The Peter Roe Memorial Fund

This special fund exists to produce small publications on subject of interest to Tolkien readers and Society members. This exists in memory of a member of the Society and thanks to other members and his parents. A list of Peter Roe Publications is on the lower section of this page.

The Origins of the Peter Roe Memorial Fund

In 1979 a young and very talented person joined the Society shortly after his 16th birthday. He had discovered Middle-earth some time earlier, and was so inspired by it that he even developed his own system of runes, similar to the Dwarvish Angerthas, but which utilised logical sound values, matching the logical shapes of the runes. Peter was also an accomplished cartographer, and his bedroom was covered with multi-coloured maps of the journeys of the Fellowship, plans of Middle-earth, and other drawings.

As if this was not enough, Peter was also a creative writer in both poetry and prose - the subject being incorporated into his own Dwarvish Chronicles. He was so enthusiastic about having joined the Society that he had written a letter ordering all the available back issues, and was on his way to buy envelopes when he was hit by a speeding lorry outside his home and he died instantly.

Some time later, Jonathan and Lester Simons (at that time Chairman and Membership Secretary respectively) visited Peter's parents to see his room and to look at the work on which he had spent so much care and attention in such a tragically short life.

It was obvious that Peter had produced, and would have continued to produce, material of such a high standard as to make a complete booklet, with poetry, calligraphy, stories and cartography.

The then Committee set up a special account in honour of Peter, and with the consent of his parents, which would be the source of finance for the Society's special publications. During the past years a number of members have made generous donations to the fund.

The first publication to be financed by the Peter Roe Memorial Fund, Some Light on Middle-earth by Edward Crawford, was published in 1985. Subsequent publications have been formed from papers delivered at Tolkien Society Workshops, subsequently Tolkien Society Seminars. Future publication will continue to be financed from this Memorial Fund.

A similar version of this introduction was printed in Mallorn 15 (September 1980) which published Dwarvish Fragments, an unfinished tale by Peter.

Peter Roe Memorial Booklets

This is a series of booklets published at irregular intervals by the Tolkien Society, funded by the Peter Roe Memorial Fund. They seek to forward Tolkien studies in all areas.

There have been 13 booklets published to date, with others at various stages of development.

Booklets in the Series

Peter Roe Booklet number 1
Some Light on Middle-earth by Edward Crawford.

This booklet is currently out of print. If there is sufficient interest we may be able to reprint it.
Peter Roe Booklet number 2
Leaves from the Tree T.A. Shippey et al.

J.R.R. Tolkien's Shorter Fiction, The 4th Tolkien Society Workshop.

This booklet is currently out of print. If there is sufficient interest we may be able to reprint it.
Peter Roe Booklet number 3
The First and Second Ages Edited by Trevor Reynolds.

Talks given at the 5th Tolkien Society Workshop at Milton Keynes.
Peter Roe Booklet number 4
Travel and Communication in Tolkien's Worlds Edited by Richard Crawshaw

Transcripts of talks given at the 10th Tolkien Society Seminar at Leicester in 1995.
Peter Roe Booklet number 5
Digging Potatoes, Growing Trees Edited by Helen Armstrong

Addresses to The Tolkien Society Annual Dinner: two papers by Professor T.A. Shippey, and one by author Geraldine Harris.
Peter Roe Booklet number 6
Digging Potatoes, Growing Trees Volume 2 Edited by Helen Armstrong

More addresses to The Tolkien Society Annual Dinner: papers by publisher Rayner Unwin, Professor Tom Shippey, Inklings author Colin Duriez, Tolkien's grand-daughter Joanna Tolkien, and former Unquendor (Netherlands Tolkien Society) chairman and Tolkien collector René van Rossenberg.
Peter Roe Booklet number 7
Tolkien, the Sea and Scandinavia Edited by Richard Crawshaw

Talks given at the 11th Tolkien Society Seminar at Colchester in 1996.
Peter Roe Booklet number 8
The Ways of Creative Mythologies: Imagined Worlds and their Makers Edited Maria Kuteeva

Lectures given at the 12th Tolkien Society Seminar at Manchester in 1997; arranged in association with the University of Manchester, Department of English and American Studies. This booklet is larger than the others and is published in two volumes at twice the usual price.
Peter Roe Booklet number 9
Tolkien: A Mythology for England? Edited by Richard Crawshaw

Talks given at the 1999 Cambridge Seminar.
Peter Roe Booklet number 10
The Best of Amon Hen Volume 1 Edited by Andrew Wells

Covers issues 121-150.
Peter Roe Booklet number 11
Digging Potatoes, Growing Trees Volume 3 Edited by Helen Armstrong

Further addresses to the Tolkien Society Annula Dinner. Papers from author Michael Scott Rohan, Tolkien’s grandson and poet Michael George Tolkien and U.S. author and monacharist Charles A. Coulombe.
Peter Roe Booklet number 12
Sindarian Lexicon by Kenneth Chaij Edited by Richard Crawshaw

As full and comprehensive list of Sindarin words together with their English meanings as possible. Also includes: “A History of the Sindarin Language”, “Sindarin Pronunciation” and “English in Fëanorean” by David Masson (previously published in Mallorn 14).
Peter Roe Booklet number 13
The Best of Amon Hen Volume 2 Edited by Andrew Wells

Covers issues 91-120.

Booklets currently in production

Further volumes of Digging Potatoes, Growing Trees as and when sufficient material becomes available.
Currently we have talks given by Christopher Garbowski and Brian Sibley.
Further volumes of The Best of Amon Hen.
These are being worked on in blocks of 30 issues each. There are a potential three volumes covering the earlier issues, plus a fourth covering the recent issues (up to 180). Amon Hen 180 should be published in March 2003. Material for Volume 3 is currently being collated.
Proceedings of future Tolkien Society Seminars.
The 2002 Whitby Seminar on Dramatising Fantasy: Adapting books for film and stage is currently being worked on.

Prices for booklets in print are normally £5.00 in the UK. Full details can be obtained from the sales list. Orders should be sent by post to Tolkien Society Trading Ltd or via secure email.

The society is always grateful for any donations to the Peter Roe Memorial Fund. If you wish to make a contribution please see the Donations page.

Offers of contributions of material are also most welcome.