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Tolkien's Secret Friendship with Deaf Fan Revealed
6 Jul
Summary
- JRR Tolkien's correspondence with a deaf fan is up for auction.
- The author reportedly visited and played with the fan's dog.
- A letter mentioning CS Lewis's death highlights their bond.
An "unlikely" friendship between the renowned writer JRR Tolkien and his profoundly deaf fan, Eileen Elgar, is set to be revealed through a collection of items going up for auction. Elgar, who resided in Bournemouth, developed a correspondence with Tolkien.
Her granddaughter recounted that Tolkien would often visit Elgar, engaging in conversations and spending time playing with her dog. This suggests a personal and warm relationship existed beyond mere fan-admiration.
A particularly "moving" letter, penned by Tolkien and referencing the death of his contemporary C.S. Lewis, is among the items. Auction specialists describe it as a powerful "testament to the strength" of the bond shared between the author and his devoted fan.
