and Lewis are taking him to the Divinity School at Oxford tomorrow.
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien asks for money due to him be made available as he is "in certain difficulties" at present.
Tolkien writes a letter to J.L.N. O'Loughlin. He is currently organising courses for the Navy and Air Force cadets. At a board meeting which Tolkie...
This three page letter is held at the Wade but no details of it are known. The Charles Williams collection at the Wade states this is "A "Clos...
Gift Tag to Michael. With a drawing of a holly leaf in green and red. The tag has 1942 written in pencil on it, but Michael was not born until 11th Janu...
Tolkien writes to G.E. Selby, a family friend agreeing to act as a referee for his application to a post. In a newly published extract, of this previous...
Mabel Day writes to Tolkien on the subject of Robin Flower's health. Flower worked at the British Museum and was a committee member of the Early En...
In this long letter, Tolkien mentions derivations of "convent" and "Coventry". Published in The Catholic Herald, 23 February 1945, a...
Tolkien replies to Mabel Day's letter from December 1944 and a message from January. He remarks that he is not good at answering letters promptly, ...
Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien asking if it "Is it not time that we had a new book from you?" He remarks that while paper is still short in s...
Tolkien drafts a letter to the Secretary of Faculties.
Tolkien expresses sympathy to Mrs. Williams and her son, and his grief over the loss of her husband Charles Williams.
Stephen Bone, the writer and painter, writes to Tolkien. He remarks on his children's enjoyment of The Hobbit and asks Tolkien if he would send him...
Tolkien sends his grandson, Michael George, a postcard from Whitby, Yorkshire.
Tolkien gives Roger Sharrock some job recommendations including Oxford, Southampton and Swansea. He mentions that C.S. Lewis's lectures on Charles ...
Tolkien sends a present and a big kiss to his grandson.
Peter Eubanks, of Berkeley, California and a fan of The Hobbit, writes to Tolkien to ask him to write a sequel to it.
The name of J.A.W. Bennett had come up in relation to the still unfinished Clarendon Chaucer. Sisam is inclined to leave it though as Tolkien is still a...
Tolkien writes to Sir Stanley Unwin, who had just been knighted. He asked about Farmer Giles of Ham. And remarks on his progress to The Hobbit sequel am...
Tolkien, writing to C.A. Furth apologizes for not replying to him earlier. He does not know the book Outlines of the History of the English Language by ...
Tolkien expresses delight at the prospect of publishing "Farmer Giles of Ham" but cites academic commitments as a hindrance to providing more ...
Tolkien writes to Adrian after he had visited Cambridge. Nothing else is known and the letter is undated but he visited Cambs in 1947. The original lett...
Writing to Gilbert Murray, Tolkien with regret notes that he is powerless to help with the task of securing employment of one J.C. Ghosh, an Indian stud...
Tolkien notes to Stanley Unwin that he has received the agreement for Farmer Giles of Ham, he would also send revised manuscripts for it in July and he ...
In reply to a letter about the Swedish translation of The Hobbit, Tolkien says that he does not have any objection if illustrations are replaced, but pr...
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin. He is sorry to have missed him at Merton but is rarely there on Sundays. He remarks he has had no time to write, includ...
Tolkien apologizes for the delay in responding to a letter sent in July and explains that he has been preoccupied with philology due to academic commitm...
Tolkien writes to Jennifer with some advice on an Oxford College, and about errors in The Hobbit which he notes he will send on to GA&U.
Following on from his letter in 1945, Bone returns a specimen page from The Lord of the Rings and discusses it. We currently have no record of Tolkien&a...
Farrer replies to Tolkien, again in runes and says that she would welcome a key to the Dwarvish alphabet. This was written on a postcard that accompanie...
Tolkien sends thanks for his time with Knox in Scotland. Tolkien had given his lecture 'On Fairy-Stories' to the University of St Andrews in 1...
Mother M. Agnes, a former pupil from Leeds and now at Maryfield College, Dublin, writes to Tolkien asking if he recalls her from that time at Leeds. She...
Tolkien had received a parcel, he thanks O'Loughlin and confirms it arrived safely. Tolkien has been very busy and had flu recently, hence his dela...
Tolkien writes to Mabel Day of the EETS. Tolkien tells her that he has been unwell and as such has not been able to work on the Ancrene Wisse. Although ...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
No details of this letter are known.
Replying to #TCGLetter2641, Tolkien says that he will be between Oxford and Woodcote until 14 August and then until 14 September his address will be c/o...
A two page letter written in response to a Max Beerbohm scholar who asked what Tolkien thought of Beerbohm. Tolkien writes that his cartoons amuse him, ...
Tolkien sends his spare copy of Farmer Giles of Ham, which is uncorrected, to Ronald Eames. This copy is to be sent on to the illustrator Pauline Baynes...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
T.K. Penniman, curator of Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, writes to Professor Braunholtz. He asks for support of the Committee of Comparative Philology in...
Ronald Eames sends Tolkien the first batch of illustrations by Pauline Baynes. Pauline Baynes had noted that she intended to produce many pieces for Tol...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
The secretary of Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, sends a proposed syllabus for the Honour School of Anthropology to Tolkien, among others. It will be disc...
A Christmas note to Michael George. Tolkien encloses some money and a small drawing showing three stars in blue and red.
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
Tolkien sends a rushed note saying that he will act immediately. On behalf of what, it is not known.
Mary Thompson, a teacher from Leamington High School for Girls, writes to Tolkien offering praise for The Hobbit and asking about a sequel. She includes...
Hugh Brogan's mother, Olwen, writes to Tolkien on the matter of him visiting them in Cambridge. She says he is very welcome and suggests the 20th (...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
Writing to Douglas Veale, Tolkien remarks that his 10th February inquiry was at that time was not an application for leave. He says he had hoped to appl...
Tolkien also sends a personal letter of thanks with further details of why he could not take the leave of absence that Veale had arranged for him. He al...
Henry Willink, a colleague from Magdalene College, Cambridge, writes to Tolkien giving him an update on his wife's ill-health and to offer his admi...
Tolkien discusses the progress of Farmer Giles of Ham and hints that the final draft of The Lord of the Rings was nearly finished. Once that is complete...
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
Two page handwritten letter in which JRRT congratulates Smith on the Quain election and writes on behalf of a student named Mrs. Pietrkiewicz, maiden na...
No details of this letter are known.
Tolkien sends his grandson two books for Christmas. Hammond and Scull remark in Chronology thats "these are probably the two Friendly Farm books by...
Baynes replied to Tolkien's letter that she might not have time to see him. He left a letter with Lewis as they were meeting on New Year's Eve...
Tolkien thanks his grandson for sending him a birthday card.
Helen Gardner, an Oxford colleague of Tolkien's writes to him. She encloses a message of appreciation from Richard Duncan-Jones, whose sister'...
Tilda and Joy Duff write to Tolkien with praise for The Hobbit.
In reply to a letter from his father, Rayner Unwin says that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is a great work and deserves to be published. He felt no l...
Stanley Unwin replies to #Letter124. He says that publishing The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings together would be very difficult. He asks if the...
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin asking for a decision about The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. He remarks that he will be busy with examination...
Relations between Tolkien and Allen & Unwin had begun to become strained as Tolkien felt that A&U were not open to publishing his work as he would have ...
Writing to Wrenn, in response to his memorandum concerning a grant, Tolkien remarks that a revival of a Readership in Phonetics that it should be connec...
Tolkien was sent proofs for a new edition of The Hobbit and remarks on how The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are interlinked. He was not expecting hi...
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade and consists of two pages.
Tolkien returns the postcard, sent by Stanley Unwin. Tolkien agrees that they can go ahead without the revised stereo plates. See #TCGLetter2791 In a no...
After hearing that Tolkien was having problems with Collins over their proposed publication of The Lord of the Rings, Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien to...
'S', likely Susan Dagnall writes to Stanley Unwin after she had visited Elaine Griffiths in Oxford. She remarks about reading Tolkien's e...
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien opens with apologies for not replying to two previous letters, both kind according to Tolkien. He remarks that the Cha...
Tolkien submits his conference paper, Middle English 'Losenger', to the organizers of the Congrès International de Philologie Moderne in Liège.
This letter, of which excerpts were published in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren concerned the etymology of the word 'faynights'. Afte...
At a Committee meeting for the W.P. Ker Lecture, it was decided to invite Professor Tolkien to give a talk at the 1952-1953 event.
Tolkien had been asked to give a Lecture at the University of Glasgow, which he accepted.
Tolkien writes to his grandson, and thanks him for sending him some pictures. He has drawn a map of the area and marked on water, roads, low land and wh...
Tolkien advises his student Burchfield about his thesis about Ormulum - the proposed thesis title is remarkably close to a recent German publication tha...
Tolkien writes, reminding Rayner that he will be in London the following day, he hopes Rayner will have time to lunch with him. He will arrive at Museum...
Tolkien apologizes for his delay in providing comments on the drawings. He does not think them satisfactory. He says that he should have been more caref...
Xristmas note to Michael George.
In reply to a letter from P.H. Newby, Tolkien says that a talk on the Third Programme would be a suitable subject but notes that it would be a controver...
Tolkien discusses C.S. Lewis and his invitation to Cambridge. Lewis had initially refused the offer citing family obligations, namely his brother's...
Tolkien writes to H.S. Bennett who had written to Tolkien the previous day. He discusses the proposed move by C.S. Lewis to Cambridge. C.S. Lewis would ...
This letter is housed at the Wade Center but no details are currently known of its contents.
Briggs very much enjoyed reading The Fellowship of the Ring and asks if the next book will be published by Christmas. She had issues with the changes to...
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
Briggs thanks Tolkien for his reply (#TCGLetter1712) to her first letter (#TCGLetter1715). She looks forward to The Two Towers and The Return of the Kin...
Tolkien remarks on the reception to The Fellowship of the Ring by his colleagues.
Tolkien writes to inform Heppenstall that he is unable to attend the rehearsal and the recording of the radio play for The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth whic...
Tolkien sent a letter and a postal order to Michael for his birthday to buy some model trains.
Replying to Rosemary Summers, believed to be a teacher, Tolkien says that some critics argued the Hobbit was too frightening for children. Her school ch...
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
Tolkien wishes that Mrs. Dixey will enjoy reading the as yet unpublished Return of the King, telling her that there are about 100 pages of appendices. I...
Tolkien writes to John Roberts, apologising for the delay in publishing the third volume of The Lord of the Rings. He describes the third volume, regret...
Mrs Rachael Feichtmeir, a fan of Tolkien's books, writes to him about his process of writing the books.
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
Tolkien feels that his life may be in danger if The Return of the King is not published soon. This letter is held at the 'Tolkien–George Allen & ...
Tolkien writes to Allen & Unwin, stressing that they must publish The Return of the King on the 20th October 1955. The letter is held at the 'Tolki...
Letter to Mr. Mitchell, about reading The Lord of the Rings and extends offer to sign his 3 volumes. Tolkien hopes that his success with the The Lord of...
Tolkien expresses pleasure that his books cheered her. The recipient may be Joyce Biddell of Maidstone, Kent, who adapted the novel for the stage in 196...
Tolkien writes that he is "very tired mentally" and decline to help with finishing Hannah Closs's book. He writes about his pacifist view...
Tolkien sends a note to congratulate Jennings on her book of poetry, A Way of Looking being published. He also makes a mention on Auden's new book,...
Tolkien mentions his O'Donnell Lectures in Celtic Studies. He expresses disappointment in the radio broadcast adaptations of The Lord of the Rings....
Tolkien expresses his agreement with critics' negative views on the radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien anticipates negative respons...
Tolkien writes about Victorian Warwickshire as an inspiration for the Shire.
Tolkien sends a pound to his grandson for Christmas.
This letter remains unpublished and little is known beyond one quote, Tolkien says that "One must write to a map in being or times and distances ge...
Elizabeth Jennings had sent Tolkien an inscribed copy of her book of poetry, A Way of Looking. Tolkien on the whole likes the book.
Tolkien writes to Peter Scott, of the London Newman Circle. He declines the invitation to give a public lecture, as he is too busy to talk about himself...
No details of this letter are known.
Among many subjects Tolkien discusses the unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Numenor, echoes of past tales. 'Tunes&ap...
No details of this letter are known.
Sent on the 13th April as a separate note along with #TCGLetter235, Tolkien apologises for the slow nature of his reply. A complete transcript along wit...
Tolkien writes about the inspirations behind The Lord of the Rings and gives a brief history of the name "Tolkien." and instructions on pronun...
Tolkien describes himself as a philologist, and sometime calligrapher. An index of Elvish names was intended to be produced, noting that his 'speci...
Tolkien sends a note on Michael's Confirmation.
Tolkien sends a postcard of The Book of Kells Folio 200r to his grandson at the Oratory School.
Tolkien discusses the concept of "accent" in the context of representing different languages, particularly the Common Speech (C.S.) in his leg...
Tolkien responds to Mr Tiller regarding a dramatic or semi-dramatic representation of The Lord of the Rings. He questions whether listeners unfamiliar w...
In regards to the Dutch translation of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien says he has not the time or energy to be overly critical of it, and in any case ha...
Lewis thanks Brady for a review in the America magazine of his Narnia stories. Lewis remarks that he expected young readers to unconsciously get the the...
Tolkien sends a short note with his greetings, and a reminder that he would like to see Deirdre again and asks her to let him know of a gift as he would...
Tolkien sends his grandson a cheque for Christmas, which his son Michael will have to cash in on his behalf.
C.S. Lewis writes to C.A. Brady and talks about Dorothy Sayers, Charles Williams and J.R.R. Tolkien and his influence on them. "And as for anyone i...
Tolkien sent his grandson some biscuits for his birthday.
Tolkien says that work is still getting in the way of him spending any time on The Silmarillion. He is having trouble with Professor Wrenn in America, a...
Tolkien apologizes to Rayner for being exhausted at their previous meeting and says he is recovering from a very stressful school term. He says that he ...
Tolkien writes to Monckton suggesting dates for the next dinner in the hopes that Monckton can attend and add more weight to the Oxford side. He had del...
In reply to Tolkien's letter, Monckton writes to confirm that dates except one are good for him. He no longer works within the government, so shoul...
Tolkien discusses various matters including academic news, Hebrew, work with The Jerusalem Bible on the Book of Jonah. Michael George had been reading T...
Tolkien apologises for not replying earlier. He has been overworked, noting that he has not the aid of an assistant in his role. He would be delighted t...
Tolkien was not inclined to offer any biographical details, as he doubted their relevance. Though he does go on to give some biographical facts. This le...
Monckton had written to say that he cannot make the dinner of 13 July. Tolkien replies that the next dinner will be held on 14 December. He reminds Monc...
Monckton replies and has paid his subscription which was late and hopes to attend the next dinner in December. This letter is held at the Balliol Colleg...
Tolkien sends a note of Congratulations to Michael George.
Tolkien discusses an invitation to visit the Marquette University the following spring as well health issues. He had been obliged to cancel plans to tra...
This letter sent on the same day as another (see #TCGLetter325) was to determine the practicalities of the visit to Marquette. The original letter, in t...
Tolkien writes to William Ready of Marquette to confirm to him his intention to visit Marquette the following year. The original letter and a complete t...
Tolkien expresses dissatisfaction with the current script for the proposed film version of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien describes the ending as "...
William Ready of Marquette writes to Tolkien acknowledging Tolkien's proposed visit in 1958.
In response to a letter from Herbert Schiro asking about allegory in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien quite angrily dismisses these readings.
Tolkien sends a box of paints to his grandson for Christmas.
A brief note thanking a fan for their letter about The Lord of the Rings.
This letter, held at the Marquette archives from Rayner Unwin to the archives of The J.R.R. Tolkien Collection concerned corrections for the Return of t...
Rayner has found a lady who can index The Lord of the Rings for him, and notes that he has said it is to be in "two parts". One of proper name...
Tolkien describes in great detail his trip to Rotterdam.
