| 1892: | John Reuel Tolkien born 3rd January of Brittish parents in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Brother, Hilary born 1894. |
| 1895: | Mother (Mabel Tolkien) takes children back to Birmingham, England. Father (Arthur Tolkien) dies in South Africa. |
| 1900: | Ronald begins to attend King Edward's Grammar school. |
| 1904: | Mother dies of diabetes, aged 34. |
| 1908: | Orphaned boys move to Aunt's home in Birmingham. |
| 1913: | Ronald begins first term at Oxford. |
| 1914: | Ronald is betrothed to child hood sweetheart Edith Bratt. Great War declared. Returns to Oxford to complete his degree. |
| 1915: | Awarded First Class Honours degree in English language and Literature. - Commissioned in Lancashire Fusiiers. |
| 1916: | Married Edith Bratt. Goes to war in France. Sees action on the Somme as second lieutenant. Returns to England suffering from shell shock. |
| 1917: | While convalescing begins writing "The Simarillion". Birth of first son, John. |
| 1918: | Promoted to full lieutenant, posted to Staffordshire. War ends. Returns with family to Oxford, joins staff of New English Dictionary. |
| 1919: | Works as a freelance tutor in Oxford |
| 1920: | Appointed Reader in English Language at Leeds University. Birth of second son, Michael. |
| 1924: | Becomes professor of English Language at Leeds. Third son, Christopher, is born. |
| 1925: | Tolkien and E.V. Gordon publish "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight". Tolkien elected Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford. |
| 1926: | Friendship with C.S. Lewis begins |
| 1929: | Fourth child, Priscilla, is born. |
| 1936: | Tolkien completes "The Hobbit". Delivers his lecture "Beowulf": "The Monsters and the Critics". |
| 1937: | "The Hobbit" is published. Tolkien begins to write a sequel, which eventually becomes "The Lord of the Rings". |
| 1939: | Tolkien delivers his lecture on "Fairy stories". Works on "The Lord of the Rings" fitfully throughout the war years. |
| 1945: | War ends. Tolkien elected Merton professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford. |
| 1947: | Draft of "The Lord of the Rings" sent to publishers. |
| 1948: | "The Lord of the Rings" is completed. |
| 1949: | Publication of "Farmer Giles of Ham". |
| 1954: | Publication of "The Lord of the Rings", volumes One and Two. |
| 1955: | Publication of "The Lord of the Rings", volume Three. |
| 1959: | Tolkien retires his professor ship. |
| 1962: | Publication of "The adventures of Tom Bombadil". |
| 1964: | Publication of "Tree and Leaf". |
| 1965: | American paper back editions of "The Lord of the Rings" are published and campus cult of the novel begins. |
| 1967: | Publication of "Smith of Wooton Major", and "The Road goes ever on". |
| 1968: | The Tolkiens move to Poole near Bournemouth. |
| 1971: | Edith Tolkien dies, aged 82. |
| 1972: | Tolkien returns to Oxford. Receives CBE from the Queen. |
| 1972: | Tolkien returns to Oxford. Receives CBE from the Queen. |
| 1973: | 2nd September, J.R.R. Tolkien dies aged 81. |