Mona Hammond Obituary

Mavis Chin OBE, professionally known as Mona Hammond was a Jamaican-British actress of Chinese descent and co-founder of the Talawa Theatre Company.

Mona was best known to soap fans for her time spent in Albert Square playing Blossom Jackson, the matriarch of the Jackson clan. Mona was also well-known for her time playing Susu in Desmond’s throughout the early 90s and her stint in its subsequent spin-off, Porkpie.

In 2018, Mona was awarded the Women of the World Lifetime Achievement Award for her long and distinguished theatre career and for championing Black British actors with Talawa Theatre company.

For a brief stint in October 2010, she reprised her role as Blossom Jackson in EastEnders: appearing in connection with screen great-grandson, Billie Jackson’s funeral, she returned with her on-screen grandson, Alan Jackson.