William Jolly was born in Chesterton, Cambridge, England, in 1783. He was baptised on the 8th of February 1784. His parents were John and Elizabeth Jolly nee Bird.

William had four brothers and sisters: John, Thomas, Benjamin and Elizabeth. William was the oldest.

He became a thatcher by trade.

On the 4th of February 1805, at Chesterton, he married Elizabeth Logan. She was from Scotland, and had a son called Samuel Logan born in 1803. The father of Samuel was reputedly a Cambridge don - it is not improbable that the man was called James Plumptre.

Their first son, John, was born in 1805, and was baptised on the 28th of April. He died in October 1827 aged 22.

The second son was Thomas. He was born in January 1807, and baptised on January the 25th. He died in March the following year, and was buried on the 17th of March 1808. The previous month, William's mother Eizabeth died.

Their third son was also called Thomas. He was born in January 1809 and baptised on the 29th of January. On the 21st of April 1834 he married Mary Ann Snelling. In 1857, Thomas and his family sailed to New Zealand, where he died in 1889.

The next son was William, born in 1811, and baptised on the 1st of September. On the 21st of April 1832 he married Susannah Fletcher. He died in 1877.

Elizabeth was born in 1814 and baptised on the 10th of April. She married James Farren on the 8th of October 1846.

Mary Ann was born early in 1816 and baptised on the 28th of January. She married William Coxall on the 18th of October 1845. She died in 1865.

Daughter Sarah was born in 1818 and baptised on the 6th of December. She married Joseph Wright in London in 1836.

The final child was Benjamin, born in 1819, and baptised on the 7th of October 1821. He married Frances Caroline Charles on the 30th of September 1851. Benjamin became the Mayor of Chesterton.

William's wife Elizabeth died on the 2nd of November 1855.

William died at Chesterton on the 26th of July 1868. He was aged 86.