Sackville Bagginses

[LegolasGimli]

Does Tolkien ever say why there is a family Feud with the Sackville Baginses?

[Curubethion]

It goes back at least to The Hobbit, when Lobelia Sackville-Baggins stole some of Bilbo's silver spoons. Okay, so it never actually said she stole them, but it said as much.

Then, Bilbo adopted Frodo, now making him an heir to his estate. Previously, the SB's had been in a direct line to receive Bilbo's inheritance when he died. So they weren't happy that he was living for so long.

[durinsbane2244]

also, they were miffed about having the word "sackville" in their name....who
would want that?

[hectorberlioz]

I'll bet they were mad about that. Speaking of it, I think Frodo's father was Drogo, correct? But I forget how distantly Bilbo's family was related to Frodo's...

And isn't there some insinuation that the Sackville-Bagginses are VERY distantly related?

[barrelrider110]

Lobelia was Bilbo's cousin (I believe). They lived in Sackville, in the Southfarthing.

Bilbo earned his money the old fashioned way-- he inherited it. The SBs, living in a distant backwater were obviously not so well off and it's evident they were envious. Being a bachelor the SBs were Bilbo's closest relations and when he disappeared for a year during his adventure to the Lonely Mtn. most in Hobbiton assumed him dead. The SBs were all but settled in Bag End when he returned. To be sure they were sorely disappointed. To have their precious Bag End willed to Frodo they were disappointed a second time. In their frustration they do what most miserable people do-- they try to make others miserable. That is why they pestered Frodo. Bilbo and Frodo had no real quarrel with them except they were petty and envious made themselves frequent pests. They are the typical annoying relations. Like they say, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your family.

BR

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Curubethion

It goes back at least to The Hobbit, when Lobelia Sackville-Baggins stole some of Bilbo's silver spoons. Okay, so it never actually said she stole them, but it said as much.

Wait - no. That was not made mention of in The Hobbit, but in Fellowship Of The Rings, the part where Lobelia Sackville Baggins pilfers some of Bilbo's silverware when he's having, essentially, an estate sale kind of thing before he bailed for Elrond's pad. Right? The Sackville-Baggins strife has a lot more to do, probably, with the way Lobelia and her pussy-whiped husband were hell-bent on snatching Bilbo's great estate, since she knew there were no direct heirs so the family succession would have legal rights to lay claim, and she was scared about Frodo getting it all, she didn't feel that was "right" But this is all from Fellowship, not Hobbit...

[barrelrider110]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Wait - no. That was not made mention of in The Hobbit, but in Fellowship Of The Rings, the part where Lobelia Sackville Baggins pilfers some of Bilbo's silverware when he's having, essentially, an estate sale kind of thing before he bailed for Elrond's pad. Right? The Sackville-Baggins strife has a lot more to do, probably, with the way Lobelia and her pussy-whiped husband were hell-bent on snatching Bilbo's great estate, since she knew there were no direct heirs so the family succession would have legal rights to lay claim, and she was scared about Frodo getting it all, she didn't feel that was "right" But this is all from Fellowship, not Hobbit...

Correct, the first mention of the SBs were in FotR, chapter 1. The SBs disappointment at Bilbo's return from his adventure is referred to in FotR chapter 1, by Gaffer Gamgee during the conversation in the Green Dragon:

‘But I reckon it was a nasty shock for those Sackville-Bagginses. They thought they were going to get Bag End, that time when he went off and was thought to be dead. And then he comes back and orders them off; and he goes on living and living, and never looking a day older, bless him! And suddenly he produces an heir, and has all the papers made out proper. The Sackville-Bagginses won’t never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.’

I suspect (this is purely speculation on my part) that Lobelia's envy goes way back. Perhaps she felt entitled to the estate that Bilbo inherited. Anyway, the 'fued' had more to do with Lobelia's jealousy. She detested Bilbo and Frodo; Bilbo and Frodo did not feel the same way. To them the SBs were just annoying, otherwise, why would Frodo leave Bag End to them?

[ecthelion]

Does the connection S.B. in another context not mentioned in polite company occur to anyone else?

[barrelrider110]

LOL - It didn't occur to me-- good point, ecthelion!