Jeillo Edwards (23 September 1942 – 2 July 2004) 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 The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

. 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 ''Dixon of Dock Green'' is a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 1955 ...

'', 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. Edwards moved to England in the late 1950s and studied at the

. 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 a British Public broadcasting, public service broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach. It broadcas ...

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 ''

'' in 1972. She also appeared on television dramas such as '' The Professionals'', ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...

'' and ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

''. She performed on British television, radio, stage and films for more than four decades. Edwards appeared in cameo roles in many British television comedy programmes, including ''

The League of Gentlemen ''The League of Gentlemen'' is a British surreal comedy horror series that premiered on BBC Two in 1999. The programme is set in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England originally based on Alston, Cumbria, and follows the lives ...

'', '' Absolutely Fabulous'', ''

Red Dwarf A red dwarf is the smallest kind of star on the main sequence. Red dwarfs are by far the most common type of fusing star in the Milky Way, at least in the neighborhood of the Sun. However, due to their low luminosity, individual red dwarfs are ...

'', '' Black Books'', ''

Spaced ''Spaced'' is a British television sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the comedic, and sometimes surreal and action-packed, misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim Bi ...

'' and '' Little Britain'', in which she had been planned to appear in the second series before her death. As well as acting she was a

school governor In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, school governors are the overseers of a school. In state schools, they have three main functions: *Giving the school a clear vision, ethos and strategic direction *Holding the headteacher to account for th ...

and owned a restaurant called Auntie J's in

Brixton Brixton is an area of 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 century ...

. In the early 1970s, she married a Ghanaian, Edmund Clottey, and they had a daughter and two sons. Jeillo Edwards died in London on 2 July 2004, at the age of 61. She had suffered chronic kidney problems.

Actress

*2003: '' Little Britain'' .... 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 Anansi or Ananse ( ; literally translates to ''spider'') is a character in Akan religion and folklore associated with stories, wisdom, knowledge, and trickery, most commonly depicted as a spider. Anansi is a character who reflects the culture ...

'' .... Aunt Vera *2001: '' Absolutely Fabulous'' .... Jeillo (1 episode, 2001) *2001: '' Sam's Game'' .... Mumma (1 episode, 2001) *2001: ''

'' .... 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: ''

'' .... 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 Babes in the Wood is a traditional English children's tale, as well as a popular pantomime subject. It has also been the name of some other unrelated works. The expression has passed into common language, referring to inexperienced innocents ent ...

'' .... Nigerian Lady (1 episode, 1998) *1998: '' 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'' .... Mary Prince (1 episode, 1994) *1993: '' The Line, the Cross & the Curve'' .... Dancer 'Eat the Music' *1992: ''

Screen One ''Screen One'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and distributed by BBC Worldwide, that was transmitted on BBC One from 1989 to 1998. A total of six series were broadcast, incorporating sixty individual films, s ...

'' .... Mrs. Jessop (1 episode, 1992) *1989: '' Sob Sisters'' .... Woman with dog (1 episode, 1989) *1989: ''

'' .... Grandmother / ... (3 episodes, 1989–1997) *1988: ''

Rumpole of the Bailey ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, ...

'' .... Lady Cashier (1 episode, 1988) *1988: '' London's Burning'' .... Mrs. Jones (1 episode, 1988) *1987: ''

'' .... 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 Scoop, Scoops or The Scoop may refer to: Artefacts * Scoop (machine part), a component of machinery to carry things * Scoop (tool), a shovel-like tool, particularly one deep and curved, used in digging * Scoop (theater), a type of wide area l ...

'' (TV) .... Mrs. Jackson *1985: '' Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'' .... Landlady (1 episode, 1985) *1983: '' Maybury'' .... Mrs. Galsworthy (1 episode, 1983) *1982: '' Love Is Old, Love Is New'' (TV) .... Ward maid *1981: '' Memoirs of a Survivor'' .... Woman at Newsstand *1979: '' Empire Road'' ... Mary O'Fili (1 episode, 1979) *1979: ''

Room Service Room service or in-room dining is a hotel service enabling guests to choose items of food and drink for delivery to their hotel room for consumption. Room service is organized as a subdivision within the food and beverage department of high-end ...

'' TV series .... Mrs. McGregor (unknown episodes) *1978: '' The Professionals'' .... 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 An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

'' .... Mrs. Jobo (2 episodes, 1975–1980) *1972: ''

'' .... 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 20th-century Sierra Leonean women 21st-century Sierra Leonean actors Sierra Leonean actresses People from Freetown