J.R.R. Tolkien Timeline

"We have a long way to go, and there is time ahead for thought." — Treebeard This article or section is in the early stages of construction and should not be viewed as complete, or even close to being finished.

This article intends to list the main events of the life of J.R.R. Tolkien in a chronological order.

1892

• 3 January: J.R.R. Tolkien is born.

1894

• 17 February: Tolkien's younger brother Hilary is born.

1895

• April: Tolkien's mother Mabel moves with her sons from South Africa to Birmingham, England.

1896

• 15 February: Tolkien's father Arthur Tolkien dies.
• Summer: Tolkien's mother moves with her sons to Sarehole.

1900

• June: Tolkien's mother is received into the Catholic Church.
• September: Tolkien begins attending King Edward's School.

1902

• Tolkien begins attending St. Philip's School.

1903

• Autumn: Tolkien returns to King Edward's School, having won a Foundation Scholarship.

1904

• April: Mabel Tolkien is hospitalized with diabetes. Tolkien is sent to live with his aunt Jane Neave.
• June: Mabel Tolkien partially recovers and goes, with her sons, to Rednal in Worcestershire to convalesce.
• 14 November: Tolkien's mother dies after a relapse.

1905

• Tolkien and his brother go to live with their aunt Beatrice Suffield.
• Autumn: Tolkien meets his friend Christopher Wiseman at King Edward's.

1916

• 22 March: Tolkien marries Edith Bratt.

1917

• 16 November: Birth of Tolkien's oldest son John.

1920

• 22 October: Birth of Tolkien's second son Michael.

1924

• 21 November: Birth of Tolkien's third son Christopher.

1929

• 18 June: Birth of Tolkien's daughter Priscilla.

1937

• 21 September: Publication of The Hobbit.

1954

• 29 July: Publication of The Fellowship of the Ring.
• 11 November: Publication of The Two Towers.

1955

• 20 October: Publication of The Return of the King.

1971

• 29 November: Tolkien's wife Edith dies.

1973

• 2 September: J.R.R. Tolkien dies.