Robina Blanche May Jolly
Postmistress & Photographer
Born 1865
Died 1963
A Kimberworth Photographer
Pete Rollo
Vmedia.me.uk
23 January 2022
Robina Blanche Jolly (1866 – 1963)
Postmistress and Photographer
KIMBERWORTH POST OFFICE, 113 Church street.
PROFILE and RESEARCH BY Pete Rollo (2022)
The parents of Robina Blanche Jolly, Thomas Jolly (24, Sexton) and Mary Jane Chuffle* (25, spinster)
were married on 31 August 1875 at Kimberworth, St. Thomas’s. At the time of this marriage Thomas
was a widower, his previous marriage (25 Dec 1871, Kimberworth St. Thomas’s) to Ruth Ann Taylor
(18, spinster) coming to a mortal conclusion following her death only two years later. Ruth was
interred at Kimberworth St. Thomas’s on 28 December 1873, aged just 19.
* It should be noted that the surname Chuffle, given on the transcribed records provided, was almost certainly an error on
the original transcribers’ part, and should be recognised as Chapple. The marriage index for 1875 lists Mary Jane Chapple
and Thomas Jolly, as do all other census records.
According to Kimberworth St. Thomas Baptism records, Robina was born on 30 November 1885, and
was baptised Robina Blanche Jolly on 27 December 1885. Her baptism gives Thomas Jolly as the
father, and Mary Jane as the mother. However, the registration - in Rotherham - for her birth was
not made until early the following year (Jan-Mar) and by the time of the registration of birth, an
initial “M.” was also added after her two first names. The latter inclusion was found to abbreviate
the name “May” (See details of Probate for Robina’s Will).
It is not known when Robina began her interest in photography, but it was possibly around 1910 or
earlier. Whether or not she developed her own photos and prints is also a mystery, but with her
name written into the images it is very likely she did it all herself. One thing we do know is that she
sold the photos in the village Post Office, probably as a way of supplementing the costs of her hobby,
and providing the residents of the village with what become future treasures of what it was like in
her time. On the last page of this brief profile are some samples of her work.
1843 – Marriage (Apr-Jun) – Isaac Jolly and Eliza Flatman, Hartismere Suffolk. Father and Mother of Thomas
Jolly
1851 – Wink(?) House, Axminster, Devon(shire) - Mary J. Chapple aged 11 months b Axminster, Father
George 28 Agricultural Labourer b Axminster, Mother Sarah 27 b Yarcombe Devon(shire), Siblings : William 6 b
Churchstanton, Sarah Ann 4 b Axminster,
1851 - Parish of Redgrave, Suffolk England – Thomas Jolly aged 7 months b Redgrave Suffolk, Father Isaac 33
Agricultural labourer b Wortham Suffolk, Mother Eliza 26 b Rickinghall Suffolk, Siblings Emma 7 b Redgrave
Suffolk, Charles 5 b Redgrave Suffolk , John 2 b Redgrave Suffolk , and Sarah Jolly 80 Mother of Eliza b
Wortham Suffolk, Living at Redgrave Fenn street
1861 - Parish of Stockland, Axminster, Devon(shire) - Mary J. Chapple aged 11 years Scholar b Axminster,
Father George 38 a Carter b Axminster, Mother Sarah 38 b Yarcombe Devon(shire), siblings : William 16
Agricultural labourer b Churchstanton Devon(shire), Eliza 7 Scholar b Axminster, John 3 Axminster, and
Elizabeth 2 b Axminster. Living at North Hill
1863 – Death of Eliza Jolly, Thomas’s mother (Jul-Sep) - registered Stow, Suffolk.
1861 – Parish of Redgrave, Suffolk England – Thomas Jolly aged 11 years Scholar b Redgrave, Father Isaac 44
Agricultural labourer b Wortham, Mother Eliza 39 b Rickinghall, Siblings George 8 Scholar b Redgrave, Jacob 6
Scholar Redgrave, Sarah Ann 4 Redgrave, Tabitha 2 b Redgrave, Eliza 11 months b Redgrave. Living at
Redgrave Fenn street.
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1871 – 11 Southernhay, Parish of St. Sidwell, Exeter – Mary Jane Chapple 20 b Axminster, was employed as
one of two servants, the other being Eliza Ford 22, at the Home of Thomas B Davey 39 Head and wife Elizabeth
Davey 23 and their 3 young children.
1871 – Marriage - 25 Dec. – Thomas Jolly (Batchelor), aged 21, a labourer of the Parish of Kimberworth marries Ruth Ann Taylor, aged 18 (Spinster) of the Parish of Kimberworth. The grooms’ father was a labourer
called Isaac Jolly, the bride’s father was a collier, called William Taylor, and the Witnesses were Emily Taylor
and John Everson. Marriage by Banns.
