The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

Faramir Jones · 09-29-2011, 05:47 AM

I was at the 'moot, as narfforc correctly said. It was again held in Lady Margaret Hall, and there were fewer people this year. This I expected; because I knew of people, from elsewhere as well as on the Downs, who said that they were preparing, in financial and other ways, for the big conference in Loughborough in 2012.

That said, I enjoyed myself very much. Apart from people I saw at other 'moots, there were some new people, including the Resident Director of the C. S. Lewis Study Centre at The Kilns, a very interesting lady.

Notable talks included one by Bob Blackham, illustrated with slides, about his new book, Tolkien and the Peril of War, which had contemporary illustrations of the places and times relating to the latter's WWI service:

http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/...ril_of_War.php

I found it moving, having a family member who died in that war.

I was also amused to hear, though I knew this already, that the war made the wearing of wristwatches by men socially acceptable! Previously, they tended to be worn by women.

Also very interesting was a talk by Dr. Dimitra Fimi, dealing with making interesting connections between Tolkien and Rudyard Kipling. Her lecture was entitled, 'Kipling, Tolkien and their 'mythology for England': From Puck of Pook's Hill to The Book of Lost Tales', and fitted in well with the talk she gave on fairies at the last 'moot.

I had spent a few days in Oxford before the 'moot began, looking around. One place I went to was the Museum of the History of Science, which had a very interesting exhibition on eccentric scientists and objects associated with them. One was of relevance to Tolkien: an Edison-Bell cylinder phonograph used by academic Joseph Wright (1855-1930) to compose his English Dialect Dictionary (1896-1905):

http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/a-very-speci...ry-phonograph/

Wright was quite an extraordinary individual, rising to the top of his field from very humble origins:

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/...eaming_spires/

He's relevant here; because he was a very important intellectual influence on Tolkien, also being one of the latter's tutors when he was an undergraduate.

How did you find the 'moot, narfforc?

09-29-2011, 05:47 AM	#25
Faramir Jones Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lonely Isle Posts: 706	Oxonmoot 2011 I was at the 'moot, as narfforc correctly said. It was again held in Lady Margaret Hall, and there were fewer people this year. This I expected; because I knew of people, from elsewhere as well as on the Downs, who said that they were preparing, in financial and other ways, for the big conference in Loughborough in 2012. That said, I enjoyed myself very much. Apart from people I saw at other 'moots, there were some new people, including the Resident Director of the C. S. Lewis Study Centre at The Kilns, a very interesting lady. Notable talks included one by Bob Blackham, illustrated with slides, about his new book, Tolkien and the Peril of War, which had contemporary illustrations of the places and times relating to the latter's WWI service: http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/...ril_of_War.php I found it moving, having a family member who died in that war. I was also amused to hear, though I knew this already, that the war made the wearing of wristwatches by men socially acceptable! Previously, they tended to be worn by women. Also very interesting was a talk by Dr. Dimitra Fimi, dealing with making interesting connections between Tolkien and Rudyard Kipling. Her lecture was entitled, 'Kipling, Tolkien and their 'mythology for England': From Puck of Pook's Hill to The Book of Lost Tales', and fitted in well with the talk she gave on fairies at the last 'moot. I had spent a few days in Oxford before the 'moot began, looking around. One place I went to was the Museum of the History of Science, which had a very interesting exhibition on eccentric scientists and objects associated with them. One was of relevance to Tolkien: an Edison-Bell cylinder phonograph used by academic Joseph Wright (1855-1930) to compose his English Dialect Dictionary (1896-1905): http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/a-very-speci...ry-phonograph/ Wright was quite an extraordinary individual, rising to the top of his field from very humble origins: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/...eaming_spires/ He's relevant here; because he was a very important intellectual influence on Tolkien, also being one of the latter's tutors when he was an undergraduate. How did you find the 'moot, narfforc? Last edited by Faramir Jones; 09-30-2011 at 06:13 AM.