Post #1656

J.R.R. Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, a city that is now the capital of the Free State province and the judicial capital of South Africa. Tolkien’s father, Arthur Tolkien, worked as a banker in Bloemfontein after being transferred from the United Kingdom, with the prospect of promotion. Tolkien was regarded as a beautiful baby by the family’s African servants. In one notable instance, a servant named Isaak took baby Tolkien to his kraal for a night to introduce him to his family. Isaak was so taken by the child that he later named his first son Isaak Mister Tolkien Victor in his honor. When Tolkien was three years old, he traveled with his mother, Mabel, and his younger brother, Hilary, to England. During their stay, Arthur Tolkien passed away in Bloemfontein from rheumatic fever, leaving the family devastated. As a result, Mabel and her sons never returned to South Africa. Tolkien later recalled having only a few memories of his time in South Africa. His biographers note that he retained a few Afrikaans words from his childhood, though he did not claim fluency in the language. Today, Bloemfontein honors its connection to Tolkien with the 4-star Hobbit Boutique Hotel, which proudly marks itself as his birthplace. The hotel features a commemorative plaque, and all its rooms and suites are named after characters from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. #literature#books#history