What was J.R.R. Tolkien’s first academic teaching post at Oxford?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s first academic teaching post at Oxford was at Pembroke College.

Tolkien became Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College in 1925. He held that post until 1945, teaching and researching Old English language and literature. His Oxford career combined formal scholarship with the private invention of languages, legends, and stories.

During his Pembroke years, Tolkien wrote or developed much of the material later associated with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He also belonged to the informal literary group known as the Inklings, whose members included C.S. Lewis.

Tolkien later moved to Merton College, where he became Merton Professor of English Language and Literature in 1945. Pembroke was therefore his first Oxford college post, while Merton was the later institution associated with the final stage of his academic career.