Tolkien expresses his intent to review the "Story-Line" provided by Zimmerman for the animated film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Tolki...
Tolkien had been visited by Forest J. Ackerman in September 1957 (see reference) to discuss a proposed adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Ackerman sho...
Tolkien writes to Rayner Unwin, including a letter with a sheet of answers to be forwarded to Nancy Smith. He has been waylaid by many bothers and will ...
After receiving the script sent from Morton Grady Zimmerman Tolkien replies with (in parts) stinging criticism. He opens by apologising for sounding irr...
Tolkien responds to questions, explaining the inspiration and meaning behind various elements in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien concludes by emphasizing...
Tolkien expresses reluctance to divulge personal details but acknowledges some significant facts about himself. He shares personal preferences, includin...
Tolkien sends a book-token to his grandson for Christmas.
Tolkien makes arrangements for the transfer of money regarding the purchase of his manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien writes with gratitude regarding Ready's arrangement of the purchase by the Marquette University of Tolkien's manuscripts for The Lord ...
Tolkien writes about the Polish translation of The Lord of the Rings. A slightly different quotation from the letter is given in Chronology from that re...
Tolkien sends his grandson some money for Christmas.
A fascinating letter on the labours of producing his iconic work, concluding with a humorous aside on real-life namesakes of his famous characters.
Tolkien informs Rayner that by way of looking at the "Scunthorpe lists". He has also continued work on The Silmarillion, and can say that it i...
Tolkien tells Rayner that he is getting to his work on the translations of Sir Gawain and Pearl, in addition to The Silmarillion, however the arrival of...
No details are known of this letter.
Tolkien writes a long letter to Michael George who is very worried about which degree to study for at Oxford. History, which his father took, or English...
Tolkien's publishing commitments are catching up with him. Chronology reproduced a slightly longer selection of the letter than what appears in Let...
Tolkien's secretary, Elizabeth Lumsden, writes to Rayner Unwin at Tolkien's request to ask if he knows the editor of Time and Tide. Tolkien ha...
Writing to L.W. Forster, Tolkien states that The Lord of the Rings was not influenced by the two World Wars, except for the landscape. Tolkien also writ...
In the unpublished part of the letter Tolkien discusses the translation of The Lord of the Rings into Dutch, and in the published part Númenor, C.S. Le...
C.S. Lewis writes to the Swedish Academy. He believes that J.R.R. Tolkien deserves the Nobel Prize in literature and nominates him for the award. A phot...
Forster writes to Tolkien, thanking him for explaining the contribution of philology to Tolkien's works.
Tolkien writes about including the Appendices of The Lord of the Rings in translations.
Answering various questions about The Lord of the Rings. A photocopy of original letter with a complete transcript is held at the Marquette archives.
Tolkien thanks Mr. Barnetson for his letter, He does not consider the book to be based on "German or Icelandic folklore" but says it has a nor...
Tolkien has been asked to provide more poems to go with 'Tom Bombadil' as the book is too small according to GA&U. He notes that he believed a...
Tolkien sends some poems that he is considering for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Pauline Baynes, who had illustrated Farmer Giles of Ham, had expressed herself willing to provide pictures for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and had b...
Tolkien has read the Puffin Hobbit and was not impressed with changes made to the book.
Tolkien submits additional poems for possible inclusion in the 'Tom Bombadil' book - 'Firiel' ('The Last Ship'), 'The...
Tolkien discusses progress with The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Following Tolkien's letter of 11 May, he sends Joy Hill a corrected introduction to The Adventures of Tom Bombadil along with corrections for some ...
Writing to Alina Dadlez, Tolkien explains his displeasure at the Spanish translation of 'Hobbit' and remarks back to the "private fancies...
Tolkien informs Rayner Unwin that he is now "in residence" until 2 October and will return on 10 October as he is once again involved in term....
Pauline Baynes, who was illustrating The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, pointed out that the typescript of the title poem described Tom as wearing a peacoc...
Tolkien writes explaining that "I prefer hobitos since it preserves to the eye more relationship to the original word. I do not much mind the h bei...
In secret, Allen & Unwin had been putting a 'Festschrift' together to present to Tolkien on his 70th birthday. Tolkien writes to congratulate ...
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil was published on 22 November. Additional quotes and context appear in Chronology than what is in Letters.
Tolkien sent Norman and Lena Davis an autographed copy of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil with an inscription and a personalized note. In his note Tolkie...
Tolkien sends birthday wishes to Michael George.
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
No details are known.
Bruce Mitchell writes to Tolkien on the matter of his article on Beowulf.
Tolkien begins a letter to a Mr. Beaumont about a house-move.
Tolkien writes to discuss various matters on Beowulf.
Answers to the following questions: (1) In the 'English runes' used for Anglo-Saxon inscriptions, the rune does not stand for G as it does in ...
Tolkien books a room for Michael George at Shidley Priory, and mentions C.S. Lewis resigning his chair at Cambridge.
Tolkien answers questions about The Lord of the Rings, especially regarding the failure of Frodo.
Tolkien writes to his secretary about the American deluxe Hobbit proposal, which had sent him a specimen of artwork from Virgil Finlay. He has some issu...
Tolkien describes his visit to the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth. Chronology contains a few additional quotes from the letter that do not appear in Carpe...
Tolkien offers to buy a Cello for his grandson, and also mentions that he is giving too many "presents" and will be cutting back.
A brief letter stating that The Silmarillion is not yet complete, but that The Adventures of Tom Bombadil should be coming out soon in America. He compl...
Tolkien opens this letter by apologising for his delay in replying to a letter from September, and that his secretary had typed up a note but he felt a ...
It had been agreed that the new paperback (see no. 248) should be given the title Tree and Leaf. Rayner Unwin asked if Tolkien could suggest a suitable ...
Tolkien writes on Christmas Day to Nancy Smith, who in the 1950s had prepared an index to the Lord of the Rings. He explains he had retrieved her letter...
Tolkien sends Michael George a cheque for £45 and is pleased by the post he got for his birthday. He is also impressed that The Times announced his bir...
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Bodleian and a copy at the Wade.
Tolkien replies to Justin Arundale aged ten explaining that the Silmarillion will not be published for some time yet. He closes by asking him to tell hi...
No details of this letter are known.
No details of this letter are known.
No details of this letter are known.
An account of Tolkien's unfinished story 'The New Shadow'.
In this typed letter with a hand written post script Tolkien discusses the development of The Lord of the Rings saying that Hobbits were not a late addi...
Tolkien wrote that he usually typed letters because of his handwriting (which can be very difficult to read at times). He talks about the invention of h...
Tolkien thanks Dr Johnston for some items that he sent him. A copy of this letter is held at the Wade and consists of a typed letter with a handwritten ...
Tolkien really does not like the design of HMCo's Tree and Leaf. He comments negatively on Carole Ward's proposal for a serialization of The L...
Tolkien replies to questions about how the manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings and Mr. Bliss were sold to Marquette University. Quotes are found in SEV...
No details of this letter are known.
Jocelyn Gibb requested any letters from C. S. Lewis that could be included in a forthcoming volume. Tolkien exchanged few letters with C. S. Lewis, as t...
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
In this letter from Tolkien to his grandson, who was studying at St. Andrew's University, Tolkien apologizes that his translations of Sir Gawain an...
Tolkien says that "the impression" that Sam is older than Frodo is in part due to the impression of their characters based on background and e...
Edith thanks Sterling Lanier, who had mailed five of his figurines to Professor Tolkien. Tolkien likes some of them, especially the Dwarf.
This is a stock reply letter, but Tolkien adds that he is hindered in writing the Silmarillion because of having to revise The Lord of the Rings to figh...
Tolkien writes to Michael George about the Ace Books controversy, "Pirates have got to work in the U.S.A."
Tolkien writes about revising The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien writing to Donald Swann mentions a visit from Swann and his wife. The Tolkien's were delighted to spend time with them. The matter of the v...
Wollheim tells Scott that he had offered Tolkien a settlement previously, this appears to be an outright lie, one which Tolkien figured out a few weeks ...
No details of this letter are known, but it is almost certainly in regard to the ACE Books edition of The Lord of the Rings. A copy of this letter is he...
Mrs Scott was a leading campaigner in the battle to keep the pirate edition of The Lord of the Rings out of the American bookshops. A copy of this lette...
Tolkien discusses revising The Lord of the Rings and the maps. Additional quotes can be found in the Chronology entry for this letter. The original is i...
Tolkien writes to the Librarian at Marquette asking for copies of manuscript materials needed for revising The Lord of the Rings. The original letter wi...
Tolkien apologizes once again for being late in getting work to Rayner, this time revisions on the 3rd edition of The Hobbit. He says that many revision...
No details are currently known from this letter. A copy of this letter is held at the Wade.
Tolkien writes thanking Donald Swann for the tickets to a performance on 18 September. He notes that Priscilla cannot attend but he has asked Dr. Robert...
Tolkien writes to his grandson Michael George, clarifying that he is interested in all aspects of Michael's "work and tastes". He says th...
Lanier sent Tolkien a copy of Dune by Frank Herbert for which Tolkien ended up owing a bill for the postage. Tolkien was unhappy that he was also charge...
Tolkien has been ill and apologises for taking longer than he should to reply to Michael George. He offers to buy him a woollen cloth jacket.
No details are currently known from this letter.
No details of this letter are known.
Tolkien sends his thanks to Gibb for sending a copy of the book Light on C.S. Lewis and notes that it says more about the contributors than of Lewis him...
Tolkien writes, saying that while he has read O'Loughlin's article, he does not have the time to say more on it.
Tolkien discusses money worries. Other parts of the letter are detailed in The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology.
Tolkien is working on drafts of Sir Gawain and Pearl and finding interesting words and passages that he hopes to write up for academic journals. An expa...
Tolkien writes to Wakeman declining an invitation to submit an entry for his new collection, Midcentury Authors.
This contents of the letter are unknown.
Tolkien writing thanking Christine Jones for her interest and says that although he found her comments on the ending interesting: "If I answered al...
Tolkien writes about a new UK paperback edition of The Hobbit. He comments on replacing the note explaining Bilbo's changed story and the two Thrai...
Professor Kilby, of Wheaton College, Illinois, had met Tolkien while visiting Oxford in 1964. He now offered to return to England and help Tolkien in an...
Tolkien shoots down any idea of a "Tolkien Award" by Ace Books, and suspects that this is just a way for them to make themselves feel better a...
Tolkien wishes Michael George a happy birthday and sends him a cheque for £15.
Tolkien thanks Lanier for his letter and other material (a science fiction newsletter) that has reached him by Christmas. Tolkien says he has sent the n...
Tolkien is pleased that William liked his works - Tree and Leaf, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are mentioned. Tolkien says that libraries in Engl...
Tolkien thanks Lanier for sending a copy of S.F.W.A. January Bulletin, saying the campaign has worked and Ace has offered acceptable terms. Tolkien cong...
Tolkien invites Michael George to his and Edith's Golden Wedding at Merton College. Michael has also been provisionally accepted for a B.Litt. at M...
Writing to Donald Swann, Tolkien mentions a BBC2 broadcast that he will sadly miss. Tolkien mentions he has succeeded in his battle with Ace, noting tha...
Tolkien writes about the publication of a proposed book about him by W.H. Auden.
Tolkien informs Scott that Ace Books have been in touch and offered an agreement. He notes that Ace have agreed to not reprint the book once current cop...
Writing to Swann, Tolkien gives him an update on plans for Swann's recital at Merton during the Tolkien's Golden Wedding celebrations. He give...
Michael George was unable to attend Tolkien's Golden Wedding celebrations.
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann who had visited the Tolkiens. He and Edith were unwell at the time.
Writing to Mother Anthony, Tolkien says that the "young man 'Williams'" at Oxford working at the University Press was almost certain...
Tolkien suggests some days when the Scotts might visit him, as they are currently in London.
Tolkien writes concerning the designs for a new dust jacket for The Lord of the Rings and on plans for The Tolkien Reader. Tolkien would like to see the...
Tolkien reiterates that he will not be photographed. He remarks that he has written a "polite" letter to Jeanette Wagner, Senior Editor of the...
Tolkien had to leave Oxford for the day and is unable to meet with the Scotts.
Tolkien sends his grandson Best wishes and prayers.
Tolkien thanks Nan Scott for sending a photograph of them from her visit.
Tolkien thanks Kilby for his visit and apologizes for being busy. On a separate page, Tolkien includes a three paragraph fragment from the review of an ...
Tolkien congratulates his grandson on passing his degree.
Tolkien invites her to visit next time she is in Oxford, and he will sign books for her. A copy is held at the Wade.
Joy Hill writes to Professor Johnsonsic Johnston who is planning a lecture on Tolkien. She gives him some details on Tolkien's parents and also tha...
Tolkien discusses the etymology of Mirkwood. Brief quotes from this letter included in Chronology show that he also talked about the typewriters he uses...
Tolkien writes says that his son will be out for lunch on Thursday and wonders if he would like to join them. The letter is held at the Wade.
Tolkien responds to Mrs. de Grummond's request for manuscript material. He declines. A brief quote from this letter is reproduced in Chronology. Th...
Tolkien replies with thanks for the pictures sent of the performance. He will show them to Kilby who attended the performance. A copy of the letter is h...
In this letter, Tolkien declines to take part in the project for W.H. Auden's sixtieth birthday. However, he does later submit an entry which is pu...
Tolkien replies to Donald Swann to wish him well for his and Flanders' tour of the U.S. and give shim an update on his and Edith's health. He ...
Tolkien sends Michael George a brush to clean his typewriter.
This letter, known as the Plotz Letter, or Plotz Declension was a letter written by Tolkien that contained manuscript notes regarding Quenya grammar. Th...
Tolkien discusses his and Edith's Mediterranean cruise and the bust of him at the English Faculty in Oxford. Excerpts from the letter have been pub...
Tolkien apologizes for failing to sign his previous letter, and says he might have a moment to find something he could spare to donate to her project, a...
Tolkien's grandson is studying at Oxford. Tolkien writes about his views on 'research' and reading Smith of Wootton Major the previous we...
Tolkien writes to Gene Wolfe about the origin of "Orc" and "Warg". This letter was reproduced in Vector #67/68 (1974)
Tolkien invites the Swanns on the 20th December. They might be able to borrow the piano at a neighbour's house. He writes about melody. He discusse...
Tolkien writes to Kilby making mention that he is pleased that Kilby has finally received the correct medication and says that he is yet to continue wit...
No details are currently known from this letter.
Edith sends a Christmas Air Letter to Kilby. The contents of the Letter are not known, but it includes a Christmas image of Father Christmas flying over...
No details are currently known from this letter.
No details are known.
Forster writes to Tolkien with a copy of an article he is writing on The Lord of the Rings for a German encyclopaedia, to see if hew would like to make ...
Tolkien states that his efforts to help translators, or in reading their efforts, has made it clear that the nomenclature of people and places is diffic...
No details of this letter are known.
Tolkien writes, thanking Kilby for an article on Barzun and for sending a turkey.
Tolkien discusses being a great-grandfather and comments from Sir Stanley Unwin on attaining the 'dignified age' of 75.
Tolkien produced a short contribution for W.H. Auden which was published in Shenandoah, "a short encomium in Anglo-Saxon verse of about twenty line...
Unwin will show the Maurice Sendak Hobbit artwork to Tolkien in early February, and will try to talk to him about making some embellishments for The Roa...
No details of this letter are known.
Tolkien apologizes to Pamela Chandler, but he will no longer allow photographs to be taken in his house.
Tolkien writes to express his approval for the proposed Spanish translation of his works, referring the recipient to contact Allen & Unwin.
Tolkien writes to thank Kilby for sending a copy of Science is a Sacred Cow written by Anthony Standen.
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann including more material for his project. He thanks Swann for not cursing him. He has had long delays and while trying to ...
Tolkien sends background material for The Road Goes Ever On. He includes Galadriel's Lament and Chant written out "in a fair Elvish book-hand,...
