English Actress.
From her long career, she will be remembered as the sharpe-tongued, often unpleasant, but usually hilarious Blanche Hunt of the long-running British television series "Coronation Street". Raised in Yorkshire, Miss Jones was drawn to the theatre from an early age; after study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, she was to refine her craft with various local and regional companies. Gradually working her way up, she appeared in West End productions of "The Woman" and "Pride and Prejudice".
Her small screen debut came in 1961, ironically, with a "Coronation Street" cameo as a policewoman. Thru the 1960s, she became a regular on English television with appearances as Smither on "The Forsyte Saga" and Polly Barraclough in "Sam". (She had one additional small role, a shoplifter, on "Coronation Street"). After parts in a number of other series, audiences met her as Blanche in 1974 when she took over on short notice following the suicide of another actress; she remained in the cast until 1976, then made occasional reappearances over the years, while performing in such series as "The Barchester Chronicles", "Goodnight Sweetheart", "Dalziel and Pascoe", and "Peak Practice". Miss Jones returned to "Coronation Street" in 1996, then once again in 1999; she remained in the cast until illness forced her retirement in October, 2009.
She won British Inside Soap Awards for best comedic performances in 2005 and 2008. Miss Jones sometimes gave the impression that she did not especially like her character, or find her funny; nevertheless, of Blanche she said: "Everyone knows someone like Blanche-or if they don't, they wish they did. We'd all like to be as outspoken as her and have the nerve to say the things she does".
Margaret Jones was a Roman Catholic and married John Oliver Stansfield in 1971. He died at 72 in Westminster, London in 1999. Stansfield was a barrister and came from a wealthy family. Jones and her husband owned several estates including one in London and one in the country in Gloucestershire, England. The country estate in Gloucestershire was located adjacent to Berkeley Castle and was situated on 100 acres (0.40 km2) that included a very large English garden, park land and forest. Ms. Jones' Personal Assistant and the family's Executive Assistant and Estate Manager was Mary Ann Patino.
On 18 April 2008, Jones fell, injuring her knee and shoulder at the Manchester hotel in which she stayed while filming Coronation Street. She took two weeks off work to recover from the accident. She was written out of the series again when she fell ill in October 2009. That month, Jones was admitted to Salford Royal hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, for undisclosed major surgery. She was reported to be making a slow and steady recovery; however, her condition deteriorated, and she remained hospitalized until she died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of December 2, 2009. She was survived by her sister Joan.
Her final appearance as Blanche was aired on 11 December 2009. Jones' funeral was held at St. Peter's Catholic church in Clerkenwell, London on 15 December 2009. Jones' Memorial Service for her large northern circle of fans and friends was held with a well attended and full congregation at Salford St Johns Catholic Cathedral with Canon Anthony McBride and members of the Salford Cathedral choir on February 25, 2010 where many of her friends, colleagues and admirers from the general public turned out in strength to pay tribute to her professionalism as an actor and to her reliability, perspicacity and honesty as a friend. Tributes included those from William Roache, Anne Kirkbride, Tony Singleton, Sue Nichols, Craig Gazey and Brooke Vincent.
From her long career, she will be remembered as the sharpe-tongued, often unpleasant, but usually hilarious Blanche Hunt of the long-running British television series "Coronation Street". Raised in Yorkshire, Miss Jones was drawn to the theatre from an early age; after study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, she was to refine her craft with various local and regional companies. Gradually working her way up, she appeared in West End productions of "The Woman" and "Pride and Prejudice".
Her small screen debut came in 1961, ironically, with a "Coronation Street" cameo as a policewoman. Thru the 1960s, she became a regular on English television with appearances as Smither on "The Forsyte Saga" and Polly Barraclough in "Sam". (She had one additional small role, a shoplifter, on "Coronation Street"). After parts in a number of other series, audiences met her as Blanche in 1974 when she took over on short notice following the suicide of another actress; she remained in the cast until 1976, then made occasional reappearances over the years, while performing in such series as "The Barchester Chronicles", "Goodnight Sweetheart", "Dalziel and Pascoe", and "Peak Practice". Miss Jones returned to "Coronation Street" in 1996, then once again in 1999; she remained in the cast until illness forced her retirement in October, 2009.
