Jeillo Edwards (23 September 1942, Freetown, Sierra Leone – 2 July 2004, London, England) was a Sierra Leonean actress, who is notable in the history of black actors in Britain. She was the first woman of African descent to study drama at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She went on to be one of the first black actresses to be cast in a mainstream UK television drama series – '' Dixon of Dock Green'', and for more than four decades performed on British television, radio, stage and films.

Biography

Jeillo Angela Doris Edwards was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, one of six children, and she attended the

Annie Walsh Memorial School The Annie Walsh Memorial School is an all-girls secondary school in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was established in 1849 originally in Charlotte, Sierra Leone, Charlotte, a newly established village for recaptives. It is claimed to be the oldest g ...

. She moved to England in the late 1950s and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She began performing at the age of four, reading from the Bible at her church. She was well known for her distinctive voice and imperious enunciation. She featured on the

BBC World Service The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...

for Africa, which was broadcast in the UK. She became popular in the United Kingdom, appearing on television, where she was the first black woman to appear on British television as well as being the first African to appear on '' The Bill'', radio and on stage. She appeared in cameo roles in many British television comedy programmes, including ''

The Professionals A professional is someone who is skilled in a profession. Professional or professionals may also refer to: * Professional sports Music *The Professionals (band), a British punk rock band formed in 1979 * ''The Professionals'' (The Professionals ...

, '' The League of Gentlemen'', '' Absolutely Fabulous'', ''

Red Dwarf ''Red Dwarf'' is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. T ...

'', '' Black Books'', '' Spaced'' and ''

Little Britain Little Britain may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little Britain'' (sketch show), a British radio and then TV show ** ''Little Britain USA'', an American spin-off * "Little Britain", a song by Dreadzone from the 1995 album '' Second Light'' ...

'', in which she had been planned to appear in the second series before her death. As well as acting she also at one time was a school governor and owned a restaurant called Auntie J's in

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

. In the early 1970s, she married a Ghanaian, Edmund Clottey, and they had a daughter and two sons. Jeillo Edwards died in London at the age of 61, having suffered chronic kidney problems.

Actress

*2003: ''

'' .... Nurse (1 episode, 2003) *2003: '' Murder Investigation Team'' .... Agnes Welsh (1 episode, 2003) *2003: '' Murder in Mind'' .... Phyllis (1 episode, 2003) *2002: '' Dirty Pretty Things'' .... Hospital Cleaning Lady *2002: '' Anansi'' .... Aunt Vera *2001: '' Absolutely Fabulous'' .... Jeillo (1 episode, 2001) *2001: '' Sam's Game'' .... Mumma (1 episode, 2001) *2001: '' Spaced'' .... Tim's Benefit Clerk (1 episode, 2001) *2000: '' Black Books'' .... Midwife (1 episode, 2000) *2000: '' The Thing About Vince'' .... Mrs. Cuffy (2 episodes, 2000) *2000: '' The League of Gentlemen'' .... Yvonne (1 episode, 2000) *2000: '' Tough Love'' (TV) .... Irate Woman *1999: ''

'' .... Second Ground Controller (1 episode, 1999) *1998: '' A Rather English Marriage'' (TV) .... Sister *1998: '' Babes in the Wood'' .... Nigerian Lady (1 episode, 1998) *1998: ''

In Exile In Exile may refer to: Film and television * ''In Exile'' (film) or ''Time Runner'', a 1993 science fiction film * ''In Exile'' (TV series), a 1998 UK sitcom Literature * "In Exile" (short story), an 1892 short story by Anton Chekhov *''In Exile'' ...

'' .... Mother (1 episode, 1998) *1997: '' Holding On'' .... Aunt Gaynor (5 episodes, 1997) *1997: '' Paris, Brixton'' .... Landlady *1996: '' Beautiful Thing'' .... Rose *1994: '' Pat and Margaret'' (TV) .... Tea Bar Lady *1994: ''

A Skirt Through History A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''ae ...

'' .... Mary Prince (1 episode, 1994) *1993: '' The Line, the Cross & the Curve'' .... Dancer 'Eat the Music' *1992: '' Screen One'' .... Mrs. Jessop (1 episode, 1992) *1989: '' Sob Sisters'' .... Woman with dog (1 episode, 1989) *1989: '' Casualty'' .... Grandmother / ... (3 episodes, 1989–1997) *1988: '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' .... Lady Cashier (1 episode, 1988) *1988: '' London's Burning'' .... Mrs. Jones (1 episode, 1988) *1987: '' The Bill'' .... Clarice Paine / Mary Mullen / Mrs Ambrose / Mrs Peake / Mrs Konchella / Mrs Keel / Woman at Counter (7 episodes, 1987–2000) *1987: '' Elphida'' (TV) .... Somali woman *1987: '' Scoop'' (TV) .... Mrs. Jackson *1985: ''

Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense ''Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'' is a short-lived (one season) anthology television series produced in Britain in 1984/85 by Hammer Film Productions. Though similar in format to the 1980 series ''Hammer House of Horror'', the ''Mystery a ...

'' .... Landlady (1 episode, 1985) *1983: '' Maybury'' .... Mrs. Galsworthy (1 episode, 1983) *1982: ''

Love Is Old, Love Is New Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love ...

'' (TV) .... Ward maid *1981: ''

Memoirs of a Survivor ''The Memoirs of a Survivor'' is a dystopian novel by Nobel Prize-winner Doris Lessing. It was first published in 1974 by Octagon Press. It was made into a film in 1981, starring Julie Christie and Nigel Hawthorne, and directed by David Glad ...

'' .... Woman at Newsstand *1979: '' Empire Road'' ... Mary O'Fili (1 episode, 1979) *1979: '' Room Service'' TV series .... Mrs. McGregor (unknown episodes) *1978: ''

'' .... West Indian Woman (1 episode, 1978) *1978: '' Betzi'' (TV) .... Sarah *1976: '' Centre Play'' .... Nurse (2 episodes, 1976–1977) *1975: ''

Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...

'' .... Lucy / ... (2 episodes, 1975–1980) *1975: '' Angels'' .... Mrs. Jobo (2 episodes, 1975–1980) *1972: '' Dixon of Dock Green'' .... Mrs. Morgan (1 episode, 1972)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Jeillo 1942 births 2004 deaths Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Sierra Leone Creole people Sierra Leonean film actors Sierra Leonean emigrants to the United Kingdom Black British actresses 20th-century actresses 21st-century actresses 20th-century Sierra Leonean actors 21st-century Sierra Leonean actors Sierra Leonean actresses People from Freetown