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann offering transcripts of the Lament and Chant in Elvish script.
Tolkien replies with gratitude for Felver's letter to him. He appreciates fans buying his books, eventually putting some small amount of money in h...
Writing to Donald Swann on the matter of their book, The Road Goes Ever On, Tolkien provides much on the contents of the book, noting that the commentar...
Tolkien writes that he is enjoying Mr. Boatwright's gift of the book. Tolkien also mentions that he has received a letter from W.H. Auden, who like...
Tolkien writes to British ambassador Oscar Morland thanking him for his typed indexes, and that he will find them very useful when he has time to work o...
Replying to a letter from Sister Anne from St. Louis, Tolkien says he has no intention to write a sequel to The Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien thanks Swann for the book cover and compares the "T" rendered there to various occurrences from genuine manuscripts.
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
Tolkien does not like the calligraphy being made by Samuel Hanks Bryant as filler for blank pages in The Road Goes Ever On. Tolkien objects to Swann usi...
In his letter of late November, Tolkien says that he had begun a letter "some time ago", but this had never been finished and remained unsent....
No details of this letter are known but Huttar had visited Tolkien on this day (see reference below). The letter is held at the Wade.
No details are known about this letter. It is held at the Wade.
William Ratliff had written to Tolkien, presumably about the Hippie movement in the USA (Ratliff published a long article on this topic a few months lat...
White had written to Tolkien asking for information regarding the Inklings. Tolkien replies with some brief information "from memory". He says...
Tolkien encloses a letter that he began earlier in the year and explains that he had never finished it. He has organised for a copy of Smith of Wootton ...
Tolkien writes to Bretherton about Smith of Wootton Major and encloses a signature for the book.
Tolkien apologizes for his delay in replying, due to poor health, and he asks Swann and his wife to visit in January. Tolkien says that "doing noth...
Tolkien writes to Kilby with thanks for the turkey and mentions that he recently visited Ready. He is not happy that Ready is writing a book on him, as ...
No details are currently known from this letter.
Tolkien hopes to see Swann on the 14th, but cannot attend a performance of The Road Goes Ever On on the 15th.
Tolkien was asked to write about his teenage memories and, along with 69 other contributors, this was published in the book Attacks of Taste, compiled a...
Tolkien offers his grandson the use of a Phillips recorder, which he used to record for Caedmon vinyl records.
Tolkien wrote to the President of the Tolkien Society (of America - Dick Plotz) to express his displeasure at the forthcoming publication The Tolkien Re...
Tolkien writes to Bretherton and is unable to see him before Easter. He sends a signature for The Road Goes Ever On and wonders if it will be mentioned ...
Tolkien writes to Kilby and mentions the book A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C. S. Lewis. He says that it reminded him of good things spread throughout L...
No details known.
Tolkien's secretary acknowledges receipt of Johnston's booklet The Poetry of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Tolkien replies to a letter from George Burke Johnston thanking him for his gift and discussing the meaning of 'root' in the Troll's song.
Mary Fairburn has sent some of her illustrations for The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien really likes them and thinks they could be in an illustrated version...
Tolkien writes about his move to the South Coast of England. In a portion that remains unpublished, Tolkien also spends some time complaining about Will...
Writing to Tolkien, J.W. Rusk asks for details about his relationship with R.G. Collingwood. She had been informed by Professor G.R.G. Mure that Tolkien...
Tolkien writing to J.W. Rusk and gives her some details on his relationship with R. G. Collingwood, noting that they did not know each other very well. ...
Tolkien complains about how the movers took advantage of Edith's health and did a bad job, for example putting furniture in the wrong rooms. Tolkie...
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
No details of this letter are currently known. It is held at the Marquette archives along with a complete transcript.
Tolkien writes to the eldest daughter of Ida and E. V. Gordon. He has sent an autograph to friends of Bridget as requested, and mentions that he has mov...
Tolkien is bemused by now having a Post Code/Zip Code. He is able to walk better and does not need his walking stick. He thinks Lakeside Road is very qu...
Tolkien is very pleased to hear the news about his great-granddaughter, Catherine Mary Tolkien.
Tolkien writes with remarks about Pauline Baynes' Middle-earth poster, mentioning that he thinks the only error on the printed map is Enedwaith for...
Tolkien writing to Pauline Baynes returns a photocopy of the Middle-earth map, with comments. The spelling Enedwaith is correct. He also apologizes for ...
Michael's Cello has been had the strings stolen, and Tolkien discusses the origin of the name Catharine.
Tolkien writes to Mr Wood and sends three copies of his signature on cards, stating that he should keep one for himself. He goes on to discuss the India...
Joy Hill writes to filmmaker John Boorman at Tolkien's request. Tolkien is sorry that Boorman has been ill, and hopes that Boorman will be able to ...
John Boorman writes to Tolkien's secretary, apologizing for not being able to meet in person with Professor Tolkien and their mutual friend Father ...
John Boorman writes to his friend, the Reverend John Maguire of the Reading University Catholic Chaplaincy, who knows Tolkien. The three men had been pl...
Joy Hill has read Boorman's letter to Tolkien over the phone, and Tolkien hopes Boorman is now feeling better and looks forward to meeting him. He ...
Boorman thanks Joy Hill for writing , and offers to come visit her in the George Allen & Unwin offices on the 13th of July. He would love to talk to her...
Boorman writes to Father Maguire. Boorman has arranged to meet up with Tolkien in August, sadly when Maguire is out of town. Boorman will let him know h...
Boorman apologizes for not being able to meet with Joy Hill during his visit to London. He was too busy dealing with United Artists and the launch of hi...
Joy Hill writes to confirm scheduling just discussed in a phone call. Boorman will meet with Rayner Unwin on Monday 17th August, and Tolkien in Bournemo...
Boorman writes to Tolkien's secretary (in her role as Press Officer for George Allen & Unwin), saying that he had hoped United Artists would have g...
Joy Hill thanks Boorman for letting her know that United Artists haven't greenlit the film yet. She looks forward to hearing when the project is re...
Tolkien discusses an O.E.D. dictionary definition of Hobbit.
Tolkien writes about his love of Ireland. Tolkien's Interview with Denys Gueroult was repeated on the radio and he had forgotten it being recorded ...
Joy Hill writes to filmmaker John Boorman, saying she had tried to call him on the phone but he had evidently already left the country. She is hoping to...
Joy Hill has recently heard from an American publisher (either Ballantine or Houghton Mifflin) that the film is moving forward, and asks for an update f...
Boorman is about to begin filming of "Deliverance", and hopes to be able to have news about The Lord of the Rings film in late July. It still ...
Joy Hill thanks Boorman for writing, and looks forward to hearing from him again when he returns near the end of July.
No details are known.
Tolkien writes to his grandson Michael George mentioning various problems such as health, his fans, and the press.
Tolkien writes to Ed Meskys to offer his sympathy for Meskys "afflictions". He also thanks him for the support offered by the Tolkien Society ...
From Marquette: "Speech by the Public Orator," speech given at the presentation of an honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters to J. R. R. Tolkien...
Tolkien writes to Robert Burchfield profusely apologising about not returning one of Robert's books, Kentish Place-names by J.K. Wallenberg.
Tolkien writes to the Daily Telegraph newspaper about an editorial which they published on the 29th June 1972. He objects to having his name used as an ...
Tolkien tries to arrange to see Michael George, but is not sure if that will happen.
Tolkien sells his desk to support a UK Charity Help The Aged.
Tolkien describes his use for a drinking goblet sent to him, inscribed with the One Ring inscription.
Tolkien talks about numerals in The Lord of the Rings.
A reply to the following questions: (1) Does 'Speak, friend, and enter' (the inscription over Moria Gate) mean 'Speak as a friend', ...
Tolkien expresses his delight in accepting "the offer of the Senatus Academicus" . He has suggested the 12th July 1973, and he hopes he will b...
Tolkien writes to Donald and Janet Swann. They will be visiting him and Priscilla and Tolkien will call them after the 24th January to arrange details. ...
Tolkien writes, thanking Lanier for the book The War for the Lot by Lanier himself. Tolkien says that he found it quite original, and frightening. Tolki...
In an update to his letter of 24 January, Tolkien confirms that he has asked for GA&U to help clear up the matter of the copyright situation, and thanks...
Tolkien writes to Clyde S. Kilby regarding his health issues.
Tolkien confirms that Basil Blackwell was his first publisher.
Tolkien sends Canon Power a signature with a copy of a publication. He mentions his childhood, growing up in Birmingham, and J. H. Shorthouse's boo...
No details known.
Kilby, curator of the Wade Center archives, responds to a query about his book Tolkien and the Silmarillion, offering to have the College Bookstore mail...
No details known.
No details known.
No details known.
Alan Bliss informs Christopher Tolkien that he had found a manuscript labelled "Tolkien, Soul's Ward". He encloses the manuscript.
No details are currently known from this letter. A copy is held at the Wade.
Letter Tags
Stats
Guide to Tolkien's Letters
Archive holdings
(545 letters match)1893
4 March 1893
Mabel Tolkien to John Benjamin Tolkien and Mary Jane Tolkien
#988
Mabel Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's mother, writes to her husband's parents saying that John Ronald does not go outside in the daytime due to the ...
1896
14 February 1896
J.R.R. Tolkien to Arthur Tolkien
#41
This letter to Arthur Tolkien, father of Ronald and Hilary, was dictated by Tolkien's nurse.
1900
Early (Spring) 1900
May Incledon to Mabel Tolkien
#1879
May Incledon writes to Mabel Tolkien on the subject of her prayers. Her and Mabel (her sister), were converting to be members of the Catholic chruch and...
1904
8 August 1904
J.R.R. Tolkien to Father Francis Morgan
#42
Tolkien writes a puzzling letter, for Father Francis Morgan, written in rebus code.
1910
17 December 1910
J.R.R. Tolkien to Edith Bratt
#2067
Tolkien sends a Telegram to Edith informing her that he has won his Scholarship for £60 a year.
17 December 1910
Edith Bratt to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2068
Edith replies to Tolkien's Telegram of the same day in which he informs her of his success in gaining a Scholarship.
Christmas 1910
Edith Bratt to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2069
Edith sends an unsigned, printed Christmas card to Tolkien. It will be one of the last times they communicate before he turns 21 when he will write aski...
1913
3 November 1913
J.R.R. Tolkien to Edith Bratt
#46
Tolkien writes to Edith about registering as a reader at the Bodleian Library.
1914
16 November 1914
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Wiseman
#1110
Writing to his friend, after reading parts of Wiseman's letter to G.B. Smith, Tolkien agrees that the group (T.C.B.S.) has drifted apart but that i...
1916
February 3, 1916
Geoffrey B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1112
G.B. Smith writes to Tolkien at Brocton Camp, thanking him for the letter he wrote to him. Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull note that "Tolkien pro...
?End of May 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1538
Smith writes to thank Tolkien for hosting him, describing it as a "splendid two days". He is very encouraged to have seen that Tolkien has not...
22 June 1916
Rob Gilson to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1542
Upon his return from a night working party, Gilson replies to Tolkien's letter noting that he is cheered to hear from the T.C.B.S. This is the last...
15 July 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1545
Smith writes to Tolkien, he has seen the newspaper and Rob Gilson is named among the dead. He had died on 1 July but had originally been named among the...
c. second half of July 1916
Cary Gilson to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2070
Cary Gilson, Rob Gilson's father, writes to Tolkien and likely includes a memorial card for Rob who had been killed at the Battle of The Somme in e...
11 August 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1548
Smith thanks Tolkien for his letter, he thinks that "there are still a great many sober men and true..." This letter is among the 'Tolkie...
15 August 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1551
Smith writes to Tolkien having not received Tolkien's letter of 12-13 August . he has been unable to sleep for thinking about Rob. He remarks that ...
16 September 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1554
Smith writes to Tolkien, he encloses a letter from Christopher Wiseman. Wiseman had sent to Smith, the letters written by him and Tolkien during the win...
16 November 1916
G.B. Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1565
Smith replies to Tolkien's earlier letter. He is relieved to hear that Tolkien is "still alive". Tolkien is at this time recovering at 3 ...
8 December 1916
Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1569
Wiseman writes to Tolkien on politics, and the war. Thanking Tolkien for his letter and more of his poems. He says that R.W. Reynolds thinks that Tolkie...
1917
19 May 1917
Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1588
Writing to Tolkien, Wiseman returns the manuscripts of G.B. Smith's verse noting that he does not think the book should be "Opera Omnia",...
c. 16 November 1917
May Incledon to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2072
Edith had given birth to their first child, John, on 16 November but she had a difficult time. Tolkien could get leave for a few days and Aunt May write...
1920
17 March 1920
J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss Duncan
#47
A two page letter sent from 1 Alfred Street, St. Giles, Oxford, 17 March 1920, to Miss Duncan, enclosing a "mixed bag" of 50 possible examinat...
1921
14 February 1921
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Johnson
#1612
Tolkien and Johnson had met on 12 February when Tolkien handed over material for A Middle English Vocabulary. Tolkien had forgotten to include a revised...
1922
Early 1922
J.R.R. Tolkien to Oxford University Press
#1614
Tolkien sends the completed manuscript of his A Middle English Vocabulary which was intended to be part of Kenneth Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse...
17 October 1922
Clerk to the Senate, University of Leeds to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2461
Details of this letter are not known, but Tolkien used the rear of a letter from the Clerk of the Senate at University of Leeds to write notes on '...
23 October 1922
Unknown (from Retford, Notts) to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2459
Details of the sender and contents of this letter are currently unknown but Bodleian Library remark that MS Tolkien A 19/3 "fol. 138 is written on ...
c. October 1922
Unknown (possibly a student) to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2460
Details of the sender, date and contents of this letter are currently unknown but Bodleian Library remark that MS Tolkien A 19/3 "fol. 149 is writt...
1923
13 February 1923
J.R.R. Tolkien to E. M. Wright
#6
Carpenter #6
Tolkien writes to the wife of Joseph Wright thanking her for sending him her article about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and some kind comments about ...
27 July 1923
George S. Gordon to Kenneth Sisam
#1619
Following his letter of 14 June, Gordon writes again to Kenneth Sisam. Tolkien has agreed to provide the glossary for the Clarendon Chaucer and will beg...
1924
8 January 1924
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1628
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter and agrees with his changes but asks if he could try to keep any changes to punctuation, mainly due to costs. He ...
1 February 1924
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam (for Oxford University Press)
#1629
Tolkien returns further proofs of the Clarendon Chaucer, and thanks Sisam for his advice and for two copies of proofs of Sir Gawain which he had receive...
26 February 1924
Kenneth Sisam to George S. Gordon
#1637
Sisam writes to Gordon. He has become alarmed at the lack of progress with the Clarendon Chaucer, saying that Tolkien "is occupied with Gawayne > i...
21 March 1924
Kenneth Sisam to David Nichol Smith
#1640
In spite of his letter to Tolkien early in March, Kenneth Sisam writes to David Nichol Smith to complain that Tolkien is not only holding up the Clarend...
15 May 1924
Kenneth Sisam to George S. Gordon
#1705
Sisam replies to Gordon's letter. He supports Tolkien leaving the Clarendon Chaucer, noting that Tolkien has too much else getting in the way.
24 August 1924
J.R.R. Tolkien to Cyril Brett
#1006
A manuscript letter from Tolkien to Cyril Brett, on the subject of Tolkien & Gordon's edition of Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (Oxford, 1925).
23 October 1924
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam
#1642
Sisam had sent Tolkien a proof of the frontispiece for Sir Gawain and two sets of proofs from the Clarendon Chaucer with comments from Gordon and Tolkie...
5 December 1924
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1645
Sisam replies to Tolkien giving him dates to return the Clarendon Chaucer. He wants the glossary by end of year, 31 December at the latest and the notes...
8 December 1924
George S. Gordon to Kenneth Sisam
#1646
George S. Gordon writes to Kenneth Sisam. Tolkien has sent to him manuscript of his glossary for the Clarendon Chaucer, with a preface, for Gordon to lo...
