Facebook
  • News
    • All News
    • 2026 Election
    • Arts & Culture
    • Community
    • Council
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Politics
    • Property
    • Transport
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle Articles
    • Automotive
    • Entertainment
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holly in the Burbs
    • Home & Decor
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Our People
    • Photos
    • Puzzles
    • Read, Watch & Listen
    • Religion
    • Senior Living
    • Simon Gault
    • Travel
    • Walks & Tourism
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • HR
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • Professional
    • Tech
    • Trades
  • Opinion
    • Aksel Bech
    • Andrew Bayly
    • Andy Baker
    • Casey Costello
    • Christopher Luxon
    • Desley Simpson
    • Franklin Local Board
    • I Am Hope
    • Papakura Local Board
    • Cartoons
    • Junior Journalists
    • Times Polls
  • Real Estate
  • Win!
    • Competitions
    • Nominate a Community Hero
  • Whats On
  • Classifieds
    • Book a Classified
    • All Classifieds
    • Public Notices
    • Situations Vacant
  • Read Online
  • Free Digital Subscription
Search
Times
Thursday, September 24, 2026
  • Read Online
  • Pickup Locations
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Home Delivery
  • Contact Us
Times
  • News
    • All News
    • 2026 Election
    • Arts & Culture
    • Community
    • Council
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Politics
    • Property
    • Transport
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle Articles
    • Automotive
    • Entertainment
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holly in the Burbs
    • Home & Decor
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Our People
    • Photos
    • Puzzles
    • Read, Watch & Listen
    • Religion
    • Senior Living
    • Simon Gault
    • Travel
    • Walks & Tourism
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • HR
    • Insurance
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • Professional
    • Tech
    • Trades
  • Opinion
    • Aksel Bech
    • Andrew Bayly
    • Andy Baker
    • Casey Costello
    • Christopher Luxon
    • Desley Simpson
    • Franklin Local Board
    • I Am Hope
    • Papakura Local Board
    • Cartoons
    • Junior Journalists
    • Times Polls
  • Real Estate
  • Win!
    • Competitions
    • Nominate a Community Hero
  • Whats On
  • Classifieds
    • Book a Classified
    • All Classifieds
    • Public Notices
    • Situations Vacant
  • Read Online
  • Free Digital Subscription
HomeNewsCommunityRemembering the Jolly Farmer

Remembering the Jolly Farmer

Times Team
By Times Team
November 20, 2025
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
The Jolly Farmer (or Murphy’s Law) is no more. Photo supplied

Anthony Wright of Drury Tires remembers the Jolly Farmer fondly and the connections that he and his family shared with the people who worked there over many years.

“After a hard day’s work, you’d go there and have a drink, it was my dad’s local and my mum used to work there for several years with Trevor and Linda Wheeler, they were the owners in the early 1980s.

“A lot of connections with my mum working there, in fact, because she worked there, she got us a good deal, and I had my 21st [birthday] there.

“In fact, we hired out the whole pub: we had the public bar, where all my friends were hanging out, and the lounge bar, where all the family was, and we had all the food there.
“Later on in life, when I got married, my wife and I had our reception there after our wedding, so we’ve got a lot of history there.”

Wright said it was hard to call the pub by its new name, Murphy’s Law, when it was renamed circa 2008.

“It had been known as the Jolly Farmer forever. Just out of principle, and I’m not alone, a multitude of us refused to call it Murphy’s Law.

“We just know it as the Jolly, it’s always been the Jolly, it has been around for a long, long time,” said Wright.

The pub will be replaced with fast-food outlets and a service station as redevelopment plans for the busy growth corridor move ahead.

Read more: Redevelopment underway at Drury pub site

  • Tags
  • Anthony Wright
  • Drury
  • Drury Metropolitan Centre
  • Jolly Farmer
  • Murphy's Law
Share
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Linkedin
    Previous article
    New Zealand celebrating World Children’s Day
    Next article
    Redevelopment underway at Drury pub site

    More from Franklin Times

    One seriously injured in Drury crash, Gt Sth Rd closed

    Police search for person missing in Waikato River

    Can we fix it? Yes, Repair Fest suggests

    Latest News

    GVR reeling after fatal incident

    September 24, 2026

    Frankliners benefit from rural water funds

    September 24, 2026

    Anyone for boccia? Takanini hosting national champs

    September 24, 2026

    Healthy Home, Healthy Planet Expo… healthy Pukekohe?

    September 24, 2026

    To infinity and beyond at Franklin libraries

    September 24, 2026

    Cartoon: learning the ropes

    September 24, 2026

    Join the Franklin Times Online Newsletter for all the latest news, developments and more.

    Times

    About

    The Franklin Times is published by Times Media, an independently-owned publishing company based in East Auckland, founded in 1972.

    Facebook
    Mail

    Useful Links

    • Read Online
    • Pickup Locations
    • Digital Edition
    • Classifieds
    • Contact Us
    • Nominate a Community Hero

    Latest News

    GVR reeling after fatal incident

    Frankliners benefit from rural water funds

    Copyright © Times Media 2025