Sheila Hancock was born on February 22, 1933, on the Isle of Wight. Her family later moved to King's Cross in London, where her parents ran a pub. Sheila attended Dartford Grammar School and then received a grant to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
After graduating, Sheila embarked on a nine-year journey of weekly repertory performances around the country. During this time, she met actor Alec Ross while performing in Bath, and they got married in 1955. The couple had a daughter, Melanie Thaw, also known as "Ellie Jane," on July 15, 1964.
Sheila's early career was marked by her appearance in the TV show "The Rag Trade" in 1961 and her theatrical success in "Rattle of a Simple Man" at the Garrick Theatre in London. In 1969, she starred in the West End hit "So What About Love?" where she met actor John Thaw. Tragedy struck that year when her mother died of cancer, followed nearly nine months later by Alec's death.
On December 24, 1973, Sheila married John Thaw, with their daughters Melanie and Abigail present. On July 27, 1974, she gave birth to their only child together, Joanna Suzy Thaw, at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in Hammersmith.
Throughout the 1980s, Sheila toured the UK with the Royal Shakespeare Company and later with the National Theatre. In 1988, she was diagnosed with breast cancer but fought and won her battle against it. She and John Thaw briefly split during this period.
In the early 1990s, Sheila and John purchased a house in Luckington, Wiltshire, as well as a farmhouse in Provence, France. In 2001, John was diagnosed with cancer and fought against it for nine months, with Sheila's help in protecting his privacy. John passed away in Sheila's arms the day before her 69th birthday.
Since John's death, Sheila has written a book called "The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw" and has made numerous TV and stage appearances talking about the book and her life with John. She currently resides in Hammersmith, near her daughters and grandchildren.
