Tolkien research 2009

[wellinghall]

"1 – Distrust of the Royal Mail
We found out that for a period of Tolkien’s life he choose to turn his back on the traditional and well-served method of writing letters i.e. putting them in an envelope and posting them. Possibly he developed a fear of post boxes and chose instead to leave them in stranger’s lofts or attics. There is also evidence that other authors and celebrities such as T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and C.S. Lewis were also doing the same thing, so there was a chance that the letters could cross if both parties picked the same loft to leave them in.

I am very glad that Tolkien ended this practice for at least the 354 letters that were published by Humphrey Carpenter. I am sure that Humphrey would have found the job much harder if he had to inspect lofts and attics to find the letters."

Read more at
http://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1173&forum=17&post_id=5678#forumpost5678

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. I was once looking at some letters in the British Library bound up with an eighteenth-century autograph collection, many of the older entries in which were fakes, including those of several English monarchs, Edward IV being distinguished from other Edwards by the unlikely signature 'Edwardus Quartus'.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

!!!

I am (strangely) reminded of something I read recently. When Arthur and Guinevere's graves were found at Glastonbury, the king was on the verge of ordering the monks to find the grave of Joseph of Arimathea.

[sally_maria]

Thank you very much, that was hilarious. :-)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it :-)

[sammee42.livejournal.com]

Fascinating...!! Thanks for sharing :)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

It was my pleasure :-)