1925
2 February 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to Cyril Brett
#1007
A manuscript letter from Tolkien to Cyril Brett, on the subject of Tolkien & Gordon's edition of Sir Gawain & The Green Knight (Oxford, 1925).
5 February 1925
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1651
Sisam writes to Tolkien, reminding him that he was meant to have handed in his notes on the Clarendon Chaucer by the end of January.
12 June 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ronald Ashton
#50
Tolkien writes to Mr. Ashton about his son, who is a student at the University of Leeds. He may not be able to take the degree he was hoping for, and To...
22 July 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to H.F.B. Brett-Smith
#67
This handwritten letter over 2 pages finds Tolkien discussing academia at Leeds University and his own poetry. Brett-Smith had written Tolkien a letter ...
8 August 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to H.F.B. Brett-Smith
#68
As with Tolkien's ealier letter this handwritten letter finds Tolkien again discussing academia at Leeds University. He promises Brett-Smith that h...
21 November 1925
J.R.R. Tolkien to Brian Woledge
#1003
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. The contents of this letter is currently unknown.
1926
?26 April 1926
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam
#1013
Tolkien writes to Kenneth Sisam with news that he has finished his modern prose translation of Beowulf.
4 May 1926
J.R.R. Tolkien to A. H. Smith
#1819
A one-page typewritten letter of recommendation JRRT wrote on behalf of A. H. Smith, recommending him "for an appointment as lecturer and teacher o...
15 June 1926
J.R.R. Tolkien to Brian Woledge
#1004
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. Very little is known of the contents. One of three letters from the Leeds Library Collection.
17 June 1926
J.R.R. Tolkien to Brian Woledge
#1005
Tolkien wrote to Brian Woledge, who was an ex-student. Few details are known on the letters contents. One of three letters from the Leeds Library Collec...
1927
12 March 1927
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ronald Ashton
#66
Tolkien offers to write a testimonial for Ashton. He remarks that Oxford is very focused on the motor trade.
1929
2 January 1929
J.R.R. Tolkien to Eric Valentine Gordon
#72
Gordon was intending to start an Icelandic collection at Leeds. Tolkien writes to him on the matter. Included with this letter was a copy of Tolkien&apo...
20 May 1929
J.R.R. Tolkien, C.T. Onions, H.C. Wyld to Secretary of Faculties, University of Oxford
#1731
Tolkien et al. sign a letter to the Secretary of Faculties on appointing a lecturer to teach English Language.
1931
22 January 1931
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam
#1634
Tolkien writes to Sisam. He has done as much work on the Clarendon Chaucer as possible during his "shattered vac". He is now to be snowed unde...
26 October 1931
R.W. Chapman to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1698
Robert Chapman replies to a letter from Tolkien, encouraging him to finish the Clarendon Chaucer.
26 October 1931
R.W. Chapman to David Nichol Smith
#1699
Robert Chapman writes to David Nichol Smith after hearing from Tolkien who it appears will knuckle down and complete his parts on the Clarendon Chaucer.
2 December 1931
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1743
R.E.M. Wheeler, from London Museum, writes to Tolkien on the news that the Society of Antiquaries will publish a report on the excavations at Lydney Par...
9 December 1931
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1747
Wheeler replies to Tolkien's letter with thanks for his note. He suggests that Tolkien retain his note on 'Nodens' for the time being whi...
12 December 1931
Allen Mawer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1748
Allen Mawer, of the English Place-name Society, replies to Tolkien's letter on Lydney. He says that he himself has looked into the name but has not...
22 December 1931
Allen Mawer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2458
Allen Mawer, of the English Place-name Society, replies again to Tolkien on the matter of 'Lydney' including early occurrences of the name.
1932
2 January 1932
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1750
Wheeler writes asking Tolkien to return the 'Nodens' proof as the publisher is asking for it. But later on the same day, the note arrives as T...
2 January 1932
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1751
Wheeler writes a second letter to Tolkien thanking him for sending the proof note on 'Nodens'. In July 1932 Tolkien's note 'The Name...
May 1932* (see note)
J.R.R. Tolkien to Secretary of the Education Committee of the British Esperanto Association
#73
A Philologist on Esperanto is the title given to a letter (written in the early part of 1932) from J.R.R. Tolkien to the secretary of the Education Comm...
27 May 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to A.F. Colborn
#74
Letter of recommendation for his B.Litt. student A. F. Colborn.
30 August 1932
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1753
Sisam replies to Tolkien's letter on the subject of the Old English Exodus and its possible influence from Gallican Psalters. The description in th...
25 October 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to R.W. Chapman
#1701
Tolkien writes to Robert Chapman saying that he must finish the Clarendon Chaucer or else he will lose his good will with the Clarendon Press. Tolkien s...
12 December 1932
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2417
Kenneth Sisam writing to Tolkien on the subject of a collation of relevant Latin texts in the psalters. Tolkien in reply, #TCGLetter1768, will mention h...
18 December 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam
#1768
Writing to Kenneth Sisam, Tolkien informs him that Sigelwara Land will be published over three volumes of Medium Ævum. He thanks Sisam, likely for the ...
1936
9 March 1936
Simonne d'Ardenne to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1817
Writing to Tolkien, Simonne d'Ardenne asking how his recovery is coming along after his injury. She will update him on her viva once she knows a da...
28 October 1936
George S. Gordon to R.W. Chapman
#1837
Gordon replies to Chapman's letter saying that he believes that Tolkien has finished his parts on the Clarendon Chaucer, but that they are finished...
5 November 1936
George S. Gordon to R.W. Chapman
#1838
Following his letter to R.W. Chapman, Gordon must have spoken with Tolkien as he replies that "Tolkien will have another try."
1937
1937-1940
J.R.R. Tolkien to Registry University of Oxford, King Edward VI School, Birmingham
#1168
This entry covers various letters between Tolkien, the Registry University of Oxford and King Edward VI School, Birmingham, relating to Tolkien's t...
4 January 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Susan Dagnall
#9
Carpenter #9
Tolkien details work he has recently completed on maps for The Hobbit, as well as other suggestions.
7 January 1937
C.A. Furth to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1845
C.A. Furth writes to Tolkien on matters of his illustrations for The Hobbit. His drawings are admirable and blocks for them are being produced. It is no...
17 January 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#10
Carpenter #10
Tolkien discusses the details of, and placement within the text, some of his illustrations in The Hobbit, as well as potential changes to his illustrati...
1 February 1937
Susan Dagnall to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1848
Susan Dagnall writes to Tolkien, correcting a misstatement in her previous letter. Thror's Map will have to be used as an endpaper due to costs, bu...
2 February 1937
R. W. Chambers to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1159
R.W. Chambers writes to Tolkien. He tells him that he must not "delete a single word from" his Beowulf lecture.
5 February 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Susan Dagnall
#11
Carpenter #11
Tolkien replies to Susan Dagnall of GA&U on matters of the reproductions of some of his illustrations in The Hobbit. He is happy to let the "Produc...
8 February 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to R.W. Chambers
#139
Tolkien makes mention of the new volume on Buckingham by P.N. Tolkien also promises to send Chambers a copy of his book, written for his children and oc...
25 April 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Furth
#137
Tolkien writes back to Furth in regard to the dust jacket design for The Hobbit. Furth wrote on April 15th that the pink hue that Tolkien put on the mou...
28 April 1937
Charles Furth to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1871
Furth writes to Tolkien to say that the red will have to be removed from The Hobbit jacket and the sun will have an outline to highlight it.
11 May 1937
C.A. Furth to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1872
C. A. Furth informs Tolkien that a US publisher is interested in publishing The Hobbit and they would like to add four colour illustrations to the book....
28 May 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin Ltd.
#14
Carpenter #14
In this three-page handwritten letter, Tolkien writes to his publisher about the release date for The Hobbit, going on at length about how it would be b...
28 May 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin
#475
Tolkien, writing to GA&U approves the dust-jacket for The Hobbit but feels the sun would be better with a finer outline. He prefers the green binding an...
1 June 1937
C.A. Furth (GA&U) to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1919
Writing to Tolkien, C. A. Furth of GA&U asks him to return the approved binding for The Hobbit. He agrees that the 'wavy line' will be removed...
1 July 1937
Allen Mawer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1933
Allen Mawer writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congrat...
4 July 1937
David Nichol Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1934
David Nichol Smith writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his ...
5 July 1937
F.E. Harmer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1935
F. E. Harmer writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congra...
?9 July 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#1945
Tolkien writes to Furth of GA&U. He agrees that the revised binding would do. He had hoped that the 'wavy line' would be transformed into some...
?22 July 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to George Allen & Unwin
#1946
Tolkien writes to GA&U and encloses the most recent photograph of himself as requested by Susan Dagnall. He asks them again about Houghton Mifflin'...
29 July 1937
F. Molina to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1937
F. Molina writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congratul...
August 1937
Russell Meiggs (for Oxford Magazine) to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2016
Russell Meiggs (editor of the Oxford Magazine) writes to Tolkien with thanks for a copy of The Hobbit. The letter was described by Meiggs himself as an ...
3 August 1937
Oliver Elton to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1938
Oliver Elton writes to Tolkien on the publication of his Sir Israel Gollancz Memorial Lecture, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics to offer his congra...
8 August 1937
George S. Gordon to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2770
George S. Gordon writes to Tolkien with praise for his published lecture on Beowulf and refers to his own review of The Hobbit.
13 August 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#1967
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien hopes that they can lunch together when he visits London next, most likely in November. He has not as yet had time to ...
13 August 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#1966
Tolkien writes to C. A. Furth asking that copies of The Hobbit be sent to R. W. Chambers and George S. Gordon. He says that GA&U can use the colour illu...
c. 14 August 1937
George Allen & Unwin to R.W. Chambers
#1984
As requested by Tolkien, C. A. Furth sends a copy of The Hobbit to R. W. Chambers. It is assumed that with any manuscript/proofs or copies of books sent...
c. 15-31 August 1937 (undated)
R.W. Chambers to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1985
Chambers writes to Tolkien thanking him for a copy of The Hobbit. It is this letter which is forwarded by Tolkien with a letter to GA&U. He updates Tolk...
16 August 1937
C.A. Furth (GA&U) to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1968
Furth confirms that he has sent the copies of the Hobbit to the people Tolkien requested. He includes the drawing of a dragon that Tolkien had produced ...
5-7 September 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#81
Writing to C.A. Furth, and apologizes for his lengthy letter regarding the dustcover blurb. Tolkien believes he is still waiting on five copies of The H...
7 September 1937 (postmarked)
R.W. Chambers to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1986
Chambers writes again offering thanks for a copy of The Hobbit, and presumably, criticism on it. He gives Tolkien an update on his recovery after a bout...
21 September 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Simonne d'Ardenne
#82
A short note enclosed with a copy of The Hobbit which was published on the same day. It was sent to Simonne d'Ardenne as a gift. This letter is hel...
22 September 1937
K. M. (Katherine Mary) Kilbride to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2019
Kilbride writes to Tolkien from Bradford offering praise for The Hobbit. This letter is held among the Tolkien Papers at the Bodleian Library.
23 September 1937
E. V. Gordon to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1977
E. V. Gordon replies to Tolkien to thank him for a copy of The Hobbit and offers comments on the story. The letter is held at the Bodleian Library archive.
23 September 1937
Helen Buckhurst to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1998
Helen Buckhurst writes to Tolkien to thank him for arranging for a copy of The Hobbit to be sent to her. She says the book is delightful, though she wis...
23 September 1937
Jennie Grove to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2009
Jennie Grove writes to Tolkien thanking him for the copy of The Hobbit she has recieved. She is "delighted" by it and hopes that it is a huge ...
24 September 1937
Hilary Tolkien to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2018
Hilary writes to Tolkien thanking him for sending a copy of The Hobbit. He will read it soon and then will read it with Gabriel, his eldest son. He also...
27 September 1937
W.R. Childe to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2012
Tolkien had arranged that a copy of The Hobbit be sent to Childe, and Childe writes to congratulate Tolkien on its publication and offers thanks for his...
1 October 1937
Jane Neave to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2002
Tolkien's Aunt Jane (Neave) writes to Tolkien demanding to know more about his new book, The Hobbit. Tolkien had written to her, and signed a copy ...
7 October 1937
Mary St John [Wiseman] to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2034
Mary writes to Tolkien asking if he would send her a presentation copy of The Hobbit. In return she will send him prayers. This letter is found among th...
9 October 1937
Jane Neave to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2004
Aunt Jane writes again to Tolkien now that she has recieved a copy of The Hobbit. She is delighted with it and says that "the origin of golf" ...
9 October 1937
W.R. Childe to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2013
Following his previous letter offering Tolkien thanks and congratulations on The Hobbit, Childe sends a postcard with congratulations on the positive re...
28 October 1937
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2097
Writing to Tolkien, Stanley Unwin suggests 17 November for their next meeting. Tolkien had written earlier that day suggesting other dates but writes an...
29 October 1937 (second letter)
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2095
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin. He had suggested they meet in November for their next meeting and gives various dates, but Stanley writes a letter whic...
5 November 1937
F.E. Harmer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2036
F.E. Harmer, a colleague from Manchester writes to Tolkien to ask advice on the meaning of various Old English words and if Tolkien could present any ci...
16 November 1937
Grace Bindley Mountain to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2037
Tolkien's aunt, Grace, writes to him offering thoughts on The Hobbit.
16 November 1937
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2104
Stanley writes to Tolkien and includes his manuscript of Farmer Giles of Ham which GA&U had previously viewed. He tells Tolkien that if he has a similar...
28 November 1937
Geoffrey E. Selby to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2038
Selby writes to Tolkien on various matters related to The Hobbit. He asks about discrepancies between the text of The Hobbit and 'Thror's Map&...
13 December 1937
Arthur Ransome to J.R.R. Tolkien
#106
Arthur Ransome, best known for his Swallows and Amazons series of childrens books wrote to Tolkien in 1937 after The Hobbit had been published, firstly ...
14 December 1937
R. W. Chambers to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1161
Further to his earlier letters to Tolkien, Chambers had recently finished writing a review (see reference below) of Tolkien's Beowulf: The Monsters...
15 December 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Arthur Ransome
#105
Replying to Arthur Ransome's letter of 13th December Tolkien opens with exclamations of honour at receiving a letter from Ransome. Tolkien apologiz...
15 December 1937
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1109
Stanley writes to Tolkien with news that the first edition of The Hobbit has sold and a new printing will be issued almost immediately. He notes that To...
16 December 1937
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#22
Carpenter #19
Tolkien has received a letter from Arthur Ransome, who wonders about the use of the word "man" in The Hobbit, as well as a few other letters f...
17 December 1937
W.G. Le Tall to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2021
Following a letter the previous day from Stanley Unwin, Le Fall of Geoffrey Tyndale's Bookshop in Bath writes to Tolkien with details on the compet...
17 December 1937
C.A. Furth to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2121
C.A. Furth writes to update Tolkien on their efforts to get the reprint of The Hobbit out for the Christmas rush. The demand for it is high, GA&U had to...
c. Christmas December 1937
Frederick Klaeber to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2766
Frederick Klaeber sends Tolkien a Christmas card.
22 December 1937
K. M. (Katherine Mary) Kilbride to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2126
K.M. Kilbride writes to Tolkien asking if he would sign a second printing of The Hobbit for her if she sent one to him. She had lent the book to a child...
24 December 1937
Gladys Lillian Tilly (Faulconbridge) [Aunt Lily] to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2039
Tolkien's Aunt Lily congratulates him on the publication of a second printing of The Hobbit. This letter is held at the Bodleian Library among thei...
27 December 1937
R.A. [Ruth] Smith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2040
G.B. Smith's mother, Ruth Smith, writes to Tolkien with thanks for the copy of The Hobbit he sent her. She also touches on Christopher Wiseman.
