Our friends from the Tolkien Society wrote in with a notice of the Penkridge Library Tolkien Festival, in Staffordshire (UK) happening July 10, 11 and 13. The area is where author J.R.R. Tolkien spent parts of 1915 and 1916 with his wife Edith and where some of his earliest thoughts and ideas about Middle-earth and its languages were formed. John Garth, author of the highly esteemed “Tolkien and the Great War,” will be giving a lecture along with a program of other events, which you can read inside.
Ian Collier of the Tolkien Society writes:
J.R.R Tolkien the world famous author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings spent part of 1915/1916 in the Army training camps on Cannock Chase and in a small cottage called Gipsy Green in Great Haywood, near Penkridge, with his wife Edith. These were some of the formative years in the development of his work on the languages and history of Middle-earth and it is believed that references in some of his work relate to Great Haywood, Shugborough Hall, Cannock Chase and the nearby Wrekin and Shropshire Hills
Friday 10th July
* John Garth – “Tolkien’s war: From Cannock Chase to Middle-earth”
John Garth, author of Tolkien and the Great War.
6:30pm (Questions and discussion afterwards)
Tickets £2.50 (Library Members) £3.50 (non-members) – Booking required.
Saturday 11th July: Family Fun Day 9:30am – 4pm
* Lord of the Rings Clay craft workshops
Make an orc pencil holder and other LOTR themed items 10am – Noon & 1 – 3pm
£1 each(Ages 6-12) Booking required.
* Lord of the Rings Warhammer battle campaign 10am – 12:30pm
This will be the launch of a weekly gaming club at Penkridge Library based around Middle Earth. Free! All welcome. No experience necessary and all gaming equipment and tuition will be provided.
* Build your own dragon workshop 1 – 4pm (exact time to be confirmed)
Join Pamina Stewart for a fantastic workshop and build a Middle Earth dragon to take home.
£1 each (Ages 8-12) Booking required.
* Face painting All day £1 each (All ages)
*Tolkien themed story times
Throughout the day children can join in with rhymes, songs and poetry by Tolkien.
* Other activities:
Displays of library stock and other Middle-earth related items including a display of rare photographs from the Pamela Chandler Collection; Colouring in and other fun for children.
Access Tolkien/Middle Earth online resources and information free at the library including the fan produced ‘Hunt for Gollum’ unofficial movie based on the writing of J.R.R Tolkien. This is a not-for-profit fan produced movie and is available to stream for free online, for further information visit: www.thehuntforgollum.com
Monday 13th July
* Professor Martin Barker – Ten things that you couldn’t know about the Lord of the Rings films
Professor Martin Barker, Film Studies professor, University of Wales – Aberystwyth, recently led an international project, with researchers in 20 countries, examining audience reactions to the LOTR films.
7pm (Questions and discussion afterwards)
Tickets £2.50 (Library Members) £3.50 (non-members) Booking required.
Please contact Penkridge Library for further details or to reserve a place on any events: +44 (0)1785 712916
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/leisure/librariesnew/branchlibraries/PenkridgeLibrary
