Family and Education

b. 22 June 1746, 2nd s. of John Jolliffe, and bro. of William Jolliffe.  educ. Winchester; Grand Tour.  m. 23 June 1778, Ann, da. and h. of Rev. Robert Twyford of Kilmersdon, Som., 3s. 1da.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Som. 1792-3.

Biography

Returned by his brother, Jolliffe faithfully followed him in the House; voted with North till his fall in March 1782; against Shelburne’s peace preliminaries; for Fox’s East India bill; against Pitt both before and after the general election of 1784. There is no record of his having spoken. The reasons for his vacating his seat in 1787 are uncertain. The Gentleman’s Magazine (1824, ii. 91) wrote in Jolliffe’s obituary: ‘Of the disinterested and upright principle which universally governed his conduct, he early in life gave an evident proof, by resisting a very flattering overture, which embraced high hereditary rank as well as pecuniary emolument, rather than desert those connexions whose political views he had conscientiously adopted.’ Nothing about such an offer is known from any other source; possibly there is confusion between him and William Jolliffe.

After the death of his mother-in-law in 1788, Jolliffe settled in Somerset, and in the following year started building Ammerdown House.  He died 6 June 1824.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Sir Lewis Namier

Notes