| Code | DS/UK/23039 |
| Name | Ball; Sir; Joseph (18851961); KBE; British barrister, intelligence officer, political administrator, political operator, government administrator, and industrialist |
| Variations of Name | George Joseph Ball |
| Dates | 21 September 188510 July 1961 |
| Gender | Male (cisgender) |
| Place of Birth/Origin | Luton, Bedfordshire, England (born) |
| Relationships | Former spouse of Gladys Emily Penhorwood
Spouse of May Caroline Penhorwood |
| Biography | Sir Joseph Ball, KBE was a British barrister, intelligence officer, political administrator, political operator, government administrator, and industrialist.
As Major Joseph Ball, he was recruited into MI5 in 1915, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. He served in key operational roles with MI5 until 1927, and was believed to have played a significant role in the creation of the forged Zinoviev Letter in 1924, an episode which quickly led to the defeat of the British Labour Party government headed by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. |