29 December 1937
W.G. Le Tall to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2022
W.G. Le Tall again writes to Tolkien about the competition his bookshop is running on The Hobbit. The letter is held with the Tolkien Papers at the Bodl...
1938
13 January 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.V. Salmon
#2133
Tolkien sends a revised script for the Beowulf broadcast. He mentions that one of his children has "suddenly developed a bad heart" and he has...
18 January 1938
G.H. White to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2024
A reader had written to the Observer newspaper asking various questions on The Hobbit and Beowulf. White sends a clipping of that letter to Tolkien and ...
8 February 1938
W.G. Le Tall to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2023
Le Tall sends his personal copy of The Hobbit for Tolkien to sign for him. He updates Tolkien on the competition, noting that it has not gone as well as...
13 February 1938
Florence Hadley to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2001
Tolkien's Aunt Florence (Hadley) writes to thank him the copy of The Hobbit which he sent to her in British Columbia, Canada. She notes that had he...
20 February 1938*
J.R.R. Tolkien to Editor of the Observer
#28
Carpenter #25
Tolkien responds to a request, likely from a researcher or enthusiast, regarding the origins and inspirations behind his work, particularly The Hobbit. ...
22 March 1938
B.S. Harvey to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2041
B.S. Harvey of the National Provincial Bank writes to Tolkien acknowledging payment of some cheques and as a post script asks Tolkien if he would mind s...
3 May 1938
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1989
Stanley writes a short cover letter to Tolkien explaining that Rayner has had little time (going to boarding school on this day), but has scribbled down...
3 May 1938
Rayner Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1990
Rayner "scribbles" a book report on the first three chapters of the Hobbit sequel. His father Stanley sends this review to Tolkien along with ...
3 May 1938
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2151
Kenneth Sisam writes to Tolkien on E.O.G. Turville-Petre's Viga-Glúms Saga. He notes that it will be published in their Oxford English Monographs ...
13 May 1938
M. Williams to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2042
M. Williams, a former student at Oxford, now of the Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, New York, writes to Tolkien offering memories of her tim...
21 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to A.F. Colborn
#108
Tolkien provides a letter of recommendation for his B.Litt student A.F. Colborn.
24 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#35
Carpenter #31
Tolkien bemoans The Hobbit being published in 1937 over 1938. His work pressure has left him hard-pressed to get into actions on the sequel. Tolkien has...
24 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#2155
Tolkien writes to C.A. Furth. He is struggling to suggest anyone who can fulfill the work for GA&U's Clark Hall Beowulf. He in fact now believes th...
25 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#33
Carpenter #29
Tolkien wrote to Stanley Unwin in response to a letter from a German publisher, Rütten & Loening Verlag. They wanted to publish a German translation of...
25 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rütten & Loening Verlag
#34
Carpenter #30
Rütten & Loening Verlag, the German publisher enquired about publishing a German translation of The Hobbit. As part of their conditions they wanted to ...
27 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Masefield
#36
Carpenter #32
Tolkien responds to Mr. Masefield regarding the lines provided for a performance. Tolkien expresses no objection to being preceded by the lines and defe...
28 July 1938
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2156
Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien. he remarks that his letters of 25 July "have been a source of much merriment and satisfaction at this office"...
31 July 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ida Gordon
#1125
Tolkien sends his condolences to the wife of E.V. Gordon, who had recently died due to complications from an operation. Wayne Hammond and Christina Scul...
31 Jul 1938
Edith Tolkien to Ida Gordon
#1128
Edith sends her condolences for the death of Ida's husband, E. V. Gordon.
11 Aug 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ida Gordon
#1126
Tolkien pays tribute to E. V. Gordon, and offers any help he can, talking about finances, the publication of 'The Wanderer' and 'The Seaf...
19 Aug 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ida Gordon
#1127
Tolkien has been ill. He offers advice on Ida's financial situation after the death of her husband, E.V. Gordon.
4 September 1938
Catherine Lambert to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2045
Catherine Lambert, a writer from London writes to Tolkien on The Hobbit and mentions her own publications. This letter is held at the Bodleian Library a...
26 September 1938
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ida Gordon
#1129
Tolkien offers more condolences about the Gordon family's loss, and talks more about his childhood. He acknowledges receipt of papers relating to P...
1939
11 February 1939
C.A. Furth to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2176
Furth informs Tolkien that he has told the German publisher that he (Tolkien) wishes to see a proof of the translation of The Hobbit before going to pri...
13 February 1939
J.R.R. Tolkien to Dr. John P. Harrington
#2241
A letter was sent to Oxford University about the derivation of the name Washington in relation to the first President of the United States of America, G...
15 September 1939
J.R.R. Tolkien to Philip Unwin
#1376
Carpenter #36b
Tolkien updates Phillip Unwin on the current situation at universities given the news of war with Germany. He says there will be a reduced demand, but s...
12 October 1939
Charles Williams to Florence "Michal" Williams
#1787
Writing to his wife, Charles Willians notes that Tolkien and Lewis have asked him to lecture at Magdalen next term if he's still around at that time.
19 December 1939
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#52
Carpenter #37
Tolkien, writing to Stanley Unwin, expresses gratitude for the kind note and apologizes for his neglectful correspondence due to personal and health iss...
1940
3 January 1940
J.R.R. Tolkien to The Society (R.W. Chapman)
#1170
Tolkien in a letter to The Society (addressed to Chapman) says he is not able to host The Society meeting and dinner as Exeter and Pembroke are not avai...
28 January 1940
Charles Williams to Florence "Michal" Williams
#1788
Charles Williams, writing to his wife, says that Tolkien and Lewis are taking him to the Divinity School at Oxford tomorrow.
15 May 1940
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2205
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien asks for money due to him be made available as he is "in certain difficulties" at present.
1943
29 January 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.L.N. O'Loughlin
#117
Tolkien writes a letter to J.L.N. O'Loughlin. He is currently organising courses for the Navy and Air Force cadets. At a board meeting which Tolkie...
C. November 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Williams
#961
This three page letter is held at the Wade but no details of it are known. The Charles Williams collection at the Wade states this is "A "Clos...
25 December 1943
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2649
Gift Tag to Michael. With a drawing of a holly leaf in green and red. The tag has 1942 written in pencil on it, but Michael was not born until 11th Janu...
1944
19 September 1944
J.R.R. Tolkien to G.E. Selby
#1397
Carpenter #80a
Tolkien writes to G.E. Selby, a family friend agreeing to act as a referee for his application to a post. In a newly published extract, of this previous...
December 1944
Mabel Day to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2480
Mabel Day writes to Tolkien on the subject of Robin Flower's health. Flower worked at the British Museum and was a committee member of the Early En...
1945
10-11 February 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to The Catholic Herald
#121
In this long letter, Tolkien mentions derivations of "convent" and "Coventry". Published in The Catholic Herald, 23 February 1945, a...
13 February 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mabel Day
#2485
Tolkien replies to Mabel Day's letter from December 1944 and a message from January. He remarks that he is not good at answering letters promptly, ...
24 February 1945
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2486
Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien asking if it "Is it not time that we had a new book from you?" He remarks that while paper is still short in s...
26 March 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Secretary of Faculties
#2490
Tolkien drafts a letter to the Secretary of Faculties.
15 May 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Florence (Michal) Williams
#224
Carpenter #99
Tolkien expresses sympathy to Mrs. Williams and her son, and his grief over the loss of her husband Charles Williams.
22 May 1945
Stephen Bone to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2046
Stephen Bone, the writer and painter, writes to Tolkien. He remarks on his children's enjoyment of The Hobbit and asks Tolkien if he would send him...
11 September 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2496
Tolkien sends his grandson, Michael George, a postcard from Whitby, Yorkshire.
17 November 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Roger Sharrock
#1068
Tolkien gives Roger Sharrock some job recommendations including Oxford, Southampton and Swansea. He mentions that C.S. Lewis's lectures on Charles ...
21 December 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2650
Tolkien sends a present and a big kiss to his grandson.
1946
16 April 1946
Peter Eubanks to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2761
Peter Eubanks, of Berkeley, California and a fan of The Hobbit, writes to Tolkien to ask him to write a sequel to it.
29 May 1946
Kenneth Sisam to A.L.P. Norrington
#2297
The name of J.A.W. Bennett had come up in relation to the still unfinished Clarendon Chaucer. Sisam is inclined to leave it though as Tolkien is still a...
21 July 1946
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#251
Carpenter #105
Tolkien writes to Sir Stanley Unwin, who had just been knighted. He asked about Farmer Giles of Ham. And remarks on his progress to The Hobbit sequel am...
21 July 1946
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.A. Furth
#2518
Tolkien, writing to C.A. Furth apologizes for not replying to him earlier. He does not know the book Outlines of the History of the English Language by ...
30 September 1946
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#252
Carpenter #106
Tolkien expresses delight at the prospect of publishing "Farmer Giles of Ham" but cites academic commitments as a hindrance to providing more ...
1947
undated but likely 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Adrian
#899
Tolkien writes to Adrian after he had visited Cambridge. Nothing else is known and the letter is undated but he visited Cambs in 1947. The original lett...
13 January 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Gilbert Murray
#1177
Writing to Gilbert Murray, Tolkien with regret notes that he is powerless to help with the task of securing employment of one J.C. Ghosh, an Indian stud...
5 May 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#1412
Carpenter #107a
Tolkien notes to Stanley Unwin that he has received the agreement for Farmer Giles of Ham, he would also send revised manuscripts for it in July and he ...
c. 17 May - June 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to George Allen & Unwin [translation dept.]
#2540
In reply to a letter about the Swedish translation of The Hobbit, Tolkien says that he does not have any objection if illustrations are replaced, but pr...
28 May 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2541
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin. He is sorry to have missed him at Merton but is rarely there on Sundays. He remarks he has had no time to write, includ...
21 September 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#257
Carpenter #111
Tolkien apologizes for the delay in responding to a letter sent in July and explains that he has been preoccupied with philology due to academic commitm...
26 September 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jennifer Paxman (Brookes-Smith)
#128
Tolkien writes to Jennifer with some advice on an Oxford College, and about errors in The Hobbit which he notes he will send on to GA&U.
23 November 1947
Stephen Bone to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2047
Following on from his letter in 1945, Bone returns a specimen page from The Lord of the Rings and discusses it. We currently have no record of Tolkien&a...
c. Early December 1947
Katharine Farrer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2048
Farrer replies to Tolkien, again in runes and says that she would welcome a key to the Dwarvish alphabet. This was written on a postcard that accompanie...
17 December 1947
J.R.R. Tolkien to Thomas Malcolm Knox
#131
Tolkien sends thanks for his time with Knox in Scotland. Tolkien had given his lecture 'On Fairy-Stories' to the University of St Andrews in 1...
1948
5 January 1948
Mother M. Agnes to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2049
Mother M. Agnes, a former pupil from Leeds and now at Maryfield College, Dublin, writes to Tolkien asking if he recalls her from that time at Leeds. She...
18 January 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.L.N. O'Loughlin
#132
Tolkien had received a parcel, he thanks O'Loughlin and confirms it arrived safely. Tolkien has been very busy and had flu recently, hence his dela...
20 March 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mabel Day
#2635
Tolkien writes to Mabel Day of the EETS. Tolkien tells her that he has been unwell and as such has not been able to work on the Ancrene Wisse. Although ...
31 March 1948
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2050
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
8 April 1948
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2051
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
12 May 1948
Christopher Tolkien to Edward A. Allen
#1167
No details of this letter are known.
24 July 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ronald Eames
#2642
Replying to #TCGLetter2641, Tolkien says that he will be between Oxford and Woodcote until 14 August and then until 14 September his address will be c/o...
20 August 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.G. Riewald
#1915
A two page letter written in response to a Max Beerbohm scholar who asked what Tolkien thought of Beerbohm. Tolkien writes that his cartoons amuse him, ...
7 October 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ronald Eames
#2687
Tolkien sends his spare copy of Farmer Giles of Ham, which is uncorrected, to Ronald Eames. This copy is to be sent on to the illustrator Pauline Baynes...
c. early November 1948
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2052
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
27 November 1948
T.K. Penniman to G.E.K. Braunholtz
#2697
T.K. Penniman, curator of Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, writes to Professor Braunholtz. He asks for support of the Committee of Comparative Philology in...
6 December 1948
Ronald Eames to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2698
Ronald Eames sends Tolkien the first batch of illustrations by Pauline Baynes. Pauline Baynes had noted that she intended to produce many pieces for Tol...
11 December 1948
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2053
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
16 December 1948
Pitt Rivers secretary to J.R.R. Tolkien (and others*)
#2701
The secretary of Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, sends a proposed syllabus for the Honour School of Anthropology to Tolkien, among others. It will be disc...
25 December 1948
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2651
A Christmas note to Michael George. Tolkien encloses some money and a small drawing showing three stars in blue and red.
31 December 1948
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2054
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
1949
7 January 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.L.N O'Loughlin
#150
Tolkien sends a rushed note saying that he will act immediately. On behalf of what, it is not known.
25 January 1949
Mary Thompson to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2702
Mary Thompson, a teacher from Leamington High School for Girls, writes to Tolkien offering praise for The Hobbit and asking about a sequel. She includes...
18 March 1949
Olwen Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2058
Hugh Brogan's mother, Olwen, writes to Tolkien on the matter of him visiting them in Cambridge. She says he is very welcome and suggests the 20th (...
4 April 1949 (postmark)
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2055
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
12 May 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Douglas Veale
#2720
Writing to Douglas Veale, Tolkien remarks that his 10th February inquiry was at that time was not an application for leave. He says he had hoped to appl...
12 May 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Douglas Veale
#2721
Tolkien also sends a personal letter of thanks with further details of why he could not take the leave of absence that Veale had arranged for him. He al...
18 May 1949
Henry Willink to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2065
Henry Willink, a colleague from Magdalene College, Cambridge, writes to Tolkien giving him an update on his wife's ill-health and to offer his admi...
13 July 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin Ltd.
#273
Carpenter #121
Tolkien discusses the progress of Farmer Giles of Ham and hints that the final draft of The Lord of the Rings was nearly finished. Once that is complete...
13 August 1949
Hugh Brogan to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2056
In a series of seven letters, a young reader, Hugh Brogan, writes to Tolkien on the matter of his "thirst for more information about Middle-earth&q...
19 August 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to A. H. Smith
#1820
Two page handwritten letter in which JRRT congratulates Smith on the Quain election and writes on behalf of a student named Mrs. Pietrkiewicz, maiden na...
28 November 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Havard
#930
No details of this letter are known.
12 December 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2652
Tolkien sends his grandson two books for Christmas. Hammond and Scull remark in Chronology thats "these are probably the two Friendly Farm books by...
31 December 1949
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#917
Baynes replied to Tolkien's letter that she might not have time to see him. He left a letter with Lewis as they were meeting on New Year's Eve...
1950
6 January 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2653
Tolkien thanks his grandson for sending him a birthday card.
10 January 1950
Helen Gardner to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2746
Helen Gardner, an Oxford colleague of Tolkien's writes to him. She encloses a message of appreciation from Richard Duncan-Jones, whose sister'...
28 January 1950
Tilda and Joy Duff to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2747
Tilda and Joy Duff write to Tolkien with praise for The Hobbit.
c. early March 1950
Rayner Unwin to Stanley Unwin
#2764
In reply to a letter from his father, Rayner Unwin says that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is a great work and deserves to be published. He felt no l...
6 March 1950
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2748
Stanley Unwin replies to #Letter124. He says that publishing The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings together would be very difficult. He asks if the...
2 April 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2750
Tolkien writes to Stanley Unwin asking for a decision about The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. He remarks that he will be busy with examination...
14 April 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#294
Carpenter #127
Relations between Tolkien and Allen & Unwin had begun to become strained as Tolkien felt that A&U were not open to publishing his work as he would have ...
8 June 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to C.L. Wrenn
#2773
Writing to Wrenn, in response to his memorandum concerning a grant, Tolkien remarks that a revival of a Readership in Phonetics that it should be connec...
