Joy Packer was an eleventh generation South African writer brought up in Cape Town. She was the daughter of Julius (a doctor) and Ellen Magdalen (Marais) Petersen. Packer attended the University of Cape Town and while studying, began a career as a freelance journalist for the Cape Argus and Cape Times. In 1925 she married a British naval officer, later to become Admiral Sir Herbert Packer, Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic. Packer worked as a journalist in a number of countries including England, Hong Kong and the Balkans in the context of travelling with her husband. During World War II she was a publicity writer for war organisations; a broadcaster to South Africa for the British Broadcasting Corporation, 1939-1943; and affiliated with the Ministry of Information, Egypt, 1943 and with the Psychological Warfare Branch of Allied headquarters, Italy 1944-1945. Packer began writing books based on her journeyings and then, after her husbands's retirement, started writing fiction. Her first novel, Valley of the Vines, was published in 1955. A further nine volumes followed including a biography of her husband, Deep As the Sea (1976). Two novels, Leopard in the Fold (1969) and Boomerang (1972) have Australian settings. Her autobiography, The World Is a Proud Place (1966), incorporated an account of her visit to Australia from March to May 1964 which included contact with the Durack family, Lang Hancock, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and School of the Air. (pp.13-152)
(Source: Adapted from Joy Packer The World Is a Proud Place (1966); 'Joy Packer : popular romantic novelist', The Times (9 September 1977): 16)
