Joyce Ballou Gregorian
Encyclopedia
Joyce Ballou Gregorian Hampshire (July 5, 1946 -April 29, 1991) was an American author, expert on Oriental rugs, and lover of Arabian horses.
dealer and expert Arthur T. Gregorian
, an Armenia
n immigrant, and Phebe Ballou, of New England
descent. She graduated from Beaver Country Day School
in 1963. She attended Edinburgh University for one year and graduated with honors from Radcliffe College
in 1968. She then taught English for one year at the Iran Bethel School in Tehran
. After that she joined the family business and became president. She married John Hampshire in 1986.
novels, sometimes called the "Tredana Trilogy," that takes place in another world parallel to our own, focussed on the city of Tredana, its inhabitants and neighbors, in a part of that world which resembles the Middle East
. The chief character is Sibyl Barron, from our own world, whose life is entwined with the other world. Her love of horses shows in her trilogy, and some horses she owned were written into the books.
She also collaborated with her father, Arthur T. Gregorian, and her nephew, Douglas Christian, on a book on Armenian oriental rugs.
She authored a variety of articles for Arabian breed publications chronicling major breeding families, profiling individual horses or breeders, and commenting on various topics in preservation breeding.
s. She competed in eventing
, Arabian breed show
s, and dressage
competitions, and she also exhibited her horses in unusual circumstances (such as an indoor mall) to demonstrate the Arabian's versatility. In the 1980s she discovered the Davenport Arabian bloodlines were being preserved as a separate breeding program and became dedicated to the desert-bred Arabian horse
. In 1989 she was elected president of Al Khamsa
, a preservation breeding
group for Arabian horses. She was re-elected in 1990 and served until her death. Her breeding farm averaged about seventy head of Arabians. At the time of her death she had about 40 Davenport Arabian horses on her farm and another dozen from Al Khamsa bloodlines.
Gregorian purchased the Alice Payne library in 1988 from the estate of Alice Payne, a noted breeder and importer of desert-bred Arabians. The library was notable for containing large quantities of correspondence between Carl Raswan
and Alice Payne. Carl Raswan was working on the Raswan Index while he was corresponding with Alice Payne, and was also offering advice on the directions her breeding program could go. Carl Raswan is considered by some in the Arabian horse world to be a controversial figure, but his views on strain breeding and "asil" (purity) are generally accepted by modern preservation breeders. Gregorian was an avid researcher of his life and opinions. The Alice Payne library also included annotated pictures, notes, and advertising pamphlets. The library is currently held by the Arabian Horse Trust.
Gregorian was also musical, both composing and performing (voice, harpsichord, lute and mandolin). Music and song have a significant role in her novels. Each chapter is separated from the next by a song or poem written by the author. She did all her own illustrations for each book.
Gregorian was a board member of the Armenian Library and Museum of America
in Watertown, Massachusetts
. During her tenure ALMA renovated an empty bank building, turning the space into a dedicated library, research, museum, and community meeting space.
, after a long battle with cancer.
Life
Joyce Ballou Gregorian was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the third child of the noted oriental rugOriental rug
An authentic oriental rug is a handmade carpet that is either knotted with pile or woven without pile.By definition - Oriental rugs are rugs that come from the orient...
dealer and expert Arthur T. Gregorian
Arthur T. Gregorian
Arthur T. Gregorian, , was a Greater Boston oriental rug dealer and author of books on oriental rugs, and considered to be the world's leading collector of rare, inscribed Armenian rugs.-Early life:...
, an Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n immigrant, and Phebe Ballou, of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
descent. She graduated from Beaver Country Day School
Beaver Country Day School
Beaver Country Day School is an independent, college preparatory day school for students in grades 6 through 12 founded in 1920. The school is located on a campus in the village of Chestnut Hill, in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston. Beaver is a member of the Cum Laude Society, the...
in 1963. She attended Edinburgh University for one year and graduated with honors from Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
in 1968. She then taught English for one year at the Iran Bethel School in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. After that she joined the family business and became president. She married John Hampshire in 1986.
Writing
Joyce Ballou Gregorian wrote a trilogy of distinctive fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels, sometimes called the "Tredana Trilogy," that takes place in another world parallel to our own, focussed on the city of Tredana, its inhabitants and neighbors, in a part of that world which resembles the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The chief character is Sibyl Barron, from our own world, whose life is entwined with the other world. Her love of horses shows in her trilogy, and some horses she owned were written into the books.