1 August 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin Ltd.
#295
Carpenter #128
Tolkien was sent proofs for a new edition of The Hobbit and remarks on how The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are interlinked. He was not expecting hi...
3 September 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Guy Milner
#941
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade and consists of two pages.
11 September 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2792
Tolkien returns the postcard, sent by Stanley Unwin. Tolkien agrees that they can go ahead without the revised stereo plates. See #TCGLetter2791 In a no...
23 October 1950
Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2809
After hearing that Tolkien was having problems with Collins over their proposed publication of The Lord of the Rings, Stanley Unwin writes to Tolkien to...
1 November 1950
Susan Dagnall to Stanley Unwin
#2812
'S', likely Susan Dagnall writes to Stanley Unwin after she had visited Elaine Griffiths in Oxford. She remarks about reading Tolkien's e...
13 November 1950
J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin
#2821
Writing to Stanley Unwin, Tolkien opens with apologies for not replying to two previous letters, both kind according to Tolkien. He remarks that the Cha...
1951
By 18 July 1951
J.R.R. Tolkien to Congrès International de Philologie Moderne
#2844
Tolkien submits his conference paper, Middle English 'Losenger', to the organizers of the Congrès International de Philologie Moderne in Liège.
25 November 1951
J.R.R. Tolkien to Iona and Peter Opie
#155
This letter, of which excerpts were published in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren concerned the etymology of the word 'faynights'. Afte...
1952
15th January 1952
Committee to Court of the University of Glasgow
#2233
At a Committee meeting for the W.P. Ker Lecture, it was decided to invite Professor Tolkien to give a talk at the 1952-1953 event.
31 January 1952
J.R.R. Tolkien to Secretary of the University Court
#2232
Tolkien had been asked to give a Lecture at the University of Glasgow, which he accepted.
24 September 1952
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2456
Tolkien writes to his grandson, and thanks him for sending him some pictures. He has drawn a map of the area and marked on water, roads, low land and wh...
1953
11 July 1953
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield
#1080
Tolkien advises his student Burchfield about his thesis about Ormulum - the proposed thesis title is remarkably close to a recent German publication tha...
31 August 1953
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1428
Carpenter #140a
Tolkien writes, reminding Rayner that he will be in London the following day, he hopes Rayner will have time to lunch with him. He will arrive at Museum...
23 September 1953
J.R.R. Tolkien to W.N. Beard
#1430
Carpenter #140c
Tolkien apologizes for his delay in providing comments on the drawings. He does not think them satisfactory. He says that he should have been more caref...
25 December 1953
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2654
Xristmas note to Michael George.
1954
3 May 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to P.H. Newby
#1441
Carpenter #144a
In reply to a letter from P.H. Newby, Tolkien says that a talk on the Third Programme would be a suitable subject but notes that it would be a controver...
17 May 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to Henry Willink
#188
Tolkien discusses C.S. Lewis and his invitation to Cambridge. Lewis had initially refused the offer citing family obligations, namely his brother's...
17 May 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to H.S. Bennett
#920
Tolkien writes to H.S. Bennett who had written to Tolkien the previous day. He discusses the proposed move by C.S. Lewis to Cambridge. C.S. Lewis would ...
?18 or 20 May 1954
Bennett? to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1164
This letter is housed at the Wade Center but no details are currently known of its contents.
11 October 1954
Katharine Briggs to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1715
Briggs very much enjoyed reading The Fellowship of the Ring and asks if the next book will be published by Christmas. She had issues with the changes to...
13 October 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. Cheesman
#921
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
21 October 1954
Katharine Briggs to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1716
Briggs thanks Tolkien for his reply (#TCGLetter1712) to her first letter (#TCGLetter1715). She looks forward to The Two Towers and The Return of the Kin...
6 November 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield
#194
Tolkien remarks on the reception to The Fellowship of the Ring by his colleagues.
17 November 1954
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Heppenstall
#195
Tolkien writes to inform Heppenstall that he is unable to attend the rehearsal and the recording of the radio play for The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth whic...
1955
12 January 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2655
Tolkien sent a letter and a postal order to Michael for his birthday to buy some model trains.
2 June 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rosemary Summers
#1166
Replying to Rosemary Summers, believed to be a teacher, Tolkien says that some critics argued the Hobbit was too frightening for children. Her school ch...
27 July 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Richard L. Sturch
#960
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
28 July 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs. Dixey
#206
Tolkien wishes that Mrs. Dixey will enjoy reading the as yet unpublished Return of the King, telling her that there are about 100 pages of appendices. I...
22 August 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Roberts
#208
Tolkien writes to John Roberts, apologising for the delay in publishing the third volume of The Lord of the Rings. He describes the third volume, regret...
12 September 1955
Mrs Rachael Feichtmeir to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2831
Mrs Rachael Feichtmeir, a fan of Tolkien's books, writes to him about his process of writing the books.
27 September 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Martin C. Stone
#958
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
30 September 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Philip Unwin (Allen & Unwin Ltd.)
#483
Carpenter #170
Tolkien feels that his life may be in danger if The Return of the King is not published soon. This letter is held at the 'Tolkien–George Allen & ...
12 October 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Philip Unwin
#518
Carpenter #172
Tolkien writes to Allen & Unwin, stressing that they must publish The Return of the King on the 20th October 1955. The letter is held at the 'Tolki...
22 October 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. Mitchell
#212
Letter to Mr. Mitchell, about reading The Lord of the Rings and extends offer to sign his 3 volumes. Tolkien hopes that his success with the The Lord of...
24 October 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joyce Biddell
#214
Tolkien expresses pleasure that his books cheered her. The recipient may be Joyce Biddell of Maidstone, Kent, who adapted the novel for the stage in 196...
10 November 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to August Closs
#2216
Tolkien writes that he is "very tired mentally" and decline to help with finishing Hannah Closs's book. He writes about his pacifist view...
3 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Elizabeth Jennings
#215
Tolkien sends a note to congratulate Jennings on her book of poetry, A Way of Looking being published. He also makes a mention on Auden's new book,...
8 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Naomi Mitchison
#226
Carpenter #176
Tolkien mentions his O'Donnell Lectures in Celtic Studies. He expresses disappointment in the radio broadcast adaptations of The Lord of the Rings....
8 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#526
Carpenter #177
Tolkien expresses his agreement with critics' negative views on the radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien anticipates negative respons...
12 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin Ltd.
#527
Carpenter #178
Tolkien writes about Victorian Warwickshire as an inspiration for the Shire.
20 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2656
Tolkien sends a pound to his grandson for Christmas.
21 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs Rachael Feichtmeir
#229
This letter remains unpublished and little is known beyond one quote, Tolkien says that "One must write to a map in being or times and distances ge...
21 December 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Elizabeth Jennings
#2563
Elizabeth Jennings had sent Tolkien an inscribed copy of her book of poetry, A Way of Looking. Tolkien on the whole likes the book.
1956
12 January 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Peter Scott
#1652
Tolkien writes to Peter Scott, of the London Newman Circle. He declines the invitation to give a public lecture, as he is too busy to talk about himself...
7 March 1956
William Galbraith to J.R.R. Tolkien
#922
No details of this letter are known.
8 March 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Galbraith
#235
Among many subjects Tolkien discusses the unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Numenor, echoes of past tales. 'Tunes&ap...
15 March 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Martin C. Stone
#959
No details of this letter are known.
12-13 April 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Galbraith
#236
Sent on the 13th April as a separate note along with #TCGLetter235, Tolkien apologises for the slow nature of his reply. A complete transcript along wit...
12 April 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs Earle
#238
Tolkien writes about the inspirations behind The Lord of the Rings and gives a brief history of the name "Tolkien." and instructions on pronun...
16 April 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to H [Humphrey]. Cotton Minchin
#243
Carpenter #187
Tolkien describes himself as a philologist, and sometime calligrapher. An index of Elvish names was intended to be produced, noting that his 'speci...
1 June 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2657
Tolkien sends a note on Michael's Confirmation.
13 July 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2658
Tolkien sends a postcard of The Book of Kells Folio 200r to his grandson at the Oratory School.
2 November 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Terence Tiller
#555
Carpenter #193
Tolkien discusses the concept of "accent" in the context of representing different languages, particularly the Common Speech (C.S.) in his leg...
6 November 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Terence Tiller
#556
Carpenter #194
Tolkien responds to Mr Tiller regarding a dramatic or semi-dramatic representation of The Lord of the Rings. He questions whether listeners unfamiliar w...
24 November 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1456
Carpenter #194b
In regards to the Dutch translation of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien says he has not the time or energy to be overly critical of it, and in any case ha...
6 December 1956
C.S. Lewis to C.A. Brady
#2356
Lewis thanks Brady for a review in the America magazine of his Narnia stories. Lewis remarks that he expected young readers to unconsciously get the the...
20 December 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Deirdre Levinson
#283
Tolkien sends a short note with his greetings, and a reminder that he would like to see Deirdre again and asks her to let him know of a gift as he would...
20 December 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2659
Tolkien sends his grandson a cheque for Christmas, which his son Michael will have to cash in on his behalf.
1957
5 January 1957
C.S. Lewis to C.A. Brady
#2357
C.S. Lewis writes to C.A. Brady and talks about Dorothy Sayers, Charles Williams and J.R.R. Tolkien and his influence on them. "And as for anyone i...
10 January 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2660
Tolkien sent his grandson some biscuits for his birthday.
3 February 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1457
Carpenter #195a
Tolkien says that work is still getting in the way of him spending any time on The Silmarillion. He is having trouble with Professor Wrenn in America, a...
1 March 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1458
Carpenter #195b
Tolkien apologizes to Rayner for being exhausted at their previous meeting and says he is recovering from a very stressful school term. He says that he ...
1 March 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Walter Monckton
#1653
Tolkien writes to Monckton suggesting dates for the next dinner in the hopes that Monckton can attend and add more weight to the Oxford side. He had del...
4 March 1957
Walter Monckton to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1654
In reply to Tolkien's letter, Monckton writes to confirm that dates except one are good for him. He no longer works within the government, so shoul...
24 April 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#287
Carpenter #196a
Tolkien discusses various matters including academic news, Hebrew, work with The Jerusalem Bible on the Book of Jonah. Michael George had been reading T...
9 June 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Ready
#322
Tolkien apologises for not replying earlier. He has been overworked, noting that he has not the aid of an assistant in his role. He would be delighted t...
24 June 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Caroline Everett
#561
Carpenter #199
Tolkien was not inclined to offer any biographical details, as he doubted their relevance. Though he does go on to give some biographical facts. This le...
9 July 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Walter Monckton
#1655
Monckton had written to say that he cannot make the dinner of 13 July. Tolkien replies that the next dinner will be held on 14 December. He reminds Monc...
15 July 1957
Walter Monckton to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1656
Monckton replies and has paid his subscription which was late and hopes to attend the next dinner in December. This letter is held at the Balliol Colleg...
21 July 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2661
Tolkien sends a note of Congratulations to Michael George.
5 August 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jerome W. Archer
#325
Tolkien discusses an invitation to visit the Marquette University the following spring as well health issues. He had been obliged to cancel plans to tra...
5 August 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jerome W. Archer
#893
This letter sent on the same day as another (see #TCGLetter325) was to determine the practicalities of the visit to Marquette. The original letter, in t...
6 August 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Ready
#894
Tolkien writes to William Ready of Marquette to confirm to him his intention to visit Marquette the following year. The original letter and a complete t...
7 September 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#576
Carpenter #201
Tolkien expresses dissatisfaction with the current script for the proposed film version of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien describes the ending as "...
26 September 1957
William Ready to J.R.R. Tolkien
#895
William Ready of Marquette writes to Tolkien acknowledging Tolkien's proposed visit in 1958.
17 November 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Herbert Schiro
#327
Carpenter #203
In response to a letter from Herbert Schiro asking about allegory in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien quite angrily dismisses these readings.
25 December 1957
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2662
Tolkien sends a box of paints to his grandson for Christmas.
1958
C. 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to unknown
#1092
A brief note thanking a fan for their letter about The Lord of the Rings.
Unknown but no earlier than 1958
Rayner Unwin to Marquette University
#1098
This letter, held at the Marquette archives from Rayner Unwin to the archives of The J.R.R. Tolkien Collection concerned corrections for the Return of t...
14 January 1958
Rayner Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1674
Rayner has found a lady who can index The Lord of the Rings for him, and notes that he has said it is to be in "two parts". One of proper name...
8 April 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#580
Carpenter #206
Tolkien describes in great detail his trip to Rotterdam.
8 April 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#581
Carpenter #207
Tolkien expresses his intent to review the "Story-Line" provided by Zimmerman for the animated film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Tolki...
?11 April–c. 21 April and c. 28 April–5 May 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Forrest J. Ackerman
#915
Tolkien had been visited by Forest J. Ackerman in September 1957 (see reference) to discuss a proposed adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Ackerman sho...
27 May 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1683
Tolkien writes to Rayner Unwin, including a letter with a sheet of answers to be forwarded to Nancy Smith. He has been waylaid by many bothers and will ...
9 June 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Forrest J. Ackerman
#584
Carpenter #210
After receiving the script sent from Morton Grady Zimmerman Tolkien replies with (in parts) stinging criticism. He opens by apologising for sounding irr...
14 October 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rhona Beare
#400
Carpenter #211
Tolkien responds to questions, explaining the inspiration and meaning behind various elements in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien concludes by emphasizing...
25 October 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Deborah Webster
#340
Carpenter #213
Tolkien expresses reluctance to divulge personal details but acknowledges some significant facts about himself. He shares personal preferences, includin...
22 December 1958
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2663
Tolkien sends a book-token to his grandson for Christmas.
1959
21? February 1959
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Ready
#342
Tolkien makes arrangements for the transfer of money regarding the purchase of his manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings.
5 March 1959
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Ready
#343
Tolkien writes with gratitude regarding Ready's arrangement of the purchase by the Marquette University of Tolkien's manuscripts for The Lord ...
11 September 1959
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin
#592
Carpenter #217
Tolkien writes about the Polish translation of The Lord of the Rings. A slightly different quotation from the letter is given in Chronology from that re...
17 December 1959
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2664
Tolkien sends his grandson some money for Christmas.
1960
7 January 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. K.F. Mawson
#452
A fascinating letter on the labours of producing his iconic work, concluding with a humorous aside on real-life namesakes of his famous characters.
9 February 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1470
Carpenter #222a
Tolkien informs Rayner that by way of looking at the "Scunthorpe lists". He has also continued work on The Silmarillion, and can say that it i...
12 February 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1471
Carpenter #222b
Tolkien tells Rayner that he is getting to his work on the translations of Sir Gawain and Pearl, in addition to The Silmarillion, however the arrival of...
15 March 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ruth Spalding
#957
No details are known of this letter.
27 June 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2665
Tolkien writes a long letter to Michael George who is very worried about which degree to study for at Oxford. History, which his father took, or English...
31 July 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#599
Carpenter #223
Tolkien's publishing commitments are catching up with him. Chronology reproduced a slightly longer selection of the letter than what appears in Let...
25 October 1960
Elizabeth Lumsden to Rayner Unwin
#2603
Tolkien's secretary, Elizabeth Lumsden, writes to Rayner Unwin at Tolkien's request to ask if he knows the editor of Time and Tide. Tolkien ha...
31 December 1960
J.R.R. Tolkien to L.W. Forster
#602
Carpenter #226
Writing to L.W. Forster, Tolkien states that The Lord of the Rings was not influenced by the two World Wars, except for the landscape. Tolkien also writ...
1961
5 January 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs E. C. Ossendrijver
#465
Carpenter #227
In the unpublished part of the letter Tolkien discusses the translation of The Lord of the Rings into Dutch, and in the published part Númenor, C.S. Le...
16 January 1961
C.S. Lewis to The Swedish Academy
#1661
C.S. Lewis writes to the Swedish Academy. He believes that J.R.R. Tolkien deserves the Nobel Prize in literature and nominates him for the award. A phot...
