In 1915–1923 Josey attended South Road Elementary School, until aged 14. He initially gained worked in a factory, but in 1926 the factory joined the (National Strike), and so he decided to instead go in pursuit of his real objective which was writing and joined the local newspaper as a reporter working as a journalist on the Poole Herald and the Bournemouth Times. In 1926 he left for London and about the same time became a member of the Labour Party although he described himself as a very early socialist.