JOLLIE, EDWARD (1825-94) came of a Huguenot family which fled to Scotland from France, and moved to Cumberland about the end of the eighteenth century. He was the fourth son of Francis Jollie, of Brampton, near Carlisle. At the age of 17 he came to New Zealand in the Brougham as a survey cadet under the New Zealand Company, landing in Nelson in Mar 1842.

In 1846 he was sent to Otago to assist in surveying the Otago block. The work was let in contract blocks, Jollie being engaged, in partnership with Wylie and A. Wills, on a block which included Clutha, Kaihiku, and Waiwera. There he became acquainted with Captain Thomas, who undertook the block between the Clutha and Tokomairiro rivers. After leaving Otago Jollie spent some time in Nelson farming with his brother, on the understanding that as soon as the locality of the Canterbury settlement was decided upon, he should join Thomas in the survey. In the meantime Jollie made the first overland trip with sheep between Nelson and north Canterbury by way of Jollie's pass. He moved to Lyttelton in Aug 1849 to start on the survey. The survey of Lyttelton was satisfactorily accomplished and in Oct he proceeded on a similar duty to Sumner, and then to Christchurch. While there he lived in a grass hut at The Bricks belonging to the surveyor Scroggs.

In planning Christchurch Jollie laid out a few crescents, which Thomas disallowed. He also proposed streets two chains wide, in which trees could be planted. In naming the streets in Lyttelton and Christchurch the names of bishoprics of the Church of England were read out of the peerage one by one, approved by Thomas, and written upon the map. The work was completed by Mar 1850, and 11 months later Jollie was present when the settlers made their first selections. He made his permanent home in the province, and practised his profession of surveyor for some years. A great deal of south Canterbury was surveyed by him and Hewlings. In 1859 he was sent to survey the government town of Timaru.

In 1860 Jollie was elected M.H.R. for Cheviot, but other business compelled him to resign in 1861. In that year he married Caroline Armstrong, daughter of the Rev John Muggeridge Orsmond. In 1865 he was elected to represent Heathcote in the Provincial Council, and he almost immediately became a member of Tancred's executive, in which he served for 12 months. In 1866 he was elected for Selwyn, which he represented until 1876. On the Council reassembling in 1866, he was leader of an executive for a few weeks. In Mar 1868, he again took office, and continued until Jun 1869. He was then defeated and remained out of office for 12 hours. Returning to the government benches as provincial secretary, he was in office until Apr 1870. Once more (1874-75) he was in the executive, under the leadership of Montgomery.

On the abolition of the provinces Jollie turned his attention to farming on his property at Southbridge, and in 1879 he went to England, where he remained for five years. On his return he took up land at Waireka, near Patea. He also had an interest in the Napier land and estate business of Jollie, Fulton and Co. He died on 7 Aug 1894. Jollie was one of the founders of the Christchurch Club (1856).

Canterbury Papers; Canterbury P.C. Proc.; The Press, 15 Dec 1900, 2 Aug 1900 (p); Napier News, 7 Aug 1894; Jollie, typed reminiscences in Alexander Turnbull Library. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 238

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