Battle of the Somme 90th Anniversary July 1st

[Bêthberry]

Who would this "schoolmaster son" be? Christopher is more commonly and correctly I would think referred to as an academic or scholar. Michael was a priest. Of what occupation is John Tolkien, son?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Who would this "schoolmaster son" be? Christopher is more commonly and correctly I would think referred to as an academic or scholar. Michael was a priest. Of what occupation is John Tolkien, son?

Actually, 'twas John who was the priest.

Michael, being Catholic, would have looked rather funny with a son named Michael George if he were a priest.

But don't mind me... I'm being pedantic.

And, since Davem says that Michael was the one who corresponded with the author, then it seems likely that he was the "schoolmaster son".

[davem]

Having just received permission from the author, here is the email:

David

Yes, I am the Fr. Waddington-Feather who put that note on the BBC website. I met Michael Tolkien many years ago at an Assistant Masters' Association annual conference. We were area delegates and he, I believe, taught at Stoneyhurst School in Lancashire.

He was much older than I and had been in an ack-ack unit during the war. I still have his letters somwhere. He also told me his father introduced Mirkwood into The Hobbit because he, Michael, was afraid of spiders and The Hobbit began life as bedtime stories to Tolkien's children. Controlled fear always adds spice to a story for kids. I know, I had three of my own.

I have another link with Tolkien. Before he went to Oxford, he was Professor of English at Leeds just before I went there, but he left his mark very much on the English Language and Medieval Literature Dept. which I was in. My own children's novels owe something to his style, especially Legends of Americada, written for the American market.

However, my mentor as far as writing goes was J.B Priestley whom I corresponded with through the Yorkshire Dialect Society, when I was secretary, then met when he was an old man in the 1980s. He gave me much good advice. I'm now a vice-president of the J.B.Priestley Society and was its first chairman ten years ago.

I'm beginning to ramble on like the old man I am now. Finally, by all means reproduce my short BBC e-mail (warts and all) as you wish. I attach my own booklist.

My good wishes,

John Waddington-Feather

Now, its been pointed out to me that Micheal was not averse to 'embellishing the facts', so its still possible that it didn't happen exactly as reported. However, against that, we have to take into account that this was an incident told by a man to his friend, & a man of the cloth at that.

I suppose we'll never know for certain whether the incident happened or not. I lean towards it having a grain of truth, but having, perhaps, grown in the telling.

[Mithalwen]

Michael was the schoolmaster. His grandson Boyd Baker (soi disant Royd Tolkien) talked about it in the interviews following his film wextra appearance.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Actually, 'twas John who was the priest.

Michael, being Catholic, would have looked rather funny with a son named Michael George if he were a priest.

But don't mind me... I'm being pedantic.

Not necessarily. There is nothing in the Roman rites of holy orders that prohits widowers from being called and studying and finally taking vows which their children could witness.

But don't mind me ... I'm being pedantic.

Pity this didn't come to light while Michael was alive to accept further eager questions. Would Christopher--not that he is an absolute authority--know anything about this? Priscilla?

davem, you've mentioned in the past that Priscilla is friendly with the Tolkien Society. Would you ever be able to bring this question to her at an Oxenmoot or what is it that the TS calls their fall meetings?

This is also an example of the kind of thing which I've suggested could well be missing in the popular Carpenter biography. Did Carpenter ever speak with Tolkien's children, or only with Tolkien and Christopher?--not to disparage Carpenter now, mind.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

davem, you've mentioned in the past that Priscilla is friendly with the Tolkien Society. Would you ever be able to bring this question to her at an Oxenmoot or what is it that the TS calls their fall meetings?

This is also an example of the kind of thing which I've suggested could well be missing in the popular Carpenter biography. Did Carpenter ever speak with Tolkien's children, or only with Tolkien and Christopher?--not to disparage Carpenter now, mind.

Don't think I'd get the chance to have a word It would be interesting to get confirmation though.

There's no mention of the incident in The Tolkien Family Album (written by Priscilla & John).

All there is is the following:

In later years he would occasionally talk of being at the Front: of the horrors of the first German gas attack, of the utter exhaustion & ominous quiet after a bombardment, of the whining scream of the shells, & the endless marching, always on foot, through a devastted landscape, sometimes carrying the men's equipment as well as his own to encourage them to keep going.

(It also mentions the fact that Edith was listed as Next of Kin for Hilary as well as Ronald, & that she kept a large map of France on the wall & could guage fairly well where Ronald was at any time.)