FAREWELL UNA STUBBS
We say a sad goodbye to the actress Una Stubbs, who died in Edinburgh on 12th August 2021, age 84, surrounded by her family. She had been ill for a few months.
Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment industry, describing her as a wonderful actress, gifted, graceful, gracious, kind, humble, mischievous with an impish sense of humour, who lit up the room.
Born in Welwyn Garden City, and brought up in Hinckley Leicestershire, she went to La Roche Dancing School in Slough. She started her career at 16 as a chorus girl at the London Palladium, and in the 1960’s was the Dairy Box girl in the TV chocolate adverts. However, it was in 1963 that she found fame in the film Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard, in one of the lead roles. She had auditioned for the film as a dancer, but her talent shone through, and she was offered the role of Sandy. Success followed, starring in the TV sitcom Till Death Us Do Part 1966-75, with Cherie Blair’s father Tony Booth and Warren Mitchell, and as Aunt Sally with Jon Pertwee in the popular TV series Wurzel Gummidge. She played alongside Dame Barbara Windsor in the TV soap opera EastEnders. Despite no formal acting training, she starred on screen, television, and stage, including in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
She was married but divorced, to actor Peter Gilmore and then to Nicky Henson who she also divorced, and had three sons. She said she had two jobs, motherhood and acting.
Una's good friend Sir Cliff Richard remembers a wonderful actress, who was a most exciting person to be with. She was also funny, could do almost anything, act, dance and sing. He said he will miss her greatly, her talent and joy.
Thank you Una, for the many lives you enhanced.
Pictures by Edward Lloyd
SubEditor Diana Austin