16 January 1961
L.W. Forster to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2211
Forster writes to Tolkien, thanking him for explaining the contribution of philology to Tolkien's works.
24 January 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin
#603
Carpenter #228
Tolkien writes about including the Appendices of The Lord of the Rings in translations.
8 June 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rhona Beare
#605
Carpenter #230
Answering various questions about The Lord of the Rings. A photocopy of original letter with a complete transcript is held at the Marquette archives.
13 November 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Paul Barnetson
#486
Tolkien thanks Mr. Barnetson for his letter, He does not consider the book to be based on "German or Icelandic folklore" but says it has a nor...
15 November 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jane Neave
#487
Tolkien has been asked to provide more poems to go with 'Tom Bombadil' as the book is too small according to GA&U. He notes that he believed a...
22 November 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jane Neave
#609
Carpenter #234
Tolkien sends some poems that he is considering for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
6 December 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#610
Carpenter #235
Pauline Baynes, who had illustrated Farmer Giles of Ham, had expressed herself willing to provide pictures for The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and had b...
30 December 1961
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#611
Carpenter #236
Tolkien has read the Puffin Hobbit and was not impressed with changes made to the book.
1962
5 February 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1076
Tolkien submits additional poems for possible inclusion in the 'Tom Bombadil' book - 'Firiel' ('The Last Ship'), 'The...
12 April 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#612
Carpenter #237
Tolkien discusses progress with The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
14 May 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joy Hill
#1232
Following Tolkien's letter of 11 May, he sends Joy Hill a corrected introduction to The Adventures of Tom Bombadil along with corrections for some ...
20 July 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Alina Dadlez
#614
Carpenter #239
Writing to Alina Dadlez, Tolkien explains his displeasure at the Spanish translation of 'Hobbit' and remarks back to the "private fancies...
21 July 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1477
Carpenter #239a
Tolkien informs Rayner Unwin that he is now "in residence" until 2 October and will return on 10 October as he is once again involved in term....
1 August 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#615
Carpenter #240
Pauline Baynes, who was illustrating The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, pointed out that the typescript of the title poem described Tom as wearing a peacoc...
19 September 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Alina Dadlez
#498
Tolkien writes explaining that "I prefer hobitos since it preserves to the eye more relationship to the original word. I do not much mind the h bei...
?19 November, 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1479
Carpenter #241b
In secret, Allen & Unwin had been putting a 'Festschrift' together to present to Tolkien on his 70th birthday. Tolkien writes to congratulate ...
28 November 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sir Stanley Unwin
#617
Carpenter #242
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil was published on 22 November. Additional quotes and context appear in Chronology than what is in Letters.
13 December 1962
J.R.R. Tolkien to Norman and Lena Davis
#2143
Tolkien sent Norman and Lena Davis an autographed copy of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil with an inscription and a personalized note. In his note Tolkie...
1963
9 January 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2667
Tolkien sends birthday wishes to Michael George.
April 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. Charles Huttar
#932
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
29 April 1963
Charles Huttar to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2577
No details are known.
16 May 1963
Bruce Mitchell to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2767
Bruce Mitchell writes to Tolkien on the matter of his article on Beowulf.
16 May 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. Beaumont
#2768
Tolkien begins a letter to a Mr. Beaumont about a house-move.
23 May 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Bruce Mitchell
#814
Tolkien writes to discuss various matters on Beowulf.
25 June 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rhona Beare
#620
Carpenter #245
Answers to the following questions: (1) In the 'English runes' used for Anglo-Saxon inscriptions, the rune does not stand for G as it does in ...
18 August 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2668
Tolkien books a room for Michael George at Shidley Priory, and mentions C.S. Lewis resigning his chair at Cambridge.
22 September 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Eileen Elgar
#507
Carpenter #246
Tolkien answers questions about The Lord of the Rings, especially regarding the failure of Frodo.
11 October 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joy Hill
#1862
Tolkien writes to his secretary about the American deluxe Hobbit proposal, which had sent him a specimen of artwork from Virgil Finlay. He has some issu...
16 October 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#624
Carpenter #249
Tolkien describes his visit to the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth. Chronology contains a few additional quotes from the letter that do not appear in Carpe...
26 November 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2669
Tolkien offers to buy a Cello for his grandson, and also mentions that he is giving too many "presents" and will be cutting back.
6 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs E. C. Ossendrijver
#513
A brief letter stating that The Silmarillion is not yet complete, but that The Adventures of Tom Bombadil should be coming out soon in America. He compl...
16 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Baronne A. Baeyens
#516
Tolkien opens this letter by apologising for his delay in replying to a letter from September, and that his secretary had typed up a note but he felt a ...
23 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#628
Carpenter #253
It had been agreed that the new paperback (see no. 248) should be given the title Tree and Leaf. Rayner Unwin asked if Tolkien could suggest a suitable ...
25-26 December 1963
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nancy Smith
#511
Tolkien writes on Christmas Day to Nancy Smith, who in the 1950s had prepared an index to the Lord of the Rings. He explains he had retrieved her letter...
1964
3 January 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2670
Tolkien sends Michael George a cheque for £45 and is pleased by the post he got for his birthday. He is also impressed that The Times announced his bir...
17 January 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jocelyn Gibb
#923
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Bodleian and a copy at the Wade.
18 January 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Justin Arundale
#542
Tolkien replies to Justin Arundale aged ten explaining that the Silmarillion will not be published for some time yet. He closes by asking him to tell hi...
22 January 1964
Jocelyn Gibb to J.R.R. Tolkien
#924
No details of this letter are known.
24 January 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jocelyn Gibb
#925
No details of this letter are known.
29 April 1964
Jocelyn Gibb to J.R.R. Tolkien
#926
No details of this letter are known.
13 May 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Colin Bailey
#630
Carpenter #256
An account of Tolkien's unfinished story 'The New Shadow'.
10 July 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs. Marcus
#551
In this typed letter with a hand written post script Tolkien discusses the development of The Lord of the Rings saying that Hobbits were not a late addi...
16 July 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Bretherton
#631
Carpenter #257
Tolkien wrote that he usually typed letters because of his handwriting (which can be very difficult to read at times). He talks about the invention of h...
21 August 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to George Burke Johnston
#938
Tolkien thanks Dr Johnston for some items that he sent him. A copy of this letter is held at the Wade and consists of a typed letter with a handwritten ...
11 September 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joy Hill
#638
Carpenter #264
Tolkien really does not like the design of HMCo's Tree and Leaf. He comments negatively on Carole Ward's proposal for a serialization of The L...
11 November 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#569
Tolkien replies to questions about how the manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings and Mr. Bliss were sold to Marquette University. Quotes are found in SEV...
3 December 1964
Jocelyn Gibb to J.R.R. Tolkien
#927
No details of this letter are known.
15 December 1964
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jocelyn Gibb
#928
Jocelyn Gibb requested any letters from C. S. Lewis that could be included in a forthcoming volume. Tolkien exchanged few letters with C. S. Lewis, as t...
17 December 1964
Jocelyn Gibb to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1165
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
1965
6 January 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#571
Carpenter #266
In this letter from Tolkien to his grandson, who was studying at St. Andrew's University, Tolkien apologizes that his translations of Sir Gawain an...
24 January 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joan O. Falconer
#575
Tolkien says that "the impression" that Sam is older than Frodo is in part due to the impression of their characters based on background and e...
11 February 1965
Edith Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#587
Edith thanks Sterling Lanier, who had mailed five of his figurines to Professor Tolkien. Tolkien likes some of them, especially the Dwarf.
20 May 1965
Tolkien's Secretary to Nan C. Scott
#943
This is a stock reply letter, but Tolkien adds that he is hindered in writing the Silmarillion because of having to revise The Lord of the Rings to figh...
21 May 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2671
Tolkien writes to Michael George about the Ace Books controversy, "Pirates have got to work in the U.S.A."
25 May 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#645
Carpenter #271
Tolkien writes about revising The Lord of the Rings.
7 June 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#965
Tolkien writing to Donald Swann mentions a visit from Swann and his wife. The Tolkien's were delighted to spend time with them. The matter of the v...
2 July 1965
Donald A. Wollheim to Nan C. Scott
#944
Wollheim tells Scott that he had offered Tolkien a settlement previously, this appears to be an outright lie, one which Tolkien figured out a few weeks ...
15 July 1965
Lovell Thompson to Nan C. Scott
#945
No details of this letter are known, but it is almost certainly in regard to the ACE Books edition of The Lord of the Rings. A copy of this letter is he...
21 July 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#647
Carpenter #273
Mrs Scott was a leading campaigner in the battle to keep the pirate edition of The Lord of the Rings out of the American bookshops. A copy of this lette...
28 July 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Austin Olney
#648
Carpenter #274
Tolkien discusses revising The Lord of the Rings and the maps. Additional quotes can be found in the Chronology entry for this letter. The original is i...
3 August 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to The Librarian at Marquette
#699
Tolkien writes to the Librarian at Marquette asking for copies of manuscript materials needed for revising The Lord of the Rings. The original letter wi...
24 August 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1484
Carpenter #275a
Tolkien apologizes once again for being late in getting work to Rayner, this time revisions on the 3rd edition of The Hobbit. He says that many revision...
14 September 1965
Rayner Unwin to Nan C. Scott
#946
No details are currently known from this letter. A copy of this letter is held at the Wade.
14 September 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#966
Tolkien writes thanking Donald Swann for the tickets to a performance on 18 September. He notes that Priscilla cannot attend but he has asked Dr. Robert...
16 September 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#701
Tolkien writes to his grandson Michael George, clarifying that he is interested in all aspects of Michael's "work and tastes". He says th...
29 September 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#702
Lanier sent Tolkien a copy of Dune by Frank Herbert for which Tolkien ended up owing a bill for the postage. Tolkien was unhappy that he was also charge...
17 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2672
Tolkien has been ill and apologises for taking longer than he should to reply to Michael George. He offers to buy him a woollen cloth jacket.
25 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#947
No details are currently known from this letter.
27 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jared C. Lobdell
#1094
No details of this letter are known.
28 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jocelyn Gibb
#929
Tolkien sends his thanks to Gibb for sending a copy of the book Light on C.S. Lewis and notes that it says more about the contributors than of Lewis him...
30 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.L.N. O'Loughlin
#709
Tolkien writes, saying that while he has read O'Loughlin's article, he does not have the time to say more on it.
30 October 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#653
Carpenter #279
Tolkien discusses money worries. Other parts of the letter are detailed in The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology.
8 November 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1010
Carpenter #280
Tolkien is working on drafts of Sir Gawain and Pearl and finding interesting words and passages that he hopes to write up for academic journals. An expa...
30 November 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to John Wakeman
#964
Tolkien writes to Wakeman declining an invitation to submit an entry for his new collection, Midcentury Authors.
1 December 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to David Charles Rose
#942
This contents of the letter are unknown.
9 December 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christine Jones
#712
Tolkien writing thanking Christine Jones for her interest and says that although he found her comments on the ending interesting: "If I answered al...
15 December 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#654
Carpenter #281
Tolkien writes about a new UK paperback edition of The Hobbit. He comments on replacing the note explaining Bilbo's changed story and the two Thrai...
18 December 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#655
Carpenter #282
Professor Kilby, of Wheaton College, Illinois, had met Tolkien while visiting Oxford in 1964. He now offered to return to England and help Tolkien in an...
29 December 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1486
Carpenter #282a
Tolkien shoots down any idea of a "Tolkien Award" by Ace Books, and suspects that this is just a way for them to make themselves feel better a...
1966
9 January 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2673
Tolkien wishes Michael George a happy birthday and sends him a cheque for £15.
10 January 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#721
Tolkien thanks Lanier for his letter and other material (a science fiction newsletter) that has reached him by Christmas. Tolkien says he has sent the n...
1 February 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to William E. Ratliff
#2344
Tolkien is pleased that William liked his works - Tree and Leaf, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are mentioned. Tolkien says that libraries in Engl...
14 February 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#723
Tolkien thanks Lanier for sending a copy of S.F.W.A. January Bulletin, saying the campaign has worked and Ace has offered acceptable terms. Tolkien cong...
17 February 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2674
Tolkien invites Michael George to his and Edith's Golden Wedding at Merton College. Michael has also been provisionally accepted for a B.Litt. at M...
23 February 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#967
Writing to Donald Swann, Tolkien mentions a BBC2 broadcast that he will sadly miss. Tolkien mentions he has succeeded in his battle with Ace, noting tha...
9 March 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Roger Verhulst
#724
Tolkien writes about the publication of a proposed book about him by W.H. Auden.
11 March 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#948
Carpenter #284a
Tolkien informs Scott that Ace Books have been in touch and offered an agreement. He notes that Ace have agreed to not reprint the book once current cop...
17 March 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#968
Writing to Swann, Tolkien gives him an update on plans for Swann's recital at Merton during the Tolkien's Golden Wedding celebrations. He give...
19 March 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2675
Michael George was unable to attend Tolkien's Golden Wedding celebrations.
28 March 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#970
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann who had visited the Tolkiens. He and Edith were unwell at the time.
12 April 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mother Mary Anthony
#747
Writing to Mother Anthony, Tolkien says that the "young man 'Williams'" at Oxford working at the University Press was almost certain...
19 April 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#949
Tolkien suggests some days when the Scotts might visit him, as they are currently in London.
25 April 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#774
Tolkien writes concerning the designs for a new dust jacket for The Lord of the Rings and on plans for The Tolkien Reader. Tolkien would like to see the...
29 April 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Joy Hill
#2425
Tolkien reiterates that he will not be photographed. He remarks that he has written a "polite" letter to Jeanette Wagner, Senior Editor of the...
9 May 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#950
Tolkien had to leave Oxford for the day and is unable to meet with the Scotts.
25 May 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2676
Tolkien sends his grandson Best wishes and prayers.
30 May 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#951
Tolkien thanks Nan Scott for sending a photograph of them from her visit.
5? July 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#818
Tolkien thanks Kilby for his visit and apologizes for being busy. On a separate page, Tolkien includes a three paragraph fragment from the review of an ...
6 July 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2677
Tolkien congratulates his grandson on passing his degree.
18 July 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#952
Tolkien invites her to visit next time she is in Oxford, and he will sign books for her. A copy is held at the Wade.
26 July 1966
Joy Hill to George Burke Johnston
#939
Joy Hill writes to Professor Johnsonsic Johnston who is planning a lecture on Tolkien. She gives him some details on Tolkien's parents and also tha...
29 July 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#662
Carpenter #289
Tolkien discusses the etymology of Mirkwood. Brief quotes from this letter included in Chronology show that he also talked about the typewriters he uses...
1 August 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#819
Tolkien writes says that his son will be out for lunch on Thursday and wonders if he would like to join them. The letter is held at the Wade.
15 August 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Lena de Grummond
#1916
Tolkien responds to Mrs. de Grummond's request for manuscript material. He declines. A brief quote from this letter is reproduced in Chronology. Th...
26 August 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs. Webster
#962
Tolkien replies with thanks for the pictures sent of the performance. He will show them to Kilby who attended the performance. A copy of the letter is h...
26 August 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Boatwright
#2285
In this letter, Tolkien declines to take part in the project for W.H. Auden's sixtieth birthday. However, he does later submit an entry which is pu...
29 August 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#971
Tolkien replies to Donald Swann to wish him well for his and Flanders' tour of the U.S. and give shim an update on his and Edith's health. He ...
12 September 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2678
Tolkien sends Michael George a brush to clean his typewriter.
Late 1966 - early 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Dick Plotz
#784
Carpenter #293a
This letter, known as the Plotz Letter, or Plotz Declension was a letter written by Tolkien that contained manuscript notes regarding Quenya grammar. Th...
11 October 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#792
Carpenter #289b
Tolkien discusses his and Edith's Mediterranean cruise and the bust of him at the English Faculty in Oxford. Excerpts from the letter have been pub...
