Finding Tolkien?

[Ancalagon]

Which are the four coloured illustrations you are using?2 Have the five originals yet returned ? Is there a spare one available of the dragon on his hoard? I have to give a lecture on dragons, (at the Natural History Museum!!!) and they want a picture to make a slide of.3 To Stanley Unwin, 16 December 1937

While reading through the letters of JRR Tolkien, I was struck by a desire to see if I could actually find this lecture, that he would have delivered to The Natural History Museum. I could only imagine that he referred to The NHM in London, so I decided to write to them directly and ask if they had anything retained in their own archives, relating to this lecture. Of course I was unsuccessful (as far as I know, it might suddenly appear in an exhibition), however I have copied their response for you here;
Dear Sir,

Thank you for your enquiry, which has been passed on to me in the Archives.

I'm afraid I have been unable to find any mention of this lecture taking
place amongst our records, and no sign of the text of the talk. Here in the
Archives we look after the material produced by the Museum and its staff.
There is no mention of this lecture in the libraries (one of the librarians
has checked) either.

The National Register of Archives, accessible via the Historical
Manuscripts Commission website at www.hmc.gov.uk can be searched by
personal name, and contains several sources of Tolkien's papers that may
reveal this manuscript or a reference to it.

I'm sorry I cannot be of more assistance.

Yours sincerely
Polly Smith


***********************************
Polly Smith
Assistant Archivist
The Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 5BD
Tel: 020 7942 5873


I just wondered if anyone else had tried any sleuth work to locate missing links, especially those relating to lectures the Professor might have given? A pointless task, but enjoyable all the same:)

[Khamul]

You have a comma in that link, Anc.

I found some information at http://www.hmc.gov.uk/nra/searches/PIdocs.asp?P=28535 You can navigate some of that, and it comes up with a little bit of info. You will need to email some people though, for even more information.

[Ancalagon]

Excellent, I did not realise that Oxford had a Natural History Museum! hanks for the link Sting, I had looked into it before, but not found any documents of relevance.

I would still be interested in locating the Museum in Oxford, carrying on this sleuth work:)

[Ancalagon]

Hehe, well done smartarse;) so did you think to write off to them yet and ask for the lecture for the TolkienWiki?

[Ancalagon]

Walter, you never cease to amaze me;)

[Eledhwen]

Oh this is interesting!

I was just running a Google search for this same lecture, and the first result was this thread!

It seems to me that the Bodleian is sitting on a fortune's worth of unpublished Tolkien material. Typical academics! I've never been in there, but I think I will have a look and see next time I'm in Oxford on a weekday.

In the meantime I am going to have a nose through the rest of my search results.

[Eledhwen]

I envy you for that possibility ;)

Do you think there is a chance for you to make some photocopies or such?If it's allowed, I'll copy what I can.