Letter 231a

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 231a
Recipient	Joan Anne Tolkien
Date	Not dated; November 1961
Subject(s)	The expansion and population boom of Oxford

Letter 231a is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Summary

Tolkien reflects on the significant changes in Oxford over the years. He reminisces about Oxford as a small, quaint university town surrounded by countryside, with a population of around 55,000. Now, it has nearly tripled in population, expanding in all directions and becoming filled with noise, pollution, and unattractive new buildings.

Despite these negative changes, Tolkien acknowledges some positive developments, particularly the reduction of slum areas where the very poor once lived in misery.

See also

• The End of Bovadium