The JOLLIFF family of Polperro

The Jolliff family began in Polperro with the arrival of Charles Jolliff and his family from Launceston in Cornwall at the beginning of the 19th century.

His son, Charles Joseph Jolliff, had been born in Launceston in 1808 where he married a Polperro girl, Catherine Toms, in 1829 shortly before the family moved. Catherine was related to the infamous Roger Toms whose testimony led to the conviction of a fellow smuggler, Tom Potter, at the end of the 18th century and resulted in Potter being executed for the murder of a customs officer.

Charles Jolliff 1808-1887)

Charles Joseph was employed as a jowter (fish salesman) before he became the landlord of the Three Pilchards Inn on the quay in Polperro. Charles and Catherine had two daughters and eight sons, including another called Charles. Most of them married into local Polperro families, thus giving rise to a large clan of Jolliffs many of whose descendants live locally today.

    
Further details of the Jolliff family of Polperro can be obtained from Jeremy Rowett Johns:

E-mail: jeremy.johns@polperro.org

Further information on the family would also be welcomed.

Jeremy Rowett Johns, Polperro Heritage Museum © 2000