Mary Wimbush, a dedicated and accomplished actress, made a lasting impact in repertory and West End theatre, as well as on BBC Radio, where she played three distinctive roles in the long-running serial "The Archers".
Born in Kenton, Middlesex in 1924, Mary was the daughter of a schoolmaster and a mother who had trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but never pursued a career on stage. She attended the prestigious Berkhamsted School for Girls and also boarded at the St Agnes and St Michael's, an Anglican convent at East Grinstead.
Mary's passion for acting led her to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama, after which she joined Amersham rep.
Her personal life was marked by significant relationships, including a wartime marriage to the actor Howard Marion-Crawford, with whom she had a son, and a long-term partnership with the poet Louis MacNeice, which lasted from 1958 until his death in 1963.
Throughout her career, Mary appeared regularly on film, radio, and television, taking on character roles that showcased her versatility and talent. Tragically, her life was cut short in October 2005, following a recording of "The Archers" at the BBC's Birmingham studios, where she passed away at the age of 81.
