Joyce Lowcock

Joyce Lowcock was the daughter of Kwok Yau Tak (Lowcock) and granddaughter of Henry Lowcock. I’m still in the very early stages of researching Joyce Lowcock.

Joyce’s family tree is as follows

Parents

From my understanding, Joyce had at least three (3) sisters, as follows:

  • Winnie Lowcock
  • Agnes Lowcock
  • Frances Lowcock

Personal Life

My very rudimentary Ancestry.com research has Joyce Lowcock under the name of “Joyce Lowcock Chen” and her passing in 1998. It suggests she was born in Hong Kong, which checks out with the Hong Kong Lowcock’s, but that she has a US Social Security Record.

After much sleuthing (thanks to an expert at Ancestry).

  • Joyce Lowcock Chen b. May 20, 1918. Died April 2, 1998
  • husband: Martin Chen b. 26 Dec 1918. Died on 02 Jan 1971
    • Fred Chen b. 13 Nov 1949 in Hong Kong and naturalized in the US in 1971.
    • Hilda Chen b. 15 Jun 1952 in Hong Kong and naturalized in the US in 1973

Joyce Lowcock Chen passed in the US, in San Francisco. It appears she applied for US Naturalization in 1966.  Joyce Lowcock’s petition for naturalization was approved in 1973.  Joyce’s address at the time was 863 33rd Avenue, San Francisco.  According to her immigration documents, she was widowed at the time she applied for naturalization.

According to the funeral notice (1998), Joyce’s memorial service was at St Peter’s Episcopal Church, San Francisco.

Joyce Lowcock Playwright

There is more than one Joyce Lowcock. There’s an article in Google that references Joyce Lowcock the playwright as being born in Dronfield, Derbyshire and having lived there ever since (incongruous with the Hong Kong ancestry). The article lists Joyce as having trained as a teacher and having taught in her native county until her retirement. The birth years for each Joyce Lowcock are close (1917/1918) but unfortunately, the place of death for Joyce Lowcock the playwright lists it as Derbyshire, not San Francisco.

According to an old article on Google, it was when Joyce Lowcock was acting head of Cromford village school that she first became interested in writing. This was in 1972, and the whole village was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the opening by Richard Arkwright of the first cotton spinning factory in the world.

Ambitious celebrations lasting a month had been planned by the Arkwright committee and the school was anxious to make its own contribution. Arising out of this situation, a dramatic piece was written to involve the whole school. This was called Lucky Thirteen, Richard being the 13th child of a poor Lancashire baker.

It was lucky for Joyce Lowcock, as from that time she found, quite unexpectedly, an absorbing hobby on which she was able to spend more time when she retired in 1976.

A set of eight short stories was written with the title My school and welcome to it, and these were broadcast by Radio Sheffield. Then followed A Nativity with a Difference, Collin’s High Rise Christmas. It has a strong Yorkshire flavour and tries to combine both modern and traditional aspects of the Christmas story with sincerity.

The article then goes on to say Joyce Lowcock’s love of the Dales is equaled only by her love of the Lakes. Her next play In Case The Queen Looks In, a comedy, is set in a Cumbrian farm kitchen. An Amateur Stage review concluded: “The play is very amusing to read and would certainly be great fun to perform.” Both plays were published by Samuel French.

There are two (2) plays from Joyce Lowcock available on Archive.org

Other plays or books by Joyce Lowcock, but where I have limited details:

  • Colin’s High Rise Christmas (1978)
    Described as: A nativity play that brings the story of the birth of Christ into the twentieth century in a simple and effective form.
  • O Happy Band of Pilgrims (1985)
  • It Was Never Like This At St Paul’s (1985)
  • By George (1986)
  • Salute the Happy Morn (July 1986)
  • Kiss Of Life (1986)
  • Roses In December (1986)

There is a notice in Joyce’s address, in 1986 the play “What a blessing mother never knew” it lists an address for royalties for the performance as “J Lowcock, 6 Riverside Crescent, Holymoorside, Chesterfield”. This may have been Joyce’s address or agent, I am unable to confirm.

A full list of Joyce Lowcock’s plays can be found here. It appears all of Joyce Lowcock’s work is out of print.

Do you know more about Joyce Lowcock?

Joyce Lowcock was still publishing plays a little over 30 years ago, so I am hoping someone might still remember her or know more. At the very least, I am hoping that descendants of her children may find this page. If you do know Joyce Lowcock Chen and would like to share details, chat, etc. then please contact me. If you’re a descendent of Joyce Lowcock or Joyce Chen, please do reach out.

Lowcock Family History

If you would like to learn more about the Lowcock surname and family history, please visit the Lowcock History page.

You can learn more about Lowcock Genealogy, or specific Lowcock family member:

If you are researching Lowcock Family History and can help – visit the help needed page. If you want to understand the distribution of the Lowcock surname in the UK, visit the Lowcock map page. Just interested in the images and photos? Visit the Lowcock Genealogy Pinterest page.

This page is maintained by Joshua Lowcock.

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