There is not a lot of information available on Captain Jolley He was born in Melbourne 1813 and had what seems to be a very interesting life. After serving in the Boer War he settled in New Guinea and worked as a planter for the infamous Queen Emma.
Jolley became the British Consul for German New Guinea (Rabaul) and in 1914 was imprisoned at the planation by the Germans. However, it was a short-lived imprisonment as Major F B Heritage of the Tropical Force arranged for his release. Jolley joined the 4th Infantry Battalion and served in France during the First World War.
After the war he returned to New Guinea, had a planation at Kokopo, became deputy Chairman of the Expropriation Board and in 1927 helped establish the Melanesian Company, a plantation and trading business. It was one of his employees, Sumsuma, who started the 1929 Rabaul Strike.
In 1932 Jolley purchased a property ‘Steepleton’ at 13 Silex Road, Mosman, purchased more portions, subdivided and in 1936 engaged architect Clifton D. Leake to design the Art Deco apartments ‘Greentrees Flat’ 11A Silex Road.