Olwyn Hughes was born in 1928, the middle child of William and Edith Hughes. Gerald, her older brother emigrated to Australia. Ted, her younger brother, was the Poet Laureate, translator, dramatist, children's writer and environmentalist that she would work with for much of her life. She studied English Literature at Queen Mary’s College, University of London, graduating in 1950. After graduation, Olwyn moved to Paris and had a number of jobs, including working for the Parisian theatre and film agency, Martonplay. In 1963 she returned to England after the death of poet Sylvia Plath, her sister-in-law, to support her brother, Ted, in looking after his 2 children from that marriage. She would go on to become his agent and to manage the works of her late sister-in-law, Sylvia. In 1971, Olwyn and Ted established The Rainbow Press. Their first publication was Sylvia Plath's 'Crystal Gazer'. The Press produced many fine editions of Ted's poetry. In 1979 Olwyn married Richard Thomas; they divorced shortly afterwards. Olwyn died in January 2016.