This page is a timeline for the life and times of J. R. R. Tolkien. It also includes separate listings for thematic timelines, such as his academic qualifications, titles, jobs and awards, his locations, his published works, and their translations. It also includes a timeline for Tolkien-related events after his death.
Before Tolkien edit
This section includes birth and death dates of family members and others before Tolkien was born, plus key dates from the literary traditions Tolkien is considered part of. Similar entries for events during Tolkien's lifetime, but not directly connected with him, should be placed in the Main Timeline and marked as such.
- 1856 - approximate year of birth (possibly 1857) for Arthur Tolkien, father of J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1870 - birth of Mabel Suffield, mother of J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1891 - marriage of Arthur Tolkien and Mabel Suffield, parents of J. R. R. Tolkien
Main timeline edit
- 1892 - born in Bloemfontein, South Africa
- 1894 - younger brother Hilary born
- 1895 - travels to England with his mother and brother
- 1896 - father dies in South Africa
- 1896 - Tolkien and family settle in Sarehole, near Birmingham, England
- 1900 - family moves to Moseley
- 1900 - enrolled at King Edward's School
- 1901 - family moves to King's Heath
- 1902 - family moves to Edgbaston
- 1902 - enrolled at St Philip's Grammar School
- 1903 - wins scholarship to King Edward's School
- 1904 - mother dies of complications from diabetes
- 1904 - brothers become wards of Father Francis Morgan
- 1905 - brothers move to Stirling Road
- 1908 - brothers move to Duchess Road
- 1908 - Tolkien meets Edith Bratt
- 1910 - forbidden to see Edith
- 1910 - wins Exhibition scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford
- 1911 - TCBS forms
- 1911 - visit to Switzerland
- 1911 - starts at Oxford University, reading Classics
- 1913 - reunited with Edith Bratt
- 1913 - Second Class in Honour Moderations
- 1913 - begins reading for Honours in English Language and Literature
- 1913 - visits France
- 1914 - betrothed to Edith
- 1914 - visits Cornwall
- 1914 - outbreak of World War I
- 1914 - Council of London
- 1915 - First Class Honours in final examinations, awarded BA (Hons)
- 1915 - commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Lancashire Fusiliers
- 1915 - training in Bedford and Staffordshire
- 1916 - marries Edith
- 1916 - embarks for France and sees action in the Battle of the Somme
- 1916 - returns to England with trench fever
- 1916 - death of TCBS members Geoffrey Bache Smith and Robert Gilson during the Battle of the Somme
- 1917 - begins work on The Book of Lost Tales
- 1917 - posted to Yorkshire
- 1917 - birth of eldest son John
- 1918 - made full Lieutenant and posted to Humber and then Staffordshire
- 1918 - end of World War I
- 1918 - returns to Oxford with family
- 1918 - joins staff of the New English Dictionary
- 1919 - awarded MA (Hons) from Oxford University
- 1919 - works as freelance tutor in Oxford
- 1920 - appointed Reader in English Language at Leeds University
- 1920 - birth of second son Michael
- 1921 - family complete the move to Leeds
- 1924 - appointed Professor of English Language at Leeds University
- 1924 - birth of third son Christopher
- 1925 - appointed Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University
- 1925 - family moves back to Oxford
- 1926 - meets C. S. Lewis
- 1926 - 'Coalbiters' forms
- 1929 - birth of daughter Priscilla
- 1930 - starts The Hobbit
- 1936 - Beowulf lecture
- 1937 - publication of The Hobbit
- 1937 - begins a sequel to The Hobbit that will become The Lord of the Rings
- 1939 - Andrew Lang Lecture titled On Fairy-Stories
- 1943 - birth of Michael, Tolkien's first grandchild
- 1945 - appointed Merton Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford University
- 1945 - birth of Joan, Tolkien's second grandchild
- 1949 - completion of The Lord of the Rings
- 1949 - publication of Farmer Giles of Ham
- 1951 - birth of Judith, Tolkien's third grandchild
- 1954 - publication of first and second volumes of The Lord of the Rings
- 1954 - Hon Dr en Phil et Lettres from the University of Liege, Belgium
- 1954 - Hon D Litt from the University of Dublin, Ireland
- 1955 - publication of final volume of The Lord of the Rings
- 1955 - BBC radio serial broadcast of an adaptation of part of The Lord of the Rings
- 1956 - BBC radio serial broadcast of an adaptation of the rest of The Lord of the Rings
