1913

October? 1913

Christopher Wiseman to J.R.R. Tolkien

#1115

Christopher is envious that GB Smith has joined Tolkien at Oxford. Letter is tentatively dated based on context given by Garth in Tolkien and the Great ...

1914

30 August 1914

J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs. Stafford

#1193

While staying in Northgate, Warwick at the 'White House', Tolkien writes to a Mrs. Stafford in Oxford to say that he will be back for term time.

1915

11 July 1915 (likely)

J.R.R. Tolkien (?) to Mr. How

#1271

There is some question whether Tolkien sent this letter, Hammond and Scull say that "Tolkien drafts and probably sends a letter from Abbotsford to ...

1921

8 January 1921

John Johnson to Henry [H.W.C.] Davis

#1697

John Johnson of the Oxford University Press writes to the historian Henry David on the matter of the proposed Middle English series of texts. He notes t...

1925

June 1925

Lascelles Abercrombie to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1711

Lascelles Abercrombie writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-...

17 June 1925

M.E. Sadler to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1706

M.E. Sadler writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon at O...

22 June 1925

Joseph Wright to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1708

Joseph Wright writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon at...

23 June 1925

L.R. Farnell to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1707

Lewis Richard Farnell writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-...

25 June 1925

Allen Mawer to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1710

Allen Mawer writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon at O...

27 June 1925

J.R.R. Tolkien to [University of Oxford Electors]

#7

Carpenter #7

Tolkien applies for the position of 'Professorship of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University'. He describes his schooling and his time at Leeds Univ...

28 June 1925

George S. Gordon to J.R.R. Tolkien (testimonial)

#1709

George S. Gordon writes a testimonial in support of Tolkien's application to the vacant seat of Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon...

21 July 1925

E.S. Craig to J.R.R. Tolkien

#1721

E.S. Craig, University Registrar at Oxford writes to Tolkien offering his congratulations on his successful application to the chair of Rawlinson and Bo...

22 July 1925

J.R.R. Tolkien to E.S. Craig

#1722

Tolkien replies to E.S. Craig, enclosing the signed undertaking. He hopes that the statutes governing the chair can be mitigated as he has to give six m...

24 July 1925

E.S. Craig to J.R.R. Tolkien

#1723

E.S. Craig replies to Tolkien's letter . He says that Tolkien should be able to work both Leeds and Oxford during the Michaelmas term. He includes ...

1926

11 March 1926 (date of appointment)

J.R.R. Tolkien (part of Committee) to Hebdomadal Council

#1730

The contents are not known.

1929

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

24 February 1931

J.R.R. Tolkien, and thirteen others to General Board (Oxford University)

#1635

Tolkien, with thirteen others, signs a letter to the "General Board, requesting that the Chair of Comparative Philology be raised from Grade B to G...

1932

27 May 1932

J.R.R. Tolkien to A.F. Colborn

#74

Letter of recommendation for his B.Litt. student A. F. Colborn.

1933

21 December 1933

J.R.R. Tolkien to R.W. Chambers

#77

Thanking Chambers for his note and registering his sorrow at Chambers recent ill health. He offers his best wishes for 1934. He also encloses a report f...

1940

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.

5 August 1940

Douglas Veale to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2209

Douglas Veale, Registrar of Oxford University, writes to Tolkien, with papers included for him to examine from a student in America. Hammond and Scull n...

1941

18 June 1941

B.E.C. Davis to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2359

B.E.C. Davis of Westfield College, University of London writes to Tolkien to thank him for organizing for his students to use the English Faculty Librar...

1943

Mid March 1943

J.R.R. Tolkien to Various directors and tutors

#2390

Tolkien sends letters in mid March to various people who will be directors and tutors to cadets at Oxford to find out what date (25, 26, or 27 March) wo...

1944

6 January 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Various parties

#2400

Tolkien sends notices out to people involved with the Oxford cadets courses. He includes details on lectures and classes and various other details relat...

7 July 1944

Stanley Unwin to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2245

Stanley writes to tell Tolkien that if paper were available they would immediately reprint The Hobbit as it would sell well. Stanley apologizes for not ...

1949

10 February 1949

J.R.R. Tolkien to Douglas Veale

#2703

Tolkien writes to Douglas Veale, Oxford University Registrar. He would like to know how to present a request for a leave of absence from work. He remark...

11 February 1949

Douglas Veale to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2704

Douglas Veale writes to Tolkien. He says that he will submit Tolkien's application to the Visitatorial Board, which will be meeting on 18 February.

23 February 1949

Douglas Veale to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2705

Douglas Veale informs Tolkien that the Visitatorial Board has approved his leave of absence during Trinity Term 1949. Veale will make enquiries about wh...

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...

26 May 1949

Douglas Veale to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2722

Tolkien's request for a leave of absence has been approved for Michaelmas Term 1949 and Hilary Term 1950.

15 July 1949

J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss Flint

#1091

Tolkien writing to Miss Flint apologizes for his delay in replying. He had been away but upon his return had much delayed business to attend to which in...

22 July 1949

R.F.W. Fletcher to Registrar of Oxford University

#2733

Tolkien was apparently meant to write to C.T. Onions to inform him that he was not needed to be a deputy lecturer. Fletcher tells the Registrar of Oxfor...

1950

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...

27 October 1950

J.R.R. Tolkien to Helge Kökeritz

#2289

Tolkien writes to the Swedish scholar Helge Kökeritz, at Yale, USA, to invite him to give two lectures at Oxford. Tolkien was concerned about the payme...

4 November 1950

K.C. Turpin to J.R.R. Tolkien

#2813

K.C. Turpin, Secretary of Faculties for the English Faculty Board at Oxford, writes to Tolkien asking which papers a candidate would need to take to com...

7 November 1950

J.R.R. Tolkien to K.C. Turpin

#2815

Tolkien replies to the Secretary of Faculties, K.C. Turpin. What this is, we do not currently know.

1956

29 February 1956

J.R.R. Tolkien to Tim Robinson

#1262

Tolkien apologises for being unable to attend a meeting of the Oxford University English Club.

28 April 1956

J.R.R. Tolkien to Deirdre Levinson

#244

Tolkien writes to Deirdre Levinson, a former student, regarding tuition.

1960

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...

1966

10 May 1966

J.R.R. Tolkien to Professor Norman Davis

#661

Carpenter #288

Tolkien writes about a bust being made of him. His daughter-in-Law is the sculptor, and he has decided to have it cast in bronze at his own expense. It ...

1972

24 January 1972

J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael Tolkien

#426

Carpenter #332

Tolkien writes to his son about the very generous accommodation offered to him by Merton College in Oxford.

16 March 1972

J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin

#427

Carpenter #333

Tolkien invites Rayner and his wife to visit him in his new flat at Merton.

14 May 1972

J.R.R. Tolkien to Jonathan Wordsworth

#832

Tolkien accepts an invitation to dine with The Society, and noting that he has sent a card to Cecil, the host for this particular dinner.

17 September 1972

J.R.R. Tolkien to Marjorie Incledon

#434

Carpenter #341

Tolkien discusses his living situation at Merton College. His fame forces him to live behind locked doors.

1973

20 May 1973

J.R.R. Tolkien to Jonathan Wordsworth

#1085

Tolkien doesn't want to lose touch with friends due to health, so he plans to attend a dinner. He also states that he is returning to Oxford from B...