James Leigh Joynes (29 May 1853 – 13 January 1893) was an English journalist, writer, poet, andsocialist activist. A former teacher atEton College, he became known for his involvement inland reform,Christian socialism, and the earlyBritish socialist movement. He was associated with figures such asHenry George andHenry S. Salt, and contributed to various political publications and organisations, including theSocial Democratic Federation and theFellowship of the New Life.

James Leigh Joynes was born inEton, Berkshire on 29 May 1853, the son of the Rev.James Leigh Joynes Sr., Lower Master ofEton College.^[1][2] He was educated there and matriculated atKing's College, Cambridge in 1871, graduating with aB.A. in 1875.^[2]

In 1876, Joynes returned to Eton, teaching classics: he attracted criticism for hisvegetarianism and habit of riding atricycle. It was there he became friends with fellow vegetarianHenry S. Salt, who would go on to marry his sister Catherine Leigh Joynes, in 1879.^[3][4]

In 1882, he readProgress and Poverty, and this inspired him to work with its author,Henry George. The two travelled to Ireland to investigate land ownership there, and were both convicted and imprisoned under theCoercion Act. Joynes wrote a letter toThe Times about this, followed by a book,Adventures of a Tourist in Ireland. Eton's headmaster ordered Joynes to suppress the book, which he initially agreed, but then regretted and instead resigned from the school.^[5]

At the end of 1882, George found Joynes work as a journalist for theIrish World. He moved to London, where he was a founder of theLand Reform Union, and became joint editor of its newspaper, theChristian Socialist. He also joined theFellowship of the New Life, and theSocial Democratic Federation (SDF), becoming co-editor ofToday, its monthly magazine, and serving on its executive committee. In 1884, he spent time working in Germany, and so resigned his editorial posts, thereby missing out on involvement in the major split in the SDF.^[5]

Joynes returned to London in 1886, writingSongs of a Revolutionary Epoch about the German poetry of 1848, and training as a doctor atMiddlesex Hospital. He began suffering fromheart disease, and in poor health, he retired toWest Hoathly, where he wrote poetry.^[5] He died there on 13 January 1893, aged 39.^[3]

• The Adventures of a Tourist in Ireland. London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. 1882.
• Songs of a Revolutionary Epoch. London: Foulger & Co. 1888.
• On Lonely Shores and Other Rhymes. London: Printed for the author at the Chiswick Press. 1892.

• The Socialist Catechism. London: The Modern Press. 1885.
• Socialist Rhymes. London: The Modern Press. 1885.

• Quelch, Harry (August 1897)."J. L. Joynes – A Tribute".Social Democrat (8): 235.
• Bellany, Joyce M.; Saville, John, eds. (1987).Dictionary of Labour Biography. Vol. VIII. London: MacMillian Press Ltd. pp. 129–134.ISBN 978-0-333-38782-5.

• Works by or aboutJames Leigh Joynes atWikisource
• Biography of James Leigh Joynes
• James Leigh Joynes Bibliography

• 1853 births
• 1893 deaths
• Alumni of King's College, Cambridge
• 19th-century English journalists
• 19th-century English poets
• 19th-century English male writers
• English Christian socialists
• Georgist activists
• Members of the Fabian Society
• People educated at Eton College
• People from Eton, Berkshire
• Social Democratic Federation members

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