# Mary Wimbush > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary_Wimbush > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary_Wimbush.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wimbush > Source revision: 1357058916 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) English actress (1924–2005) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Mary Wimbush Wimbush in Jeeves and Wooster (1992) Born (1924-03-19)19 March 1924 Kenton, Middlesex, England Died 31 October 2005(2005-10-31) (aged 81) Birmingham, West Midlands, England Alma mater Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Occupation Actress Years active 1945–2005 Spouse Howard Marion-Crawford ​ ​ (m. 1946; div. 1954)​ Children 1 **Mary Wimbush** (19 March 1924 – 31 October 2005) was an English actress whose career spanned sixty years. Active across [film](/source/Film), [television](/source/Television), [theatre](/source/Theatre) and [radio](/source/Radio), she was nominated for the [BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress](/source/BAFTA_Award_for_Best_Supporting_Actress) for the 1969 film *[Oh! What a Lovely War](/source/Oh!_What_a_Lovely_War)*. Her television credits included *[Poldark](/source/Poldark_(1975_TV_series))* (1975–77), *[Jeeves and Wooster](/source/Jeeves_and_Wooster)* (1990–92), and *[Century Falls](/source/Century_Falls)* (1993). She played Julia Pargetter in [BBC Radio 4](/source/BBC_Radio_4)'s popular [soap opera](/source/Soap_opera) *[The Archers](/source/The_Archers)* from 1992 until her death. ## Early life and education Wimbush was born on 19 March 1924 in [Kenton](/source/Kenton%2C_London), [Middlesex](/source/Middlesex) (today in [North-West London](/source/North_London)). Her father was a [schoolmaster](/source/Schoolmaster) and her mother had trained at [RADA](/source/RADA), but did not pursue a stage career, although the family enjoyed taking part in amateur dramatics. They moved to Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, when Mary was four.[1] Wimbush was educated at [Berkhamsted School for Girls](/source/Berkhamsted_School_for_Girls), and at St Agnes & St Michael's Convent, an Anglican school in [East Grinstead](/source/East_Grinstead). She trained at the [Central School of Speech and Drama](/source/Central_School_of_Speech_and_Drama), before joining the [Amersham](/source/Amersham) [repertory company](/source/Repertory_company).[1] ## Career This section needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) In 1959 Wimbush acted in a radio play opposite [Richard Attenborough](/source/Richard_Attenborough). She later appeared in two other films, *[Fragment of Fear](/source/Fragment_of_Fear)* (1970) and *[Vampire Circus](/source/Vampire_Circus)* (1972). On television, she appeared in a variety of series in supporting roles. She played Prudie Paynter in the [BBC's adaptations](/source/Poldark_(1975_TV_series)) of the *[Poldark](/source/Poldark)* novels in the 1970s, and [Zasulich](/source/Vera_Zasulich) in 1974's *[Fall of Eagles](/source/Fall_of_Eagles)*. In the 1980s she appeared in the *[Doctor Who](/source/Doctor_Who)* spin-off *[K-9 and Company](/source/K-9_and_Company)* and [D.H. Lawrence](/source/D.H._Lawrence) adaptation *[Sons and Lovers](/source/Sons_and_Lovers_(1981_TV_serial))* (both 1981), and in the early 1990s as [Aunt Agatha](/source/Aunt_Agatha) in three series of *[Jeeves and Wooster](/source/Jeeves_and_Wooster)*, with [Stephen Fry](/source/Stephen_Fry) and [Hugh Laurie](/source/Hugh_Laurie).[2] In 1993 she co-starred in the dark children's fantasy serial *[Century Falls](/source/Century_Falls)*. She also had guest appearances in episodes of a variety of programmes during her career, from *[Z-Cars](/source/Z-Cars)* and *[All Creatures Great and Small](/source/All_Creatures_Great_and_Small_(1978_TV_series))* (in the episode "A Dog's Life") in the 1970s to *[Midsomer Murders](/source/Midsomer_Murders)*, *[Heartbeat](/source/Heartbeat_(British_TV_series))* and *[Doctors](/source/Doctors_(2000_TV_series))* in the 2000s. Her final screen appearance was in a two-part episode of the [BBC One](/source/BBC_One) medical drama *[Casualty](/source/Casualty_(TV_series))* in September 2004.[2] ## Death Wimbush's grave in Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire Wimbush died on the evening of 31 October 2005 at [the Mailbox](/source/The_Mailbox) studios of [BBC Birmingham](/source/BBC_Birmingham), shortly after completing work on a recording session for *[The Archers](/source/The_Archers)*.[3] Wimbush was buried in Berkhamsted next to the graves of her parents in Rectory Lane Cemetery. Mary's elder sister, Joanna, was also buried there in 2013.[4] ## Personal life In 1946 Mary Wimbush married actor [Howard Marion-Crawford](/source/Howard_Marion-Crawford); they had one son and two grandchildren.[2] From 1960 until his death in 1963, she was in a relationship with the poet [Louis MacNeice](/source/Louis_MacNeice), having acted in several of his radio plays.[5] ## Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1969 Oh! What a Lovely War Mary Emma Smith 1970 Fragment of Fear 'Bunface' 1972 Vampire Circus Elvira ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-telegraph-obit_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-telegraph-obit_1-1) ["Mary Wimbush"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1501999/Mary-Wimbush.html). 2 November 2005. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180910154608/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1501999/Mary-Wimbush.html) from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-imdb_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-imdb_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-imdb_2-2) [Mary Wimbush](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934451/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Mary Wimbush obituary"](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1853540,00.html). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. 2 November 2005. Retrieved 21 December 2015.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-rlcp_4-0)** ["Remarkable Women"](https://www.stpetersberkhamstedfriends.org.uk/wp-content/uploads//2018/02/booklet-remarkable-women.pdf) (PDF). *The Rectory Lane Cemetery Project*. Friends of St Peter's Great Berkhamsted. 2018. pp. 29–30. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180910155457/https://www.stpetersberkhamstedfriends.org.uk/wp-content/uploads//2018/02/booklet-remarkable-women.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Stallworthy, Jon (1995). *Louis MacNeice*. London: Faber. pp. 444–7. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-571-16019-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-571-16019-0). ## Sources - ["Archers star Wimbush dies at 81"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4396376.stm). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2009. - ["Mary Wimbush at 80"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archers/backstage/mary_wimbush_80.shtml). [BBC](/source/BBC). 26 March 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2009. - Smethurst, William (1980). *The Archers: The First Thirty Years*. Eyre Methuen/New English Library. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-450-05220-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-450-05220-0). ## External links - [Mary Wimbush](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934451/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Israel Artists MusicBrainz Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mary Wimbush](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wimbush) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wimbush?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.