Maker: Jude Grace-Dillon

Panel number: 77

Petition Sheet Number: 79

Person honouring: M Jolly

Relationship to makers: None

It appears that Mary signed the petition twice, on sheet 79 as well as sheet 90. Her daughter, Jane Jolly, also signed the petition.

The daughter of David Smith and Elisabeth Wallace, Mary Forsyth Smith was born 5 January 1826 at Fettercairn, Kincardine, Scotland. She married John Jolly on 28 May 1849 in Brechin, Angus. They emigrated to Otago in 1863 with their six children. Mary also gave birth to a daughter at sea but she died on their arrival in Dunedin. Two more sons were born in Dunedin. 

In January 1888, Mary petitioned the courts for a judicial separation as she was often abused and assaulted by her husband. She left him several times but kept returning after he promised to treat her better. Mary finally left John in 1887 and did not return. In 1893, Mary and her unmarried daughters were living in Stafford Street, Dunedin. When John died in 1905, his will, dated 1889 left everything to Mary. 

Mary Jolly died on 28 February 1906 and was buried in the Jolly family grave in the Dunedin Southern Cemetery, alongside John.

Panel materials: Donated old linen, lace, beads. The fabric with writing found in a local store and ‘fussy’ cut any words relating to courts and suing. The lace making bobbins had been donated to the local Altrusa haberdashery sale and no-one knew what to do with them, so I included them as an example of the kind of handwork some women would have done.