He’s the man who gave us hobbits, Gandalf and Mordor – but did you realise he lived in Birmingham? These facts will soon have you Tolkien our language View 3 Images If we didn't have Tolkien, we wouldn't have a single hobbit (Image: PA)

Bless my beard! It’s Hobbit Day – an annual event marking the birthday of waistcoat-loving, barefoot homebodies Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, from the Middle Earth books by J.R.R. Tolkien. ‌

But how much do you know about the eccentric Lord of the Rings author? It’s time to go tunnelling for facts… ‌

1. He was Ronald to his mates. The novelist was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on January 3, 1892. History is unclear on whether he would answer to ‘Ron’. ‌

2. He moved to Sarehole, just outside Birmingham, in

See Full Page