Shirley Stelfox

Updated: 12/20/2025, 1:39:09 PM Wikipedia source

Shirley Rosemary Stelfox (11 April 1941 – 7 December 2015) was a British actress, known for her portrayal of the character Edna Birch, a moralising busybody in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, and as Rose, the vampy sister of the snobby and overbearing Hyacinth Bucket in the first series of the comedy series Keeping Up Appearances.

Infobox

Born

Shirley Rosemary Stelfox(1941-04-11)11 April 1941Dukinfield, Cheshire, England

Died

7 December 2015(2015-12-07) (aged 74)Nottinghamshire, England

Occupation

Actress

Years active

1954–2015

Known for

Emmerdale as Edna BirchKeeping Up Appearances as Rose

Spouses

mw- Keith Edmundson (m. 1962; div. 1965) Don Henderson (m. 1979; died 1997)

Children

Tables

· Selective filmography

1966

Pardon the Expression

Role(s)

Sales Assistant

Notes

Episode: "The Dinner Party"

1967

Who Is Sylvia?

Notes

Episode: "A Pool of Blood and a Red Carnation"

1968

Corruption

Role(s)

Girl at Party

1971-1972

Role(s)

Nearest and Dearest

Notes

Det. Constable Gloria Simpkins / Clara Wilson

1971

Carry On at Your Convenience

Role(s)

Bunny Girl Waitress

1972

Budgie

Role(s)

The Barmaid

Notes

Episode: "Our Story So Far..."

1973

Pathfinders

Role(s)

Grete

Notes

Episode: "Sweets from a Stranger"

Crown Court

Role(s)

Mrs Catherine Barnes

Notes

Episode: "Regina v Barnes: Whatever Happened to George Robins?: Part 3"

1980-1983

Role(s)

Juliet Bravo

Notes

Mrs Collis / Mavis 'Colette' Newby

1981

Play for Today

Role(s)

Mrs Smith

Notes

Episode: "A Brush with Mr Porter on the Road to El Dorado"

The Chinese Detective

Role(s)

Arlene

Notes

Episode: "Release"

1983

Grange Hill

Role(s)

Secretary

Notes

1 episode

1984

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Role(s)

Prostitute

1984-1988

Role(s)

Bergerac

Notes

Anna Ackerman / Pam Lewis

Bootle Saddles

Role(s)

Rita Henderson

Notes

6 episodes

1986–1987

Role(s)

Brookside

Notes

Madge Richmond

1987

Knights of God

Role(s)

Beth Edwards

Notes

7 episodes

Personal Services

Role(s)

Shirley

1988

Inspector Morse

Role(s)

Mrs Kane

Notes

Episode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"

1989–1991

Role(s)

Making Out

Notes

Carol May

1990

Keeping Up Appearances

Role(s)

Rose

Notes

6 episodes

1991-1999

Role(s)

The Bill

Notes

Mrs Fowler / Gill Gibson / Mrs Larch / Mrs Mitchell

1992

Heartbeat

Role(s)

Mrs Parkin

Notes

Episode: "Fruits of the Earth"

1993–1994

Role(s)

Three Seven Eleven

Notes

Julie Clegg

1994

Screen One

Role(s)

Vera

Notes

Episode: "Pat and Margaret"

1994–1997

Role(s)

Common As Muck

Notes

Jean

1995

Harry's Mad

Role(s)

Mrs Turtle

Notes

6 episodes

1999–2000

Role(s)

Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married

Notes

Mrs Nolan

1999

EastEnders

Role(s)

Jane Healy

Notes

Episode: "New Year's Eve 1999": Part 1 and 2

2000–2015

Role(s)

Emmerdale

Notes

Edna Birch

2015

Butterflies & Diamonds

Role(s)

Prison Facility Psychologist

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1960, 1964-1994	Coronation Street	Norma / Barmaid / Margot Sutcliffe / Shirley Henderson	10 episodes
1966	Pardon the Expression	Sales Assistant	Episode: "The Dinner Party"
1967	Who Is Sylvia?		Episode: "A Pool of Blood and a Red Carnation"
1968	Corruption	Girl at Party
1971-1972	Nearest and Dearest	Det. Constable Gloria Simpkins / Clara Wilson	2 episodes
1971	Carry On at Your Convenience	Bunny Girl Waitress
1972	Budgie	The Barmaid	Episode: "Our Story So Far..."
1973	Pathfinders	Grete	Episode: "Sweets from a Stranger"
1973	Crown Court	Mrs Catherine Barnes	Episode: "Regina v Barnes: Whatever Happened to George Robins?: Part 3"
1980-1983	Juliet Bravo	Mrs Collis / Mavis 'Colette' Newby	2 episodes
1981	Play for Today	Mrs Smith	Episode: "A Brush with Mr Porter on the Road to El Dorado"
1981	The Chinese Detective	Arlene	Episode: "Release"
1983	Grange Hill	Secretary	1 episode
1984	Nineteen Eighty-Four	Prostitute
1984-1988	Bergerac	Anna Ackerman / Pam Lewis	2 episodes
1984	Bootle Saddles	Rita Henderson	6 episodes
1986–1987	Brookside	Madge Richmond	15 episodes
1987	Knights of God	Beth Edwards	7 episodes
1987	Personal Services	Shirley
1988	Inspector Morse	Mrs Kane	Episode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"
1989–1991	Making Out	Carol May	24 episodes
1990	Keeping Up Appearances	Rose	6 episodes
1991-1999	The Bill	Mrs Fowler / Gill Gibson / Mrs Larch / Mrs Mitchell	4 episodes
1992	Heartbeat	Mrs Parkin	Episode: "Fruits of the Earth"
1993–1994	Three Seven Eleven	Julie Clegg	16 episodes
1994	Screen One	Vera	Episode: "Pat and Margaret"
1994–1997	Common As Muck	Jean	5 episodes
1995	Harry's Mad	Mrs Turtle	6 episodes
1999–2000	Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married	Mrs Nolan	16 episodes
1999	EastEnders	Jane Healy	Episode: "New Year's Eve 1999": Part 1 and 2
2000–2015	Emmerdale	Edna Birch	901 episodes, (final appearance)
2015	Butterflies & Diamonds	Prison Facility Psychologist

References

The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/dec/09/shirley-stelfox
The Daily Telegraph, Thursday 10 December 2015, Obituaries [paper only], p.37
The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-mary-millar-1184508.html
Wicked Women at IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0902940/
Shirley Stelfox, actress - obituary Retrieved on 31 Jan 2018
https://web.archive.org/web/20151209042433/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12039645/Shirley-Stelfox-actress-obituary.html
Shirley Stelfox: Character actress who was best known as the prudish spinster, busybody Edna Birch, in Emmerdale, The In
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/shirley-stelfox-character-actress-who-was-best-known-as-the-prudish-spinster-busybody-edna-birch-in-a6910886.html/
The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-don-henderson-1257860.html
BBC News
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35039710