By Dave Rowe: Keith Armstrong-Bridges died on Friday January 11th.
He’d had an operation for a new heart valve which was working perfectly but the tissue round it was dying. The family were told he could die at any moment with no idea when. He finally got back home on the 10th and was tired but very happy.
To know Keith was to love him. A large, rotund fellow, he was always smiling and a laugh was never far from him. The fannish histories will show he was responsible for starting The Tolkien Society. At the start-up meeting at Loncon in 1970 he didn’t say “this is what the society is going to do,” instead he asked those present what sort of society they wanted.
But what will always be a great memory was the once-a-month get-togethers at the Armstrong-Bridges’ home. Just talking, eating and playing board games overnight. Beautiful friendships, all accommodated by Keith and Jill.
Discover more from File 770
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
I am sorry to hear this, but it may be overstating the case to say that he founded the Tolkien Society. Although he was in from the start, Vera Chapman (“Belladonna Took”) was the original founder.
Very sorry to hear about Keith’s death, which I just read about in Ansible. He was one of the first fans I ever met, and a great guy. He’ll be missed.