Tolkien Society (UK)

2006-04-13T15:40:24Z

81.159.70.21:

The '''Tolkien Society''' is a Tolkien Society in the U.K. They publish the [[Amon Hen journal]] and the [[Mallorn journal]].

The Tolkien Society was formed in the early 1970s by Vera Chapman, a Cambridge-educated retired teacher, who, horrified at the annexation of Tolkien's works by "hippies and drop-outs" decided to form a group dedicated to the true appreciation of Tolkien's works.

Initially London-based, the Society would meet in Vera's North London Flat; they kept in communication via a xerox'd newsletter called "Belladonna's Broadsheet" ( Vera adopted the name 'Belladonna Took' as her Middle-Earth alias)

The Society grew steadily, and Vera willingly passed over responsibility for the bulletin to other hands. A further, more scholarly, publication "Mallorn" also appeared.

Belladonna's Broadsheet went through a number of identity changes, being "Henneth Annun" before its then editor, John Martin, adopted the name it is still published under: "Amon Hen".

The Society also undertook a pilgrimage to Oxford, exploring the colleges and sites relevant to JRR Tolkien's life. Visit was made to Wolvercote Cemetery were wreaths in tribute were laid. At that first visit, it was found that a wild bramble had rooted in the topsoil of the grave. This was rapidly uprooted, and the Society offered to buy a rose plant, the offer of which Priscilla Tolkien - JRRT's only daughter - accepted. The same rose seems to be flourishing now, as can been seen on the photographs elsewhere on here. The weekend event culminated with a visit to the home of Priscilla Tolkien.

This "Oxonmoot" grew to be an annual event, and in subsequent years, other members of the Tolkien family also met with Society members - Fr John, the Catholic priest and Michael, a teacher based in Lancashire.

Vera Chapman was invited to a lunch by Rayner Unwin (of the original publishers George Allen & Unwin) where she met JRRT. At the lunch she invited him to become President of the Society, and also presented him with a handsome tobacco jar, filled with his favourite leaf.

JRRT graciously agreed to the presidency of the Society; on his death, the other family members who were in touch with the Society suggested that he remain President "in perpetuo" and this was gladly accepted by the Society.

==External links==
* [http://www.tolkiensociety.org Official website]

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Tolkien Society (UK)