She won British Inside Soap Awards for best comedic performances in 2005 and 2008. Miss Jones sometimes gave the impression that she did not especially like her character, or find her funny; nevertheless, of Blanche she said: "Everyone knows someone like Blanche-or if they don't, they wish they did. We'd all like to be as outspoken as her and have the nerve to say the things she does".
Margaret Jones was a Roman Catholic and married John Oliver Stansfield in 1971. He died at 72 in Westminster, London in 1999. Stansfield was a barrister and came from a wealthy family. Jones and her husband owned several estates including one in London and one in the country in Gloucestershire, England. The country estate in Gloucestershire was located adjacent to Berkeley Castle and was situated on 100 acres (0.40 km2) that included a very large English garden, park land and forest. Ms. Jones' Personal Assistant and the family's Executive Assistant and Estate Manager was Mary Ann Patino.
On 18 April 2008, Jones fell, injuring her knee and shoulder at the Manchester hotel in which she stayed while filming Coronation Street. She took two weeks off work to recover from the accident. She was written out of the series again when she fell ill in October 2009. That month, Jones was admitted to Salford Royal hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, for undisclosed major surgery. She was reported to be making a slow and steady recovery; however, her condition deteriorated, and she remained hospitalized until she died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of December 2, 2009. She was survived by her sister Joan.
Her final appearance as Blanche was aired on 11 December 2009. Jones' funeral was held at St. Peter's Catholic church in Clerkenwell, London on 15 December 2009. Jones' Memorial Service for her large northern circle of fans and friends was held with a well attended and full congregation at Salford St Johns Catholic Cathedral with Canon Anthony McBride and members of the Salford Cathedral choir on February 25, 2010 where many of her friends, colleagues and admirers from the general public turned out in strength to pay tribute to her professionalism as an actor and to her reliability, perspicacity and honesty as a friend. Tributes included those from William Roache, Anne Kirkbride, Tony Singleton, Sue Nichols, Craig Gazey and Brooke Vincent.
English Actress.
From her long career, she will be remembered as the sharpe-tongued, often unpleasant, but usually hilarious Blanche Hunt of the long-running British television series "Coronation Street". Raised in Yorkshire, Miss Jones was drawn to the theatre from an early age; after study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, she was to refine her craft with various local and regional companies. Gradually working her way up, she appeared in West End productions of "The Woman" and "Pride and Prejudice".
Her small screen debut came in 1961, ironically, with a "Coronation Street" cameo as a policewoman. Thru the 1960s, she became a regular on English television with appearances as Smither on "The Forsyte Saga" and Polly Barraclough in "Sam". (She had one additional small role, a shoplifter, on "Coronation Street"). After parts in a number of other series, audiences met her as Blanche in 1974 when she took over on short notice following the suicide of another actress; she remained in the cast until 1976, then made occasional reappearances over the years, while performing in such series as "The Barchester Chronicles", "Goodnight Sweetheart", "Dalziel and Pascoe", and "Peak Practice". Miss Jones returned to "Coronation Street" in 1996, then once again in 1999; she remained in the cast until illness forced her retirement in October, 2009.
She won British Inside Soap Awards for best comedic performances in 2005 and 2008. Miss Jones sometimes gave the impression that she did not especially like her character, or find her funny; nevertheless, of Blanche she said: "Everyone knows someone like Blanche-or if they don't, they wish they did. We'd all like to be as outspoken as her and have the nerve to say the things she does".
Margaret Jones was a Roman Catholic and married John Oliver Stansfield in 1971. He died at 72 in Westminster, London in 1999. Stansfield was a barrister and came from a wealthy family. Jones and her husband owned several estates including one in London and one in the country in Gloucestershire, England. The country estate in Gloucestershire was located adjacent to Berkeley Castle and was situated on 100 acres (0.40 km2) that included a very large English garden, park land and forest. Ms. Jones' Personal Assistant and the family's Executive Assistant and Estate Manager was Mary Ann Patino.
