JRR Tolkien

Innledning
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is often associated with his famous literary works, "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit".

However, it is not widely known that he was proficient in about 10 different languages, including Old Welsh and Finnish.

Utdrag
Mabel's father strongly disliked the idea of his daughter following the Catholic faith, which made it impossible for her to receive any financial assistance from her family.

Nonetheless, Mabel remained true to her beliefs and imparted them to her children, Ronald and Hilary.

In 1900, Ronald began attending King Edward's, one of the most prestigious Latin schools in England.

The tuition was paid by an uncle from the Tolkien family, but it was difficult for Ronald to travel the 6 kilometers from Sharehole to the school due to the expensive train fare.

As a result, the family had to relocate to the city just before New Year's Day.

Initially, they lived in a cramped and dreadful house in Mosley, but they eventually moved to a nicer neighborhood and a more comfortable villa.

In 1902, they moved again to a new house located near a Catholic Latin school and a church where they befriended Francis Xavier Morgan.

However, the school Ronald attended had a lower academic standard than King Edward's, prompting Mabel to withdraw him from the school.

She took on the role of his tutor for a year, which proved to be very successful, as he was able to secure a scholarship at King Edward's and continue his studies.

He was placed in 6th grade and began learning Greek, which further developed his love and passion for languages.

Unfortunately, 1904 started on a sour note as both Ronald and Hilary became ill and bedridden.

Mabel had to take care of them, which eventually took a toll on her health. In April, she was diagnosed with diabetes and had to be hospitalized.

Despite a brief recovery and an enjoyable summer with Father Francis, she passed away on November 14th at the young age of 34.

After Mabel's passing, Father Francis became the guardian of Ronald and Hilary, which proved to be a wise decision.

Mabel had left an investment of 800 pounds for her sons, but Father Francis invested more money to ensure their future was secure.

The boys moved in with their aunt Beatrice Suffield but visited Father Francis every morning to help him with his work at the fair.

At school, Ronald made a new friend in Christopher Wiseman, with whom he bonded over rugby and their shared love of languages.

They became close friends after meeting in the fifth grade, with Tolkien placing first and Wiseman second on the examination.