Charles was born in Higham Ferrers and baptized in St Mary’s Church on the 1st January 1860, son of Charles and Susan.  He went to school in Higham Ferrers and must have enjoyed it because by 1881 he was living in Wheathamstead working as a teacher in an Elementary School.  His love though was for music.  It was whilst working as a practicing musician he gained a degree in Music from New College, Oxford.  It was reported in the London Standard on the 16^th October 1888 that he had gained a degree of Batchelor in Music. On the 25^th October 1888  Rev. Dr. Bellamy officially awarded it to him and the degree ceremony in Oxford, and from then on Charles was permitted to use the title Professor of Music. The compositions the music students had to submit as examination pieces (BMus and DMus Exercises) were deposited in the Music Section of the Bodleian Library’s Department of Western Manuscripts. A typed list of these Exercises and their composers is held in the Music Reading Room at the Bodleian Library and are still available for perusal. By 1892 he had become the Organist at St George’s Hanover Square, a position he was to hold for the next 55 years.

On March 30th 1889 Charles gave an organ recital in support of the fund raising event for St Mary’s Mission, Parish Church, Chesterfield.  He played an impressive repertoire including pieces by Mendlessohn, Bach and Grison.  Whilst commending Charles’ skill The Derbyshire Times reported that “Mr Jolley proved himself a master of his art,” but it also stated “it must be mentioned however that the organ is sadly out of tune which rather marred the effect of the softer pieces.”

He married Lilian Doble (born in Brixton in 1866), in Holy Trinity Church Twickenham, on October 7^th 1890. His father had been one of the witnesses and his father’s occupation was recorded as “government contractor.”  Charles and Lilian had two sons, Eric Arthur (born in Twickenham in 1892) and Norman Kemp, (born in Wandsworth in 1895). Norman’s middle name was in honour one of Charles’ good friends, Mr F W Kemp, a conductor.  Charles continued to work as a freelance musician, whilst retaining the organist post at St George’s, Hannover Square and Holy Trinity, Twickenham.  The Berkshire County paper reported a successful inaugural concert on June 19^th 1915 when Charles played the new organ at the Windsor Congregational Church.

Both of Charles’ sons had very successful military careers. Eric joined the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk. He served in the East Indies on a twin-screw cruiser, the flag ship Hyacinth, in 1909, as a clerk. He was in Hong Kong on the Tamar in 1913 as Assistant Paymaster and in 1917 on the torpedo ship, Actaeon.  It was whist serving on the Actaeon that he was brought to the attention of the Admiralty by his commanding officer R A E Villiers, who on the 27^th June 1919 wrote in dispatches: “A most zealous hardworking and capable officer.  He acted as my secretary for the past three years of the war, and has rendered me valuable assistance during a time of great stress with seldom less than 140 vessels attached.”  He was awarded at least two medals, one for his service in the Persian Gulf between 1909 and 1914, and a WWI victory medal in 1920.  Eric continued to be promoted.  By 1931 he was the Paymaster Commander and awarded the OBE.  He retired from the Navy on the 30^th June 1941 but transferred to the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and continued to serve throughout the Second World War.  He died in Taunton Deane, in Somerset, in 1987.

Norman had similar success as his brother.  He joined the Royal Marines and was a Second Lieutenant in 1912, and by the end of WWI was a captain. He continued in the RM after the war and his services were acknowledged in 1936 when the Portsmouth Evening News reported on the 23^rd June that Major (brevet Lieutenant-Colonel) had been awarded the OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.  In WWII he was a Major General in the RM depot in Deal.  He died in Westminister in 1951.

The plaque recording Charles' long service