1892 John Ronald Reuel Tolkien born 3rd January of British parents in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Brother, Hilary born

1895 Father, Arthur Tolkien, dies in South Africa. Mother, Mabel Tolkien, takes children back to Birmingham England.

1900 Ronald begins to attend King Edward's Grammar School.

1904 Mother dies of diabetes,
at age 34.

1905 Orphaned boys move to Aunt's home in Birmingham.

1908 Ronald begins first term at Oxford.

1913 Ronald takes Honours Moderations Degree.

1914 Ronald betrothed to childhood sweetheart Edith Bratt. Great War declared. Returns to Oxford to complete his degree.

1915 Awarded First Class Honours degree in English Language and Literature. Commissioned in Lancashire Fusiliers.

1916 Married Edith Bratt. Goes to war in France. Sees action on the Somme as second Lieutenant. Returns to England suffering from shell shock.

1917 While convalescing begins writing "The Silmarillion". The birth of his first son, John.

1918 Promoted to full lieutenant, posted to Staffordshire. War ends. Returns with family to Oxford, joins staff of New English Dictionary.

1919 Works as freelance tutor in Oxford.

1920 Appointed Reader in English Language at Leeds University. Birth of second son, Michael.

1924 Becomes Professor of English Language at Leeds. Third son, Christopher is born.

1925 Tolkien and E.V. Gordon publish "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight". Tolkien elected Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford.

1926 Friendship with C.S. Lewis begins.

1929 Fourth child, Priscilla is born.

1936 Tolkien completes "The Hobbit". Delivers his lecture "Beowulf; The Monsters and Critics".

1937 "The Hobbit" is published. Tolkien beings to write a sequel, which eventually becomes "The Lord of the Rings".

1939 Tolkien delivers his lecture "Fairy Stories". Works on "The Lord of the Rings" fitfully throughout the war years.

1945 War ends. Tolkien elected Merton Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford.

1947 Draft of "The Lord of the Rings" sent to publishers.

1948 "The Lord of the Rings" completed.

1949 Publication of "Farmer Giles of Ham".

1954 Publication of "The Lord of the Rings, Volume One and Two".

1955 Publication of "The Lord of the Rings, Volume Three".

1962 Publication of "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil".

1964 Publication of "Tree and Leaf"

1965 American paperback editions of "The Lord of the Rings" are published and campus cult of the novel begins.

1967 Publication of "Smith of Wootton Major" and "The Road Goes Ever On".

1968 The Tolkiens move to Poole near Bournemouth.

1971 Edith Tolkien dies, aged 82.

1972 Tolkien returns to Oxford. Receives CBE from the Queen.

1973 2nd September, J.R.R. tolkien dies, aged 81.

POSTHUMOUS PUBLICATIONS

1976 "The Father Christmas Letters"

1977 "The Silmarillion"

1980 "Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth"

1981 "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien"

1982 "Mr Bliss"

1983 "The Monsters and The Critics and Other Essays". "The History of Middle-Earth: The Book of Lost Tales"

1984 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Book of Lost Tales - Part Two"

1985 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Lays of Beleriand"

1986 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Shaping of Middle-Earth"

1987 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Lost Road and Other Writings"

1988 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Return of the Shadow".

1989 "The History of Middle-Earth: The Treason of Isengard".

1990 "The History of Middle-Earth: The War of the Ring".

1992 "The History of Middle-Earth: Sauron Defeated"