The name Archibald Joyce may not be that well known today, but in his lifetime, which stretched from mid-
Victorian times (1873) to the era of Elvis and the Beatles (1963), he enjoyed a widespread popularity.
His band played for dances, from the hunt ball to Royal Command performances at Windsor Castle, and as a composer, he wrote dozens of waltzes, marches and "characteristic" pieces, some for silent film performances.
Christopher Timothy goes in search of further details of this neglected composer with the help of Joyce's daughter Maisie Parkinson and plenty of music. Written by Philip Lane
Producer Tim McDonald