Joan Ball facts for kids

Joan Ball (born 1934) was a smart British businesswoman. She started the very first computer dating service in England in 1964. This was even before similar services began in America!

Joan Ball's Early Life

Joan Ball was born in 1934. She was the sixth child in her family. When she was very young, her mother left the family. During World War II, Joan was sent away from London to the countryside. This was to keep her safe from the bombs falling on the city.

Joan had dyslexia, but she didn't know it until she was 39. This made school very hard for her. She struggled with writing and counting money. In 1949, Joan finished school. She got a job as a shop assistant. Later, she worked in a dress department and for a fashion company.

Starting Computer Dating

In 1961, when Joan was 27, she started working at a marriage bureau. A year later, in 1962, she opened her own dating agency. It was called the Eros Friendship Bureau Ltd.

Joan wanted to help people find long-term partners. She focused on helping older people. Many of her clients were looking to get married or had been divorced before. To find clients, Joan advertised on "Pop Pirates" radio stations.

The First Computer Matches

In 1964, Joan changed her company's name. It became the St. James Computer Dating Service. That same year, her service ran its first computer matches. Joan used a special computer program. It paired people based on their answers to a questionnaire. This made Joan's service the first successful computer dating service. It was the first in both the UK and the US!

In 1965, Joan's company joined with another marriage bureau. They formed a new company called Com-Pat. This stood for Computer Dating Services Ltd. Soon after, Joan bought out her partner. This made her the only owner of Com-Pat. She advertised in big newspapers like The Sunday Express and Evening Standard.

Com-Pat Two and Challenges

In 1970, Joan launched Com-Pat Two. This new system also used a questionnaire. At the end, it gave clients a list of their top four matches.

However, the company faced some tough times. In 1971, a Post Office strike stopped all mail for almost eight weeks. This made it hard for the business to operate. Also, a major newspaper stopped printing Com-Pat's ads. By 1974, Joan was in debt. She decided to sell her company. She sold it to another dating service.

Joan Ball's Personal Journey

In 1961, Joan met a man she called Kenneth in her book. He became her business partner for eight years. They worked together on her companies.

In 1973, Joan learned she had dyslexia. She also found out she had depression. Joan later became a follower of Buddhism.