J.R.R. Tolkien Family Airmail Letter of 14 December 1970, with Photograph

A Christmas airmail letter from Ronald and Edith Tolkien to W.A.R. Hadley, together with a family photograph.

J.R.R Tolkien Airmail Family letter of 14 December 1970.
Photograph of Wilfred Tolkien, Tom Hadley and five others.

J.R.R. Tolkien's father, called Arthur Tolkien, had a sister called Florence Tolkien, who married about March 1888 to Tom Hadley, a solicitor, born King's Norton, Worcestershire. Florence Tolkien and Tom Hadley had one son, Wilfred Arthur R. 'Roy' Hadley (1889 - 1981).

Roy Hadley therefore counted his mother's siblings amongst his aunts and uncles and their children (including J.R.R. Tolkien and H.A.R. Tolkien) amongst his first cousins. Roy Hadley immigrated to Canada in 1913 settling in Victoria, BC. He married Leslie Martin Warnock in Oak Bay, BC 11 January 1926. Over the years Roy and Leslie maintained periodic correspondence with J.R.R. and Edith Tolkien and presumably other Tolkien family members.

This particular letter appears to be a Christmas letter updating Roy and Leslie on the Tolkien family happenings of 1970 including references to:
- The death of Hilary Tolkien's wife Magdalen on 5 April
- Her requiem and burial performed by Edith and Ronald's son John
- Hilary's son Gabriel, wife and children moving from Wesham to live with him
- Edith's March fall and resultant injuries
- Pending visits from son John and daughter Priscilla
- Reference to 'Canadian daughter-in-law' Baillie in Winnipeg
- Ronald's 1968 'accident' and their move to Poole
- Canada's 'troubles' in 1970
- Ronald's desire to visit Canada and South Africa
- A happy summer visit from "Ding" - 'an amazing person'

The accompanying family group photograph is described in the original catalogue as showing Wilfred Tolkien (second from left), Tom Hadley (extreme right) and five others. Wilfred Tolkien was the brother of J.R.R. Tolkien's father. Its suggested dating to the 1880s is uncertain and should not be treated as established.

Condition

The airmail letter has its original postal folds, with creasing, edge wear and small tears visible in the photographs. The accompanying family photograph is shown both in full and in a closer view.

A personal glimpse of Tolkien family life and the correspondence linking relatives across the Atlantic.


Digital photographs available, inquire if interested.

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