Thomas Jollie

Thomas Jollie (1629–1703) was an English Dissenter, a minister ejected from the Church of England for his beliefs.

Biography Thomas Jollie was born at Droylsden, near Manchester, on 14 September 1629, and baptised on 29 September at Gorton Chapel, then in the parish of Manchester. His father, Major James Jollie (1610–1666), was Cromwell’s provost-marshal general of the forces in Lancashire (1642–7), and was nominated (2 October 1646) an elder for Gorton in the first or Manchester classis in the presbyterial arrangement for Lancashire, but did not act, being an independent. He married Elizabeth Hall (d February 1689, aged 92), widow, of Droylsden, whose daughter by the former marriage was wife of Adam Martindale. Thomas Jollie entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1645, two years earlier than Oliver Heywood, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. He does not seem to have graduated.

First ministry Having received a unanimous call from the parishioners of Altham, a chapelry in the parish of Whalley, Lancashire, he settled there in September 1649. He formed at Altham despite opposition a gathered church, and ministered there with growing repute. Excommunication was practised in his church with no respect of persons. In 1655 Jennet, daughter of Robert Cunliffe, a member of parliament for Lancashire, was excommunicated for promising marriage to a papist (John Grimshaw) "against the advice of the church."

Among his collateral descendants is William Bowland, the current 16th Lord of Bowland.

Publications He published: The Surey Demoniack, 1697. The tract appears to have been drafted by Jollie and expanded by Carrington; the preface, signed by ‘Thomas Jolly’ and five other divines, gives an account of the mysterious loss of the true copy; hence some particulars in this print were subsequently repudiated as inauthentic. A Vindication of the Surey Demoniack … By T. J., 1698, (at end is ‘Some Few Passages,’ &c., being the first draft of No. 1). A Treatise on Heavenly Mindedness

Curious extracts from an abstract of his Church Book are given by Hunter and Nightingale. Nightingale says the original is lost, but the portion of it from 1670 to 1693 was recovered by Mr. George Neilson of Glasgow.