1872 – 25 Aug. - Baptism – Sarah Anne Jolly, Thomas, labourer, named as father, and Ruth Ann as mother.
1873 – Dec. - Death of Ruth Ann Taylor (aged 19) – Interred at Kimberworth St. Thomas’s 28 December
1875 – 31 Aug. – Marriage - Thomas Jolly (Widower), aged 24, a Sexton of the Parish of Kimberworth - marries
Mary Jane Chapple, aged 25 (Spinster) of the Parish of Kimberworth. The grooms’ father was a labourer called
Isaac Jolly, the bride’s father was a labourer, called George Chapple, and the Witnesses were Sarah Ironside
and Thomas Robinson Rutledge. Marriage by Banns.
1881 – 111 Kimberworth House, Thomas Jolly 30 Head (Married) Sexton and Letter Receiver b Redgrave in
Suffolk, Mary Jane 30 Wife b Axminster in Devonshire, Sarah A. 8 Dau. Scholar b Kimberworth.
1885 – 30 November – Birth – Robina Blanche Jolly
1885 – Baptism – 27 December, Kimberworth St. Thomas’s. Baptised : Robina Blanche Jolly.
1886 – Registration of Birth – Robina Blanche M. Jolly (Jan-Mar 1886), Rotherham
1891 – No 113 Church St. Post Office, Thomas Jolly 41 Head (Parish Clerk & Sexton b Redgrave in Suffolk, Mary
J. Jolly 40 b Axminster in Devonshire, Sarah A. Jolly [Daughter of Thomas] 18 b Kimberworth – baptised 25
August 1872 and therefore a daughter of first wife Ruth, Robina B. M. Jolly aged 5 b Kimberworth, and George
Chapple (Father-in- Law) 66 Farm Labourer and Annie Jolly** 17 (Sister of Thomas) b Redgrave in Suffolk. (**
1881 – Redgrave, Suffolk – Additional siblings of Thomas : Albert 21, James 15, Harry 13, Isaac 10, Annie 8)
1899 – Marriage - 17 Oct – Sarah Ann Jolly 27 Spinster , 113 Church street, and daughter of Thomas and Ruth
Ann Jolly (and thereby half-sister to Robina and Thomas’s other children), married Samuel Shepherd 31
Batchelor a Sheet Steel Roller, of 27 Wortley road, Kimberworth. The groom’s father was Joseph Shepherd, a
labourer. Witnesses to the event were Thomas Jolly, Robina B. M. Jolly, and F. Allott. Marriage by Banns.
1874 to 1898 – Besides that of his eldest daughter’s wedding (see above), Thomas Jolly was a witness to no
less than 63 marriages that took place at Kimberworth St. Thomas’s.
1901 – No 113 Kimberworth (Post Office) [Post Office], Thomas Jolly 51 Head (Sub-postmaster and Parish
Clerk) b Redgrave in Suffolk, Mary J. Jolly 50 b Axminster in Devonshire, Robina B. Jolly 15 Clerk in Post-Office
b Kimberworth, Ethel A. Jolly 7 b Kimberworth, and George Chapple (Father-in- Law) Widower 76 Gardener
(Domestic) b Axminster in Devonshire
1911 – No 113 Church St. Post Office, Thomas Jolly 61 Head (Submaster and Parish Clerk) b Redgrove in
Suffolk, Mary J. Jolly 60 b Axminster in Devonshire, Robina Blanche Jolly 25 b Kimberworth, Ethel Annie Jolly
17 Shorthand Clerk at a Steel manufacturer b Kimberworth.
1963 – Apr-Jun – Death – Robina B M Jolly ( Vol 2c Page 595), Rotherham Age 77 (Born 1886) Probate : death
date 23 Apr 1963. Death place : York Error on Ancestry[1]Transcription : should be Moorgate General Hospital
Rotherham Probate date 23 Apr 1963 Error on Ancestry[1] Transcription : should be 06 August 1963 (Registry
York Error on Ancestry[1] Transcription : should be London)
JOLLY Robina Blanche May of “Brooklands” High street Kimberworth Rotherham, spinster died 23 April 1963
at Moogate General Hospital Rotherham Probate London 06 August to Thomas William Shepherd senior
administrative officer. Effects £6,602 14s. 2d.
[1]
Ancestry referred to is Ancestry.com website
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EXAMPLE PHOTO-CARDS OF ROBINA JOLLY
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