Joseph John Crowe was born in England on 23 January 1883 and was articled to Arthur Gunnell Woods (1861?-1917) in Brentwood, Essex from 1898 to 1902. He also studied at Kings College, London and attended classes at the Architectural Association in London. He worked as an assistant to Christopher Mitchell Shiner (1857-1944) in in London in 1902-03, and to Frank Whitmore (1850-1920) in 1903. He subsequently worked as clerk of works to Temple Lushington Moore (1956-1920) for twelve years.
Crowe qualified as an architect in 1913 and that year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). He subsequently practised as an architect in London. In the late 1920s he was in partnership with Sefton Stockford Careless (1898-1962) as Crowe & Careless. Their office was located at 74 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury Square, London.
Crowe's address was given as 31 Squirrel's Heath Avenue, Gidea Park, Romford, Essex in 1939. He died on 6 October 1967. At the time of his death he was living at 41 Grange Road, Bushey, Watford, Hertfordshire
Architectural projects by Crowe included the decoration of the Chancel of St. Thomas's Church in Brentwood, Essex; the interior decoration of Elvington Parish Church in York; the Cookery and Handicraft Centre in Brentwood, Essex; the development of the Rosemont Estate in Romford, Essex; the remodelling of Messrs. Chappell's Factory in Chalk Farm, London; additions and remodelling of the Oceana Laundry in Tottenham, London; the reconstruction of the Hanover Galleries, 52 Maddox Street and 51 New Bond Street, London; additions to Moat Farm, Pilgrim's Hatch, Essex; houses at Armley in Leeds and elsewhere; and alterations and restorations of old buildings in Berkshire, Sussex and Essex.
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001