| Years |
Description |
| 1892 |
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is born on January 3rd
in Bloemfontein |
| 1894 |
Brother Hilary Arthur Tolkien is born |
| 1895 |
Mother, Mabel Tolkien, returns with the sons to England |
| 1896 |
Father, Arthur Tolkien, dies in South Africa Mother
with the sons moves to Birmingham suburb and begins to teach Ronald
Latin, French and drawing |
| 1900 |
Ronald begins to attend King Edward's Grammar school |
| 1903 |
Ronald begins to study Greek and Old English |
| 1904 |
Mother, Mabel Tolkien, dies of diabetes. She was 34
years old. Ronald and his brother Hilary become wards of Father Morgan,
a priest at the Birmingham Oratory |
| 1906 – 1911 |
Ronald studies Old English himself and begins to develop
his own languages |
| 1908 |
Orphaned boys move to Aunt's, Mrs Faulkner, home in
Birmingham |
| 1909 |
Ronald falls in love with Edith Bratt, his wife-to-be
He fails the exams on obtaining Oxford grant |
| 1910 |
Edith Bratt leaves Birmingham Tolkien takes an active
part in school debates and makes speeches in Gothic and Old English |
| 1911 |
In summer Ronald is an active Tea Club participant
Begins first term at Oxford (Exeter College) |
| 1914 |
Ronald finds his sweetheart Edith Bratt The War I
is declared Tolkien returns to Oxford to finish his degree |
| 1915 |
Awarded First Class Honours degree in English language
and Literature |
| 1916 |
Marries Edith Bratt in Warwick Goes to war in France
Sees action on the Somme as second lieutenant In November is returned
to England with shell shock |
| 1917 |
While recovering begins to write "The Simarillion"
Birth of the first son, John |
| 1918 |
Obtains full lieutenant, moves to Staffordshire Returns
with the family to Oxford when the War is over Being appointed as
Assistant Lexicographer, Ronald joins the staff of New English Dictionary
and works on “W” section |
| 1919 |
Tolkien works as a freelance tutor in Oxford |
| 1920 |
Appointed Reader in English Language at Leeds University
Birth of the second son, Michael Begins to write Father Christmas
Letters |
| 1924 |
Tolkien becomes a professor of English Language at
Leeds Birth of the third son, Christopher |
| 1925 |
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is published
by Tolkien and E.V. Gordon Tolkien is appointed as a Rawlison and
Bowsworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford |
| 1926 |
Tolkien meets C.S. Lewis (the author of the famous
“Chronicles of Narnia”) and their friendship blossoms |
| 1929 |
Birth of the fourth child, Priscilla |
| 1930 |
Tolkien becomes one of the founder members of "The
Inklings" Begins to write the first version of "The Hobbit" |
| 1936 |
Tolkien completes "The Hobbit" Delivers
his lecture "Beowulf": "The Monsters and the Critics" |
| 1937 |
"The Hobbit" is published Tolkien begins
to write a sequel, which becomes "The Lord of the Rings"
in future |
| 1939 |
Tolkien delivers his lecture on "Fairy stories"
16 chapters of “the Lord of the Rings” are written |
| 1940 |
The bomb explosion kills warehouse together with a
part of " The Hobbit" |
| 1945 |
"Leaf by Niggle" is published Tolkien is
elected to be a professor of the English Language and Literature at
Oxford |
| 1947 |
Draft of "The Lord of the Rings" is sent
to publishers |
| 1948 |
"The Lord of the Rings" is completed |
| 1949 |
"Farmer Giles of Ham" is published |
| 1951 |
The new edition of “The Hobbit” is published |
| 1954 |
“The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Two Towers”
(part One and Two) are published |
| 1955 |
Publication of "The Lord of the Rings",
part Three |
| 1959 |
Tolkien’s retirement |
| 1962 |
"The adventures of Tom Bombadil" is published |
| 1964 |
"Tree and Leaf" is published |
| 1965 |
American editions of "The Lord of the Rings"
are published and campus cult of the novel begins |
| 1966 |
The 3rd edition of “The Hobbit” is published |
| 1967 |
"Smith of Wooton Major" is published |
| 1968 |
The Tolkien’s move to Poole near Bournemouth |
| 1971 |
Edith Tolkien on November 29th dies, aged 82 |
| 1972 |
Tolkien returns to Oxford. Receives CBE from the Queen |
| 1973 |
J.R.R. Tolkien dies on September 2nd, aged 81 |
