Lilian Teresa Jolly (22 May 1922 - 13 Feb 2008)

In loving memory of Lilian Teresa Jolly who sadly passed away on 13th February 2008.

OUR MUM

Betty was one of 6 children born to Jack and Isabella Taylor in Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne, in May 1922. Her father Jack was an ex Regimental Sergeant Major. Not Much is known about her mother because she died in 1940 when Betty was just 18, we know Isabella was a firm but kind lady, and that she encouraged Betty to go to dancing school. we also favourite song was Danny Boy.
Betty had 3 brothers Ernie, Freddy, and Eddy and 2 sisters Ethel and Lilla, they all passed away many years ago, while they were all still relatively young in their 60’s and 70’s. Betty outlasted them all by reaching 85.

Betty was a born entertainer, she took the skills she learned at dancing school to join a chorus line, they travelled around and played many theatres. The most famous one being the Glasgow Empire. Who knows where life in the theatre may have taken her, but for a visit home, and her mum finding out that she had nits and so wouldn’t let her return to the chorus line, much to her disappointment.

The war had already been going for almost 2 years, It was 1940 Betty’s mum had recently passed away and she was of an age she could join up, so she enlisted in the ATS. She enjoyed these years and had many tales to tell of her time in the forces. For a time she was stationed in Darlington. It was there that she met the handsome Billy Jolly. Billy’s family were greengrocers, and they had sent him a parcel of oranges, a real luxury in the war. Betty could smell the oranges through the paper and so delivered them to ’ Jolly Bill’ as the parcel was labelled, in the hope that she could wangle an orange from the young soldier. She got the orange.

It was Betty’s sauciness as well as well as her good looks that attracted the shy young soldier so Billy asked her to go to the pictures with him one night, and she thought he might not turn up so she took along a friend. But Billy did turn up and had to take the two of them to the cinema.
But, love blossomed anyway and Betty and Billy married in January 1945 on a cold snowy day in Gosforth.

As Billy had grown up in the family greengrocery business he knew no other type of work, so it was to this he turned to make a living. Betty, fortunately had had a few jobs in her time, and working in a greengrocers in Gosforth was one of them. They started married life, living in 27 Brunel Street Canning Town and working on the stall in Rathbone Street Market. Betty was far away from her native Gosforth home, and by now pregnant with her first baby. She would sit up beside Billy on the cart behind Nobby the horse. With Billy’s family thinking she’ll give birth to the baby on that cart. She felt lonely and out of place. Billy’s mum and dad and brothers and sisters were all kind enough, but she yearned for home. Six weeks after having her daughter Pat, she went back home to Gosforth to show her family the new arrival. Billy battled on alone in London. Betty had promised that she would be home at the end of two weeks. But she didn’t return. 2 telegrams and six weeks later and with a push from her dad she arrived back in London. Billy thought he had lost her and his baby. Betty being determined, decided to knuckle down and work hard with Billy, she made a conscious effort to lose her lovely Geordie accent to become a cockney. Which she regretted in later years.

The theatre was still in Betty’s blood and she loved to go to see the shows at the ‘Queens Theatre’ in Poplar. She went often, and usually took little Pat along with her. She got to know the man in the box office who sold the tickets and also a young usherette. She’d managed to persuade the man in the box office to give her tickets in exchange for bars of Cadbury’s chocolate. It would be the cheapest tickets, but once inside her friend, the young usherette would show her and her and Pat to the best seats in the house.

During the show, they would have a spot prize competition, more often than not Betty would be picked, she would go up on stage and perform some comedy sketch they had set up and get a prize for it. At the end of the evening, lots of balloons would float down from the ceiling and she would run up and down the aisle to grab one for Pat to take home.

By 1949 her second daughter, Elizabeth was born. Life wasn’t easy with two young daughters to take care of, and working on the stall in all weathers. Then in 1952 Betty and Billy moved to Tarling Road taking over a brand new shop with a flat to go with it. She was able to see more of her dad, and her brothers and sisters who would bring their families to spend their holidays with Betty. Although her brothers and sisters died long before, she has had the love of their children, especially her nieces Carol, Joan, & Audrey.

Apart from Betty’s two daughters, Pat and Liz, and her nieces, Betty’s two grand daughters Jane and Joanne brought her a lot of happiness, she was always giving them little bits of pocket money, right from when they were small but especially when they were both students studying for their degrees. She knew how much it meant to them to be able to go out and buy a little top, or some toiletries. and they both made her very proud when they actually got their degrees. But Betty’s biggest love was her Billy, together they were an unbeatable team. They worked alongside each other for nearly 40 years, and were married for 59 years. Very rarely did they spend any time apart. They enjoyed each others company, and would laugh and joke together all the time. They were husband and wife and best friends.
If you saw one of them, you just knew the other would be close by. Betty’s world fell apart when Billy passed away.

Betty didn’t make it to the top with a show biz career, but as it was said earlier, she was a born entertainer. She enjoyed entertaining at all the family ‘dos’. she could sing a song, tap dance, she was even known to play the drums at one time. She was very funny and would often come out with one liners that just made you laugh out loud. Her most well known get up, was to dress up as Tina Turner, and dance and sing the tune ‘Simply the Best. and nothing could sum up Betty more than by saying She was ‘Simply the Best”. Simply the best wife, Simply the best mum, Simply the best Nan.

And to end this, Pat Liz John Jane & Joanne would say what Betty always said to them as they were leaving. Love Ya, See YA Later.

God Bless you our Dear Mum & Nan.

To view the obituary page in memory of Lilian's husband William, who sadly passed away on 10th February 2004, please click here.