17 October 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Lena de Grummond
#1917
Tolkien apologizes for failing to sign his previous letter, and says he might have a moment to find something he could spare to donate to her project, a...
28 October 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#663
Carpenter #290
Tolkien's grandson is studying at Oxford. Tolkien writes about his views on 'research' and reading Smith of Wootton Major the previous we...
7 November 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Gene Wolfe
#485
Carpenter #290a
Tolkien writes to Gene Wolfe about the origin of "Orc" and "Warg". This letter was reproduced in Vector #67/68 (1974)
18 November 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#973
Tolkien invites the Swanns on the 20th December. They might be able to borrow the piano at a neighbour's house. He writes about melody. He discusse...
28 November 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#900
Tolkien writes to Kilby making mention that he is pleased that Kilby has finally received the correct medication and says that he is yet to continue wit...
28 November 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#953
No details are currently known from this letter.
13 December 1966
Edith Tolkien to Clyde Kilby
#2789
Edith sends a Christmas Air Letter to Kilby. The contents of the Letter are not known, but it includes a Christmas image of Father Christmas flying over...
15 December 1966
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#954
No details are currently known from this letter.
16 December 1966
Charles Huttar to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2578
No details are known.
30 December 1966
L.W. Forster to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2210
Forster writes to Tolkien with a copy of an article he is writing on The Lord of the Rings for a German encyclopaedia, to see if hew would like to make ...
1967
2 January 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Otto B. Lindhardt
#795
Tolkien states that his efforts to help translators, or in reading their efforts, has made it clear that the nomenclature of people and places is diffic...
2 January 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Huttar
#933
No details of this letter are known.
5 January 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#901
Tolkien writes, thanking Kilby for an article on Barzun and for sending a turkey.
10 January 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2679
Tolkien discusses being a great-grandfather and comments from Sir Stanley Unwin on attaining the 'dignified age' of 75.
12 January 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Boatwright
#2284
Tolkien produced a short contribution for W.H. Auden which was published in Shenandoah, "a short encomium in Anglo-Saxon verse of about twenty line...
24 January 1967
Rayner Unwin to Austin Olney
#2254
Unwin will show the Maurice Sendak Hobbit artwork to Tolkien in early February, and will try to talk to him about making some embellishments for The Roa...
1 February 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Huttar
#934
No details of this letter are known.
6 February 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pamela Chandler
#742
Tolkien apologizes to Pamela Chandler, but he will no longer allow photographs to be taken in his house.
8 February 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to David L. Sands
#796
Tolkien writes to express his approval for the proposed Spanish translation of his works, referring the recipient to contact Allen & Unwin.
20 February 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#902
Tolkien writes to thank Kilby for sending a copy of Science is a Sacred Cow written by Anthony Standen.
20 March 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#974
Carpenter #294b
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann including more material for his project. He thanks Swann for not cursing him. He has had long delays and while trying to ...
21 March 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#975
Tolkien sends background material for The Road Goes Ever On. He includes Galadriel's Lament and Chant written out "in a fair Elvish book-hand,...
22 March 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#2275
Tolkien writes to Donald Swann offering transcripts of the Lament and Chant in Elvish script.
29 March 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss M. Felver
#898
Tolkien replies with gratitude for Felver's letter to him. He appreciates fans buying his books, eventually putting some small amount of money in h...
12 April 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#977
Carpenter #295a
Writing to Donald Swann on the matter of their book, The Road Goes Ever On, Tolkien provides much on the contents of the book, noting that the commentar...
17 April 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Boatwright
#2286
Tolkien writes that he is enjoying Mr. Boatwright's gift of the book. Tolkien also mentions that he has received a letter from W.H. Auden, who like...
9 May 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Oscar Morland
#753
Tolkien writes to British ambassador Oscar Morland thanking him for his typed indexes, and that he will find them very useful when he has time to work o...
14 June 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sister M. Anne
#1163
Replying to a letter from Sister Anne from St. Louis, Tolkien says he has no intention to write a sequel to The Lord of the Rings.
19 June 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#978
Tolkien thanks Swann for the book cover and compares the "T" rendered there to various occurrences from genuine manuscripts.
21 June 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Huttar
#935
No details of this letter are known. It is held at the Wade.
12-13 July 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#979
Carpenter #295b
Tolkien does not like the calligraphy being made by Samuel Hanks Bryant as filler for blank pages in The Road Goes Ever On. Tolkien objects to Swann usi...
?Late Summer 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. kilby
#1534
In his letter of late November, Tolkien says that he had begun a letter "some time ago", but this had never been finished and remained unsent....
4 August 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Huttar
#936
No details of this letter are known but Huttar had visited Tolkien on this day (see reference below). The letter is held at the Wade.
9 August 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Charles Huttar
#937
No details are known about this letter. It is held at the Wade.
25 August 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to William E. Ratliff
#2345
William Ratliff had written to Tolkien, presumably about the Hippie movement in the USA (Ratliff published a long article on this topic a few months lat...
11 September 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to William Luther White
#671
Carpenter #298
White had written to Tolkien asking for information regarding the Inklings. Tolkien replies with some brief information "from memory". He says...
c. 3 December 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#903
Carpenter #298a
Tolkien encloses a letter that he began earlier in the year and explains that he had never finished it. He has organised for a copy of Smith of Wootton ...
11 December 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Bretherton
#2589
Tolkien writes to Bretherton about Smith of Wootton Major and encloses a signature for the book.
30 December 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien and Edith Tolkien to Donald Swann
#980
Tolkien apologizes for his delay in replying, due to poor health, and he asks Swann and his wife to visit in January. Tolkien says that "doing noth...
1968
7 January 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#904
Tolkien writes to Kilby with thanks for the turkey and mentions that he recently visited Ready. He is not happy that Ready is writing a book on him, as ...
29 January 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Nan C. Scott
#955
No details are currently known from this letter.
12 February 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann
#981
Tolkien hopes to see Swann on the 14th, but cannot attend a performance of The Road Goes Ever On on the 15th.
1 March 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Evelyn B. Byrne
#794
Tolkien was asked to write about his teenage memories and, along with 69 other contributors, this was published in the book Attacks of Taste, compiled a...
6 March 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2680
Tolkien offers his grandson the use of a Phillips recorder, which he used to record for Caedmon vinyl records.
8 April 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Dick Plotz
#803
Tolkien wrote to the President of the Tolkien Society (of America - Dick Plotz) to express his displeasure at the forthcoming publication The Tolkien Re...
8 April 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Bretherton
#2590
Tolkien writes to Bretherton and is unable to see him before Easter. He sends a signature for The Road Goes Ever On and wonders if it will be mentioned ...
15 April 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#905
Tolkien writes to Kilby and mentions the book A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C. S. Lewis. He says that it reminded him of good things spread throughout L...
27 April 1968
Michael George Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#2582
No details known.
9 May 1968
Phyllis M. Jenkinson (secretary) to George Burke Johnston
#940
Tolkien's secretary acknowledges receipt of Johnston's booklet The Poetry of J.R.R. Tolkien.
24 May 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to George Burke Johnston
#804
Tolkien replies to a letter from George Burke Johnston thanking him for his gift and discussing the meaning of 'root' in the Troll's song.
24 May 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mary Fairburn
#689
Mary Fairburn has sent some of her illustrations for The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien really likes them and thinks they could be in an illustrated version...
4 June 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#677
Carpenter #304
Tolkien writes about his move to the South Coast of England. In a portion that remains unpublished, Tolkien also spends some time complaining about Will...
6 June 1968
J.W. Rusk to J.R.R. Tolkien
#2421
Writing to Tolkien, J.W. Rusk asks for details about his relationship with R.G. Collingwood. She had been informed by Professor G.R.G. Mure that Tolkien...
14 June 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to J.W. Rusk
#1999
Tolkien writing to J.W. Rusk and gives her some details on his relationship with R. G. Collingwood, noting that they did not know each other very well. ...
2 August 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Havard
#805
Tolkien complains about how the movers took advantage of Edith's health and did a bad job, for example putting furniture in the wrong rooms. Tolkie...
9 August 1968?
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Havard
#931
No details of this letter are known. A copy is held at the Wade.
15 October 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to Jared C. Lobdell
#1096
No details of this letter are currently known. It is held at the Marquette archives along with a complete transcript.
1969
3 January 1969
J.R.R. Tolkien to Bridget MacKenzie
#1130
Tolkien writes to the eldest daughter of Ida and E. V. Gordon. He has sent an autograph to friends of Bridget as requested, and mentions that he has mov...
7 January 1969
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2681
Tolkien is bemused by now having a Post Code/Zip Code. He is able to walk better and does not need his walking stick. He thinks Lakeside Road is very qu...
23 April 1969
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2682
Tolkien is very pleased to hear the news about his great-granddaughter, Catherine Mary Tolkien.
28 August 1969
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#918
Tolkien writes with remarks about Pauline Baynes' Middle-earth poster, mentioning that he thinks the only error on the printed map is Enedwaith for...
1 October 1969
J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes
#919
Tolkien writing to Pauline Baynes returns a photocopy of the Middle-earth map, with comments. The spelling Enedwaith is correct. He also apologizes for ...
1970
7 January 1970
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2685
Michael's Cello has been had the strings stolen, and Tolkien discusses the origin of the name Catharine.
Summer or Autumn 1970
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Wood
#278
Tolkien writes to Mr Wood and sends three copies of his signature on cards, stating that he should keep one for himself. He goes on to discuss the India...
8 June 1970
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2079
Joy Hill writes to filmmaker John Boorman at Tolkien's request. Tolkien is sorry that Boorman has been ill, and hopes that Boorman will be able to ...
15 June 1970
John Boorman to Joy Hill
#2074
John Boorman writes to Tolkien's secretary, apologizing for not being able to meet in person with Professor Tolkien and their mutual friend Father ...
15 June 1970
John Boorman to John Maguire
#2082
John Boorman writes to his friend, the Reverend John Maguire of the Reading University Catholic Chaplaincy, who knows Tolkien. The three men had been pl...
19 June 1970
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2084
Joy Hill has read Boorman's letter to Tolkien over the phone, and Tolkien hopes Boorman is now feeling better and looks forward to meeting him. He ...
25 June 1970
John Boorman to Joy Hill
#2075
Boorman thanks Joy Hill for writing , and offers to come visit her in the George Allen & Unwin offices on the 13th of July. He would love to talk to her...
25 June 1970
John Boorman to John Maguire
#2083
Boorman writes to Father Maguire. Boorman has arranged to meet up with Tolkien in August, sadly when Maguire is out of town. Boorman will let him know h...
28 July 1970
John Boorman to Joy Hill
#2076
Boorman apologizes for not being able to meet with Joy Hill during his visit to London. He was too busy dealing with United Artists and the launch of hi...
31 July 1970
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2085
Joy Hill writes to confirm scheduling just discussed in a phone call. Boorman will meet with Rayner Unwin on Monday 17th August, and Tolkien in Bournemo...
14 August 1970
John Boorman to Joy Hill
#2073
Boorman writes to Tolkien's secretary (in her role as Press Officer for George Allen & Unwin), saying that he had hoped United Artists would have g...
17 August 1970
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2080
Joy Hill thanks Boorman for letting her know that United Artists haven't greenlit the film yet. She looks forward to hearing when the project is re...
11 September 1970
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield
#279
Carpenter #316
Tolkien discusses an O.E.D. dictionary definition of Hobbit.
1971
8 January 1971
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2683
Tolkien writes about his love of Ireland. Tolkien's Interview with Denys Gueroult was repeated on the radio and he had forgotten it being recorded ...
8 February 1971
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2078
Joy Hill writes to filmmaker John Boorman, saying she had tried to call him on the phone but he had evidently already left the country. She is hoping to...
29 March 1971
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2086
Joy Hill has recently heard from an American publisher (either Ballantine or Houghton Mifflin) that the film is moving forward, and asks for an update f...
23 April 1971
John Boorman to Joy Hill
#2077
Boorman is about to begin filming of "Deliverance", and hopes to be able to have news about The Lord of the Rings film in late July. It still ...
17 May 1971
Joy Hill to John Boorman
#2081
Joy Hill thanks Boorman for writing, and looks forward to hearing from him again when he returns near the end of July.
1972
1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to ? Braun
#1659
No details are known.
30 January 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#828
Tolkien writes to his grandson Michael George mentioning various problems such as health, his fans, and the press.
2 February 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Ed Meskys
#829
Tolkien writes to Ed Meskys to offer his sympathy for Meskys "afflictions". He also thanks him for the support offered by the Tolkien Society ...
8 June 1972
Public Orator to Oxford University
#1099
From Marquette: "Speech by the Public Orator," speech given at the presentation of an honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters to J. R. R. Tolkien...
11 June 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield
#310
Tolkien writes to Robert Burchfield profusely apologising about not returning one of Robert's books, Kentish Place-names by J.K. Wallenberg.
30 June 1972 (published 4 July)
J.R.R. Tolkien to The Daily Telegraph
#49
Carpenter #339
Tolkien writes to the Daily Telegraph newspaper about an editorial which they published on the 29th June 1972. He objects to having his name used as an ...
25 July 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael George Tolkien
#2684
Tolkien tries to arrange to see Michael George, but is not sure if that will happen.
27 July 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Help the Aged Housing Association (Tolkien's Desk)
#833
Tolkien sells his desk to support a UK Charity Help The Aged.
21 November 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#436
Carpenter #343
Tolkien describes his use for a drinking goblet sent to him, inscribed with the One Ring inscription.
23 November 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Edmund Meskys
#437
Carpenter #344
Tolkien talks about numerals in The Lord of the Rings.
17 December 1972
J.R.R. Tolkien to Richard Jeffery
#384
Carpenter #347
A reply to the following questions: (1) Does 'Speak, friend, and enter' (the inscription over Moria Gate) mean 'Speak as a friend', ...
1973
9 January 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Professor Michael Swann
#1001
Tolkien expresses his delight in accepting "the offer of the Senatus Academicus" . He has suggested the 12th July 1973, and he hopes he will b...
18 January 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald and Janet Swann
#982
Tolkien writes to Donald and Janet Swann. They will be visiting him and Priscilla and Tolkien will call them after the 24th January to arrange details. ...
24 January 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#835
Carpenter #347b
Tolkien writes, thanking Lanier for the book The War for the Lot by Lanier himself. Tolkien says that he found it quite original, and frightening. Tolki...
9 February 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Sterling Lanier
#837
In an update to his letter of 24 January, Tolkien confirms that he has asked for GA&U to help clear up the matter of the copyright situation, and thanks...
8 March 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby
#839
Carpenter #348a
Tolkien writes to Clyde S. Kilby regarding his health issues.
5 July 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Basil Blackwell
#2142
Tolkien confirms that Basil Blackwell was his first publisher.
8 July 1973
J.R.R. Tolkien to Canon Norman S. Power
#843
Tolkien sends Canon Power a signature with a copy of a publication. He mentions his childhood, growing up in Birmingham, and J. H. Shorthouse's boo...
1977
10 February 1977
Priscilla Tolkien to Anne Etkin
#2569
No details known.
April 21, 1977
Clyde S. Kilby to Mr. Faxon
#1363
Kilby, curator of the Wade Center archives, responds to a query about his book Tolkien and the Silmarillion, offering to have the College Bookstore mail...
1978
25 October 1978
Michael Tolkien to Anne Etkin
#2573
No details known.
16 December 1978
Michael Tolkien to Anne Etkin
#2575
No details known.
1983
26 January 1983
Christopher Tolkien to Darrell A. Martin
#2584
No details known.
29 September 1983
Alan Bliss to Christopher Tolkien
#2922
Alan Bliss informs Christopher Tolkien that he had found a manuscript labelled "Tolkien, Soul's Ward". He encloses the manuscript.
1985
26 June 1985
Roy Gainsburg to Nan C. Scott
#956
No details are currently known from this letter. A copy is held at the Wade.
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