Tolkien's Anniversary

Deputy Lord Mayor’s Blog 23

As Deputy Lord Mayor and in my recent year as Lord Mayor I've often been asked about my enthusiasm for the work of JRR Tolkien and our city’s many connections with this world-renowned author. I’m always happy to oblige and there’s a good deal of material on my website.

In fact there is a notable occasion today, January 3rd which is the 119th anniversary of Tolkien’s birth. Devotees across the world mark the occasion at 9pm local time by making a toast to ‘The Professor’ while facing West (the direction of the undying lands in Tolkien’s realm).

Tolkien was a Birmingham resident during his youth and described himself as ‘a Birmingham man’. Each year in May Tolkien’s cultural legacy is celebrated at the unique Middle-earth Weekend (affectionately known as ‘MEW’) which is held at Sarehole Mill. This year’s theme will be ‘Woods, Wilderness and the Wild Men of Middle-earth’ and you can find out more from the MEW website located at
 http://www.middleearthweekend.org.uk/

The weekend is volunteer-led and the Deputy Lady Mayoress chairs the organising committee.

Birmingham is justly proud of its many links with Tolkien and as a city we should do all that we can to increase the ways in which his great legacy is commemorated. For myself in 2011 I shall continue to do my bit to assist in this and shall follow the progress of the new films for which shooting begins next month.