Interview with Tolkien's Grandson

[davem]

This piece has just been published in Amon Hen, the bulletin of the Tolkien Society, issue 181. I thought non members might be interested in reading it, for the insight it gives into Tolkien's character. The interview is by Chris Crawshaw, Chairman of the Society

"Grandfather

To the world he is JRR Tolkien, author of the century. To members of The Tolkien Society he is 'The Professor', but to a few he is known simply as 'Grandfather'. One such person is Simon Tolkien who was fourteen years old when his grandfather died.

His first recollection of his grandfather was when he was four or five years old. He remembers that his grandfather seemed huge with a great roar in his voice and he was coming to get him. Simon was really scared and was just about to cry when he saw the twinkle in his grandfather's bright eyes and realised that it was all just fun.

Among the memories Simon has of his grandfather is the fact that he was inseperable from his pipe and taht he 'never inhaled, except by accident, when he was riding his bicycle in Oxford and teh wind was against him'. His grandfather also had the knack of talking to children without seeming to be a voice coming from on high. Simon also recalls the train journeys to visit his grandparents in Bournemouth. He would be put on a train in Oxford and would somehow arrive at the other end and be collected and taken to the Miramar Hotel. Here grandfatehr and grandson would play golf on the putting green near the hotel, nor skim stones across the sea. It would appear that the professor was incredibly adept at skimming stones, making them leap nine or ten times. During these visitsSimon doesn't recall his grandfather writing. He would do the Telegraph crossword, illustrating the newspaper with exquisite designs. They would also play word games.

Simon first read The Lord of the ings when he was nine. When he had finished reading it, he read it again (sounds very familiar to me) and then plagued his grandfather with endless obscure questions about Middle Earth.

Simon's last memory of his grandfather was on a Summer's day when they played croquet, which he believes his grandfather won. At age fourteen when his grandfatheried, Simon missed him terribly and fervently wished that he had lived a little longer.

Simon has now followed his grandfather in becoming a writer himself. He has wisely not followed his grandfather in writing about Elves and Dwarves, but has chosen to write a book drawing on his experience in the law profession. His book, a courtroom drama entitled The Stepmother, has recently been published by Penguin"