The Mayor of Michel Delving (and therefore of the Shire) at the time of the War of the Ring. He was renowned as being the fattest Hobbit in the Westfarthing, and was affectionately referred to as Old Will or Flourdumpling. He was one of the first to be placed in the Lockholes during Sharkey's reign in the Shire, but survived the experience.
Notes
1 |
We have no dates for Will Whitfoot's lifetime, except for the time he held the post of Mayor of the Shire. Even then, we cannot be sure when he became Mayor, but the absolute latest time would be III 3013, the last Free Fair (and hence mayoral election) before the War of the Ring. He was clearly an old Hobbit by the end of the Third Age (he was commonly known as 'Old Will') and he voluntarily resigned the office in the year IV 6 (or 1427 by the Shire-reckoning).
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2 |
At least, in modern use 'Will' is usually short for 'William'. Tolkien used the name 'William' at least once for another character (the Troll William Huggins) so this is not implausible. There were, however, various names used in the Shire that might also realistically be the origin of the short form 'Will', including Wilcome, Wilibald and Wilimar. It's even quite conceivable that 'Will' here is a contraction of a longer name that is simply not recorded.
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See also...
Chief Shirriff, Deputy Mayor, First Shirriff, Flourdumpling, Lockholes, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Mayor of Michel Delving, Old Will, Postmaster, Town Hole, Whitfoot Family
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- Updated 21 November 2020
- Updates planned: 1
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