Norman Jolly


Norman William Jolly was a first-class cricketer and forester. He was South Australia's first Rhodes Scholar.

Early life

Norman William Jolly was born on 5 August 1882 in Mintaro, South Australia, the son of storekeeper Henry Dickson Jolly and Annie. He attended Prince Alfred College and the University of Adelaide, graduating with a Bachelor of Science.
In 1904, Jolly was the first South Australian to be chosen for a Rhodes Scholarship, attending Balliol College, Oxford. After graduating B.A. from Oxford with a first in natural science in 1907, Jolly studied under William Schlich, and briefly in Europe, to obtain the Oxford diploma of forestry.

Sport

Jolly was also a leading sporting figure in Adelaide. He played in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, rowed in the Adelaide university eight and played for the Norwood Football Club and Sturt Football Club in the South Australian National Football League, representing South Australia three times. While living in England in 1907, Jolly played one first-class cricket match, for Worcestershire against Oxford University. Batting at number 11, he scored eight and one not out, and from behind the stumps he picked up three catches, the first being that of Oxford captain Egerton Wright.

Forestry

He joined the Indian Forest Service in Burma in 1907 but returned to Australia in 1909 to teach at Geelong Church of England Grammar School. In 1910, as instructor in forestry for the South Australian Department of Woods and Forests, Jolly founded the first course in higher forestry training in Australia. From 1911 to 1918, he was Director of Forestry in Queensland, and then became Commissioner of Forests in New South Wales. In 1925 he became the first Professor in Forestry at Adelaide University.

Later life

Jolly retired in 1933 as his health was impaired. He died on 18 May 1954 aged 71 in Adelaide.

Legacy

In 1957, a memorial grove of trees '' and a cairn were established on Moonpar Forest Drive, Nymboi Binderay National Park, Dorrigo, New South Wales, commemorating Jolly's contributions to teaching and practice of forestry.
The Norman Jolly Medal was founded by the Institute of Foresters of Australia after Jolly's death and is the highest and most prestigious honour for outstanding service or contribution to forestry in Australia.