Discuss Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss Judson on 27 July 1955

"M." is sometimes used as an abbreviation for "Miss". It can also indicate that the gender of the recipient isn't known ("Mr. or Mrs. or Miss"), and of course it can also be the first initial of their first name.

I am fairly certain that "Miss" is correct, and it was shortened in RC, but Findegil might have more to add.

Here's what Tolkien Collector 9 says of this letter:

Thanks! So my guess is the letter itself only wrote "M. Judson" but another letter of this period ( Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Miss Judson • 22 October 1955 (#1059)) was addressed to "Miss Judson".

It seems fairly clear these were to the same person, "Miss" in the July letter, shortened to M. in the October letter.

I haven't seen either letter, just basing this on the relevant Tolkien Collector descriptions given.

zionius Thanks for pointing this out, one of the many challenges of this project, is to be able to identify the same people in Letters sent at different times.

In this case, clearly it is the same person in both letters.

Letters project is an amazing project, one of the best things I've seen on this forum ever. Great work guys!

Trotter wrote:

@zionius Thanks for pointing this out, one of the many challenges of this project, is to be able to identify the same people in Letters sent at different times.

In this case, clearly it is the same person in both letters.

Thanks zionius, it is great that people are examining the guide and the contents closely.

Further to what Trotter says, there might also be the odd occasion that Tolkien has silently changed how he addresses a person and catching some of those instances can be difficult. So the close readings by you and others of content is really very helpful. Another area we have to keep our eyes open for is Tolkien referring to friends by a name that only a close group use or a longheld nickname, such as Jack^{C.S. Lewis[1]} who I imagine the group here know, but some coming newly to Tolkien research might not. It is both fun and complicated at times, yours, and others help is very appreciated.

Lokki wrote:

Letters project is an amazing project, one of the best things I've seen on this forum ever. Great work guys!

Thank you Lokki, very kind words. More to come

This letter is discussed in The Window on The West chapter of Hammond and Scull's The Lord of the Rings A Reader's Companion. The relevant LOTR text begins "I would see the White Tree in flower again . . . ..."