On 18 April 2008, Jones fell, injuring her knee and shoulder at the Manchester hotel in which she stayed while filming Coronation Street. She took two weeks off work to recover from the accident. She was written out of the series again when she fell ill in October 2009. That month, Jones was admitted to Salford Royal hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, for undisclosed major surgery. She was reported to be making a slow and steady recovery; however, her condition deteriorated, and she remained hospitalized until she died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of December 2, 2009. She was survived by her sister Joan.
Her final appearance as Blanche was aired on 11 December 2009. Jones' funeral was held at St. Peter's Catholic church in Clerkenwell, London on 15 December 2009. Jones' Memorial Service for her large northern circle of fans and friends was held with a well attended and full congregation at Salford St Johns Catholic Cathedral with Canon Anthony McBride and members of the Salford Cathedral choir on February 25, 2010 where many of her friends, colleagues and admirers from the general public turned out in strength to pay tribute to her professionalism as an actor and to her reliability, perspicacity and honesty as a friend. Tributes included those from William Roache, Anne Kirkbride, Tony Singleton, Sue Nichols, Craig Gazey and Brooke Vincent.
From her long career, she will be remembered as the sharpe-tongued, often unpleasant, but usually hilarious Blanche Hunt of the long-running British television series "Coronation Street". Raised in Yorkshire, Miss Jones was drawn to the theatre from an early age; after study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, she was to refine her craft with various local and regional companies. Gradually working her way up, she appeared in West End productions of "The Woman" and "Pride and Prejudice".
Her small screen debut came in 1961, ironically, with a "Coronation Street" cameo as a policewoman. Thru the 1960s, she became a regular on English television with appearances as Smither on "The Forsyte Saga" and Polly Barraclough in "Sam". (She had one additional small role, a shoplifter, on "Coronation Street"). After parts in a number of other series, audiences met her as Blanche in 1974 when she took over on short notice following the suicide of another actress; she remained in the cast until 1976, then made occasional reappearances over the years, while performing in such series as "The Barchester Chronicles", "Goodnight Sweetheart", "Dalziel and Pascoe", and "Peak Practice". Miss Jones returned to "Coronation Street" in 1996, then once again in 1999; she remained in the cast until illness forced her retirement in October, 2009.
She won British Inside Soap Awards for best comedic performances in 2005 and 2008. Miss Jones sometimes gave the impression that she did not especially like her character, or find her funny; nevertheless, of Blanche she said: "Everyone knows someone like Blanche-or if they don't, they wish they did. We'd all like to be as outspoken as her and have the nerve to say the things she does".
Margaret Jones was a Roman Catholic and married John Oliver Stansfield in 1971. He died at 72 in Westminster, London in 1999. Stansfield was a barrister and came from a wealthy family. Jones and her husband owned several estates including one in London and one in the country in Gloucestershire, England. The country estate in Gloucestershire was located adjacent to Berkeley Castle and was situated on 100 acres (0.40 km2) that included a very large English garden, park land and forest. Ms. Jones' Personal Assistant and the family's Executive Assistant and Estate Manager was Mary Ann Patino.
On 18 April 2008, Jones fell, injuring her knee and shoulder at the Manchester hotel in which she stayed while filming Coronation Street. She took two weeks off work to recover from the accident. She was written out of the series again when she fell ill in October 2009. That month, Jones was admitted to Salford Royal hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, for undisclosed major surgery. She was reported to be making a slow and steady recovery; however, her condition deteriorated, and she remained hospitalized until she died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of December 2, 2009. She was survived by her sister Joan.
Her final appearance as Blanche was aired on 11 December 2009. Jones' funeral was held at St. Peter's Catholic church in Clerkenwell, London on 15 December 2009. Jones' Memorial Service for her large northern circle of fans and friends was held with a well attended and full congregation at Salford St Johns Catholic Cathedral with Canon Anthony McBride and members of the Salford Cathedral choir on February 25, 2010 where many of her friends, colleagues and admirers from the general public turned out in strength to pay tribute to her professionalism as an actor and to her reliability, perspicacity and honesty as a friend. Tributes included those from William Roache, Anne Kirkbride, Tony Singleton, Sue Nichols, Craig Gazey and Brooke Vincent.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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