Joyce Reason facts for kids

Joyce Reason (born December 1894 – died 18 September 1974) was a British author. She wrote exciting historical fiction stories for young people. She also wrote biographies about missionaries, who were people who traveled to share their religious beliefs.

About Joyce Reason's Life

Joyce Reason was born in Canning Town, a part of London, England. Her father, Will Reason, was a minister in the Congregational church. He cared deeply about social justice and wrote books about poverty. Both of her parents had gone to university.

Joyce went to Milton Mount College For Girls in Gravesend. This school was mainly for the daughters of Congregational ministers.

Her Work as a Writer

Joyce Reason wrote many popular books. She wrote biographies about missionaries and their work with the London Missionary Society. These books told the true stories of people who traveled far to help others.

She also wrote fiction and plays especially for young readers. Her stories often brought history to life.

Biographies She Wrote

Joyce Reason wrote about many famous missionaries. These included James Chalmers from Papua and Albert Cook from Uganda. She also wrote about Wilfred Grenfell from Labrador and Howard Somervell from India.

She also wrote popular biographies about other important figures. These included John Bunyan, William Penn, and Sadhu Sundar Singh from India.

Work with The Leprosy Mission

In 1951, Joyce Reason started working for The Leprosy Mission. She was an Editorial Secretary for five years. During this time, she visited Uganda and Tanganyika (now part of Tanzania). She wrote about the Mission's work in East Africa. She also visited a leprosy settlement in Kenya.

Her Hobbies and Beliefs

Joyce Reason loved hiking. She even wrote an article called 'A Lone Woman's Hike from Glastonbury to Winchester'. This article appeared in a magazine called Hiker and Camper in 1931.

She also believed that Christian books were very important. In 1950, she was a speaker at an exhibition about Christianity in books.

Joyce Reason's Historical Fiction

Joyce Reason was well-known for her historical novels for young people. Reviewers often praised her books. They liked how well she researched the historical settings. They also enjoyed her strong stories and interesting characters.

Popular Historical Novels

One of her books, The Mad Miller of Wareham, is set during the time of King John. The story takes place in Dorset and is about a plan to put Arthur of Brittany on the throne. The book brings the towns and villages of Dorset to life.

Another exciting novel is To Capture the King. This story is about a Jacobite plot and smuggling on the Sussex coast. It even includes small glimpses of famous people like Samuel Johnson.

Bran the Bronze-Smith: A Tale of the Bronze Age in the British Isles tells the story of a boy in ancient Britain. He becomes a traveling smith and later a master smith. Swords of Iron is set in Pre-Roman Britain.

The Secret Fortress is about the last age of Viking rule in Cumberland. The Queen's Champions is a story about a plot against Queen Elizabeth I. A young boy plays a key role in stopping the danger. Red Pennons Flying is a tale set during the Hundred Years' War.

She also wrote a book called Dwifa's Curse: A Tale of the Stone Age. She used the pen name "Blue Wolf" for this book. It is set in Stone Age Britain. It shows how the earlier Neolithic people met later Stone Age people who had bows and more advanced ways of living.

Many of her books are still printed today. The Lutterworth Press now holds the rights to many of her works.

Her Later Life

For at least the last 20 years of her life, Joyce Reason lived in Guildford. She was a Congregationalist. She never married and lived with her younger sister, Hazel Alden Reason, who was a chemist and teacher.

Some of her books have been translated into other languages. These include French, German, and Swedish.

Selected Books for Young People

• Bran the Bronze-Smith. Illustrated by the author. (1930, reprinted in 1939, 1961)
• Prentices and Clubs! A Tudor Tale. (1947)
• The Secret Fortress. (1949)
• Swords of Iron. (1956)
• The Mad Miller of Wareham. Illustrated by S. Van Abbé. (1949, reprinted in 1954)
• The Queen's Champions. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley. (1966)
• To Capture the King: The Story of a Jacobite Plot. (1956)

WorldCat Identities: Joyce Reason [1]