Christina Scull - The J. R. R. Tolkien Companion and Guide - Volume 1 - Chronology

31 July–12 August 1913While in France and with the Mexican boys, Tolkien has to speak mainly Spanish or French, in neither of which is he fluent. Although he enjoys seeing Paris, the visit reinforces his pre-existing dislike for the inhabitants of France and their language. He feels a deep grudge against the Norman Conquest, which he thinks has done so much to destroy Anglo-Saxon culture and to adulterate the English language. On 5 or 6 August the aunts decide to go to Brittany, and Tolkien looks forward to visiting that Celtic area with its close ties to Wales and the Welsh language. But on 10 August Tolkien, the boys, and the elder of the aunts, Ángela, go only to Dinard, a fashionable seaside resort. Tolkien writes to Edith: ‘Brittany! And to see nothing but trippers and dirty papers and bathing machines’ (quoted in Biography , p. 67).

13 August 1913Ángela is struck by a car and dies soon afterward. Her last wish is to be returned to her native Mexico. Tolkien sends the news to Mr Killion by telegram, and presumably also contacts Julia.

14 August 1913Julia arrives in Dinard in the morning; Tolkien meets her at the station. Although the owners of the hotel in which they have been staying are kind at first, their attitude changes when they learn that the party are Roman Catholics. Tolkien and Ventura return to Paris on the night train to make mortuary arrangements.

15 August 1913Tolkien writes from the Hôtel des Champs-Elysées to Mr Killion regarding the problems he is encountering following the death of Ángela. Julia wishes to return to Mexico at once with the boys. Tolkien speculates that if the boys go Mr Killion (apparently their guardian) may need someone to bring Ventura and José back from Mexico in time for January term at Stonyhurst, in which case he offers his ‘hypothetical services’ (private collection).

16 August 1913Tolkien and Ventura dine with Madame Cervantes, a helpful friend resident in Paris.

17 August 1913Tolkien writes again to Mr Killion, noting that he and Ventura have been to Mass and Communion at the English church in Paris, and to Mass at the Spanish church. He and Ventura again dine with Madame Cervantes.

18 August 1913Tolkien and Ventura rise at 3.00 a.m. in order to meet Ángela’s coffin at Montparnasse on the 4.00 a.m. train. They reach the station at 3.45, but the train is late, and in fact the coffin arrives on a still later train at 5.15 a.m., and conveyances for it at 6.45. Julia arrives in Paris with José and Eustaquio. Tolkien writes to Mr Killion, convinced that the boys should not return to Mexico but continue their education at Stonyhurst. – Tolkien writes to Edith: ‘There is no fear of my going to Mexico. Mr Killion will not, I am confident, allow the two elder boys – nor if possible the younger boy – to go back: & in any case I shall not go’ (courtesy of Christopher Tolkien).

20 August 1913Tolkien writes to Mr Killion, concerned with mourning clothes for the boys and with their education while abroad.

Rushing about sight-seeing or any obvious form of enjoyment is of course out of the question for a while so I have tried to find out what of the best, most readable, and least palpably ‘instructive’ of boys books they haven’t read. Many of these I have got in cheap editions … such as King Solomon’s Mines, Kim and so forth. José, the most thoughtful of the three, was very anxious to have a huge tome that he caught sight of … ‘Mexico the Land of Unrest’ a meticulous history (by an Englishman I think) of the revolution – but I thought it a little too hard for his digestion yet.

He is now reading The White Company .

There is no accommodation in this hotel for children so at their earnest entreaties I also got them some draughts of which they are very fond. [private collection]

He has had a long talk with José on top of the Arc de Triomphe on the merits of returning to Stonyhurst, and otherwise has tried to lead the boys to ‘take the sensible view with content, in order not to upset next term with pinings’. He appraises each boy’s character. Tolkien and the boys are to return to England on 30 August, unless Mr Killion has other plans. He has spent ‘a long day in steamship companies’ offices, banks and so forth’.

29 August 1913Tolkien writes to Edith that he and the boys are to leave France on the following day. They are to arrive at Southampton on 1 September, and that same day to go to *Bournemouth in Hampshire, where they are to stay (c/o Fisher, Devonshire House) for two weeks. On 15 September they are to go to London, and from there the boys are to return to Stonyhurst on 16 September. – Tolkien will tell Edith concerning his experience in France: ‘Never again except I am in the direst poverty will I take any such job’ (quoted in Biography , p. 68).

30 August–1 September 1913Tolkien and the boys return to England.

16 September 1913Christopher Wiseman writes to Tolkien from Grenoble, France, where he is taking a holiday course at the university. He has heard from Gilson of Tolkien’s experiences in France. He urges Tolkien to visit Birmingham towards the end of September, and suggests T.C.B.S. meetings on the evening of Saturday, 27 September (when Gilson will be absent) and on Wednesday, 1 October (when Gilson should be able to participate).

Last half of September 1913Tolkien visits Warwick (from ?17 September), Birmingham, and Norwich.

Early October 1913Tolkien again stays in Warwick; a postcard from Gilson is forwarded there from Exeter College.

10 October 1913Tolkien writes to Edith. By now, he has returned to Oxford.

12 October 1913Michaelmas Full Term begins.

Michaelmas Term 1913Kenneth Sisam offers the same five classes as in Trinity Term 1913. Tolkien probably attends lectures by W.A. Craigie on Old Icelandic Grammar on Tuesdays at 5.00 p.m. in the Taylor Institution, beginning 14 October, and on Gylfaginning on Thursdays at 5.00 p.m. in the Taylor Institution, beginning 16 October, and lectures by A.S. Napier on Morris and Skeat’s Specimens of Early English on Mondays at 12.00 noon in the Examination Schools, beginning 20 October. He definitely attends Napier’s lectures on English Historical Grammar on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12.00 noon in the Examination Schools, beginning 21 October, and on Old English Dialects on Thursday at 12.00 noon in the Examination Schools, beginning 23 October; lectures by *D. Nichol Smith, Goldsmiths’ Reader in English, on (Samuel) Johnson and His Friends on Wednesdays and Fridays at 11.00 a.m. in the Examination Schools, beginning 15 October; and G.K.A. Bell’s course on Chaucer’s Prologue to the Canterbury Tales and the ‘Franklin’s Tale’ on Wednesdays at 5.45 p.m. at Christ Church, beginning 15 October. – G.B. Smith goes up to Oxford as an exhibitioner at Corpus Christi. A closer friendship develops between Smith and Tolkien, perhaps because Smith too is reading English, and he is the only other inner member of the T.C.B.S. to attend Oxford. Nevertheless the four (Tolkien, Smith, Gilson, and Wiseman) share ideas of what they might do in the world, how they might make an impact.

Academic year 1913–1914Probably at some time during this year Tolkien takes part in a university rag against the town, the police, and the proctors. ‘Geoffrey [? G.B. Smith] and I “captured” a bus and drove it up to Cornmarket making various unearthly noises followed by a mad crowd of mingled varsity and ‘townese’. It was chockfull of undergrads before it reached the Carfax. There I addressed a few stirring words to a huge mob before descending, and removing to the “maggers memugger” or the Martyrs’ Memorial where I addressed the crowd again’ (quoted in Biography , p. 54).