Joy Swift

Joy Angela Swift MBE (born 2 October 1956) is a businesswoman, writer and events organiser from Liverpool, who is best known as the inventor of the murder mystery weekend.

Early life and family background

Born in Blundellsands, Liverpool, to Norman and Thelma (née Lake), Swift is the youngest of three children. Her father Norman was the fourth generation to run the family owned timber merchants business. Her grandfather Frederick Lake was a director of Everton F.C.. Swift was educated at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School.

Both parents and siblings played tennis for Lancashire. Swift's brother Tony was a squash player, who won national and international championships. He was chair of the ISRF Rules and Referees Committee from 1981-1991 and coached Canada's national women's team in 1981 and the national men's team in 1983, 1985 and 1987.

Career

Swift went to college to study graphic design but she left to take up full-time employment at the Liverpool Echo. Swift left three years later to join a small chain of hotels. In 1981, she came up with the idea of an interactive murder mystery that would allow hotel guests to become sleuths. Swift hired local actors to play the main characters and on 30 October 1981, she staged her first murder mystery weekend.