She also collaborated with her father, Arthur T. Gregorian, and her nephew, Douglas Christian, on a book on Armenian oriental rugs.
She authored a variety of articles for Arabian breed publications chronicling major breeding families, profiling individual horses or breeders, and commenting on various topics in preservation breeding.
Other activities
Gregorian was passionate about breeding and training working Arabian horseArabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
s. She competed in eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
, Arabian breed show
Breed show
A breed show is a broad term for exhibitions designed to showcase a single animal breed. In most cases, only purebred animals recorded with a breed registry are eligible to enter and compete. A judge or team of judges will evaluate individual animals both in terms of the correct conformation for...
s, and dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
competitions, and she also exhibited her horses in unusual circumstances (such as an indoor mall) to demonstrate the Arabian's versatility. In the 1980s she discovered the Davenport Arabian bloodlines were being preserved as a separate breeding program and became dedicated to the desert-bred Arabian horse
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
. In 1989 she was elected president of Al Khamsa
Al Khamsa (organization)
Al Khamsa is a nonprofit organization in the United States that supports the breeding of certain strains of purebred Arabian horses. The name derives from the Al Khamsa Arabian mares, the name applied to the legendary five favorite horses of Mohammed...
, a preservation breeding
Preservation breeding
Preservation breeding is an attempt by many animal breeders to preserve bloodlines of animals, either of a rare breed, or of rare pedigrees within a breed. One purpose of preservation breeding is to protect genetic diversity within a species, another is to preserve valuable genetic traits that may...
group for Arabian horses. She was re-elected in 1990 and served until her death. Her breeding farm averaged about seventy head of Arabians. At the time of her death she had about 40 Davenport Arabian horses on her farm and another dozen from Al Khamsa bloodlines.
Gregorian purchased the Alice Payne library in 1988 from the estate of Alice Payne, a noted breeder and importer of desert-bred Arabians. The library was notable for containing large quantities of correspondence between Carl Raswan
Carl Raswan
Carl Reinhard Raswan , born Carl Reinhard Schmidt, was one of the greatest connoisseurs and patrons of the asil Arabian horse. He was also a writer and author of numerous books on Arabian horses and the Bedouin people...
and Alice Payne. Carl Raswan was working on the Raswan Index while he was corresponding with Alice Payne, and was also offering advice on the directions her breeding program could go. Carl Raswan is considered by some in the Arabian horse world to be a controversial figure, but his views on strain breeding and "asil" (purity) are generally accepted by modern preservation breeders. Gregorian was an avid researcher of his life and opinions. The Alice Payne library also included annotated pictures, notes, and advertising pamphlets. The library is currently held by the Arabian Horse Trust.
Gregorian was also musical, both composing and performing (voice, harpsichord, lute and mandolin). Music and song have a significant role in her novels. Each chapter is separated from the next by a song or poem written by the author. She did all her own illustrations for each book.
Gregorian was a board member of the Armenian Library and Museum of America
Armenian Library and Museum of America
Armenian Library and Museum of America , located in Watertown, Massachusetts, United States, is an institution that has the largest collection of Armenian artifacts in North America.-History:...
in Watertown, Massachusetts
Watertown, Massachusetts
The Town of Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,915 at the 2010 census.- History :Archeological evidence suggests that Watertown was inhabited for thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from England...
. During her tenure ALMA renovated an empty bank building, turning the space into a dedicated library, research, museum, and community meeting space.
Death
Joyce Gregorian Hampshire died in 1991 in Boston, Massachusetts, at Massachusetts General HospitalMassachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
, after a long battle with cancer.
Novels
- The Broken Citadel. New York: Atheneum, 1975; Ace, 1983. ISBN 0-4410-8098-4
- Castledown. New York: Atheneum, 1977; Ace, 1983, ISBN 0-4410-9240-6
- The Great Wheel. New York: Ace, 1987, ISBN 0-4413-0257-4
Nonfiction
- Arthur T. Gregorian and Joyce Gregorian Hampshire, with photos by Douglas A. Christian (1986), Armenian Rugs from the Gregorian Collection. Newton Lower Falls, Mass.: Congraf, paperback. Catalog of the exhibition in 1986 at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida. Reviewed in the Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies), Vol. 15, No. 1/2 (1988), p. 169.
External links
- "Joyce Ballou Gregorian Hampshire", in memoriam.