Joseph Hocking

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Joseph Hocking (November 7, 1860–March 4, 1937) was an English novelist and Methodist minister. He was born at St Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall, to James Hocking, part owner of a tin mine, and his wife Elizabeth.

In 1884 he was ordained as a minister. Working in different parts of England over the next few years, he wrote his first novel, Harry Penhale - The Trial of his Faith, while in London in 1887. He regarded fiction as a highly effective medium for conveying his Christian message to the public, and combined his writing with his church duties, until ill health forced him to resign from the ministry in 1909.

On his recovery, he found himself a much sought-after preacher across Britain, and he travelled extensively in the Middle East.

He continued to write, and over the course of his career was author of nearly 100 books. Although largely forgotten now, he was tremendously popular in his day.

He died in St Ives, Cornwall, and was survived by his wife, Annie, who he had married in 1887, and two daughters. A son, Cuthert, was killed in World War One.

Through his mother he was related to the biblical scholar John Kitto, his brother was Silas Hocking (1850–1935), also a novelist and Methodist minister, and his sister, Salome (1859-1927), was also a novelist.

Hocking features as one of the main characters in the 2009 play Surfing Tommies by Cornish playwright, Alan M. Kent.

Joseph Hocking's ashes were buried in the churchyard of St Stephen-in-Brannel.

[edit] Selected works

• Harry Penhale : The Trial of his Faith (1887)
• Jabez Easterbrook (1890)
• The Birthright (1897)
• Lest We Forget (1901)
• The Bells of St Ia (1911)
• The Spirit of the West (1913)
• All Men are Liars (1914)
• The Girl who Defied the World (1922)
• Not One in Ten (1933)
• Davey's Ambition (1936)

[edit] External links

• Works by or about Joseph Hocking in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Works by Joseph Hocking at Project Gutenberg

[edit] Source

• Alan M. Kent, "Pulp Methodism. The Lives & Literature of Silas, Joseph & Salome Hocking", Cornish Hillside Publications, 2002.