- 1957 - made Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL)
- 1957 - awarded the International Fantasy Award for The Lord of the Rings
- 1959 - retires from professorship
- 1959 - birth of Simon, Tolkien's fourth grandchild
- 1962 - publication of The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
- 1964 - Publication of Tree and Leaf
- 1965 - Ace Books unauthorised publication of The Lord of the Rings
- 1967 - publication of Smith of Wootton Major
- 1967 - publication of The Road Goes Ever On
- 1968 - Tolkien and Edith move to Poole, near Bournemouth
- 1968 - BBC radio serial broadcast of an adaptation of The Hobbit
- 1968 - sells film, stage and merchandising rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to United Artists
- 1969 - birth of Adam, Tolkien's fifth grandchild
- 1971 - birth of Rachel, Tolkien's sixth grandchild
- 1971 - death of Edith
- 1972 - returns to Oxford
- 1972 - made Commander of the British Empire (CBE)
- 1973 - Hon D Litt from the University of Oxford, England
- 1973 - Hon D Litt from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
- 1973 - dies in Bournemouth
After Tolkien edit
This section records key posthumous dates, including publication date, deaths of family members, the founding of Tolkien societies, the release of films and other adaptations, the publication of commemorative editions, and selected anniversaries.
- 1973 - Tolkien's will appoints Christopher Tolkien as his literary executor
- 1973 - Tolkien's will sets in motion the founding of the Tolkien Estate
- 1976 - death of Hilary Tolkien, Tolkien's brother
- 1976 - film, stage and merchandising rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit sold from United Artists to Saul Zaentz
- 1976 - Saul Zaentz founds Tolkien Enterprises as a vehicle to manage the film, etc. rights
- 1977 - Rankin-Bass animated film of The Hobbit
- 1977 - publication of The Silmarillion
- 1977 - publication of J. R. R. Tolkien - A Biography
- 1978 - second edition of The Road Goes Ever On includes Bilbo's Last Song
- 1978 - United Artists animated film The Lord of the Rings
- 1979 - NPR radio serial broadcast of an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings
- 1980 - Rankin-Bass animated film The Return of the King
- 1980 - publication of Unfinished Tales
- 1981 - publication of Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1981 - BBC radio serial broadcast of an adapatation of The Lord of the Rings
- 1983 - publication of volume I of The History of Middle-earth
- 1984 - publication of volume II of The History of Middle-earth
- 1984 - death of Tolkien's second son Michael
- 1985 - publication of volume III of The History of Middle-earth
- 1986 - publication of volume IV of The History of Middle-earth
- 1987 - publication of volume V of The History of Middle-earth
- 1988 - publication of volume VI of The History of Middle-earth
- 1989 - publication of volume VII of The History of Middle-earth
- 1990 - publication of volume VIII of The History of Middle-earth
- 1992 - publication of volume IX of The History of Middle-earth
- 1992 - centenary of Tolkien's birth
- 1992 - Tolkien Centenary Conference in Oxford, England
- 1993 - publication of volume X of The History of Middle-earth
- 1994 - publication of volume XI of The History of Middle-earth
- 1995 - publication of J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator
- 1996 - publication of volume XII of The History of Middle-earth
- 2001 - New Line Cinema film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- 2002 - New Line Cinema film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- 2003 - New Line Cinema film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- 2003 - publication of Tolkien and the Great War
- 2003 - death of Tolkien's eldest son John
- 2004 - 50th anniversary of the publication of the first parts of The Lord of the Rings
- 2005 - 50th anniversary of the publication of the final part of The Lord of the Rings
- 2004 - publication of the first volume of the journal Tolkien Studies
- 2006 - musical of The Lord of the Rings opens in Toronto, Canada
Thematic timelines edit
Qualifications, titles, jobs and awards edit
1938 New York Herald Tribune Best Juvenile Story of the Season The Hobbit 1957 International Fantasy Award at the 15th World Science Fiction Convention The Lord of the Rings 1972 J R R Tolkien was honoured as a C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) 1978 Locus Award - The Silmarillion 1978 Gandalf Award - The Silmarillion