William John March is remembered not as a television personality or a public figure, but as a son, brother and university student whose life left a mark on his family. Born in London in 1969, he grew up in a family home while his mother, Dame Mary Berry, built a career in cookery. He loved sport, valued his studies, and returned home for a weekend in January 1989. That weekend ended in tragedy, and his death at 19 changed his family forever. His story, told gently and factually, covers who he was, how he died, and how his memory continues to shape his family’s life and charity work in 2026.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
| Born | 3 June 1969, Paddington, London |
| Died | 21 January 1989, Buckinghamshire |
| Age at death | 19 years old |
| Parents | Dame Mary Berry and Paul Hunnings |
| Siblings | Thomas and Annabel Hunnings |
| Education | Business at Bristol Polytechnic |
| Burial place | Holy Trinity Churchyard, Penn, Buckinghamshire |
Who Was He?
William John March was the son of Dame Mary Berry, a British cookery writer and television presenter, and Paul Hunnings, who worked in the book trade. His full recorded name adds the family surname Hunnings after March, and he was affectionately called Will by his family. He was one of three children, and his siblings were Thomas and Annabel. He grew up while his mother’s career was developing, yet the family maintained a private home life, and he did not seek attention through her success.
Because he died before completing university, no adult career biography exists. There are no verified details about a partner, children, earnings or professional awards, and none should be invented. The most meaningful account of him comes from family recollections: a young man who loved sport, valued his studies, and returned home for a weekend with the people closest to him.
William John March was born on 3 June 1969 in Paddington, London, and the family lived for many years in Buckinghamshire. Their life included school, sport, meals together and ordinary weekend routines. His mother later remembered him as dependable, steady and trustworthy, qualities that help explain why his loss was felt so deeply.
The Family Behind Him
Mary Berry married Paul Hunnings in 1966. Together, they raised Thomas, Will and Annabel. Paul worked in the book trade, while Mary built her career through cookery teaching, books and television. Annabel was with him during the accident that ended his life, and her survival became a source of relief within an unbearable moment of loss.
Education and Interests
William John March was studying business at Bristol Polytechnic, which later became the University of the West of England, when he died. He was enthusiastic about his subject and had returned home from university for the weekend in January 1989. Mary recalled that he wanted to collect a newspaper because it contained material connected with business studies, a small detail showing a young man engaged with his course.
He enjoyed rugby and tennis, and sport remained one way younger relatives felt close to him. One of Mary’s grandsons once wondered whether he would have been proud of his own rugby achievement. The question moved Mary because the two had never met, yet family stories had made him real to a new generation. Mary has also recalled being comforted when people remembered Will as a good tennis player.
His Favourite Family Meal
The evening before the accident, Mary cooked roast lamb, a meal he loved. He had not been home for a few weekends, so the family valued having him back. They ate together as he spoke with excitement about his studies.
How Did He Die?
William John March died in a car accident on Saturday, 21 January 1989. He was 19 years old. He had borrowed the family car to collect the weekend newspapers, and Annabel travelled with him. When they did not return by lunchtime, Mary became worried. A police officer then came to the family home and delivered the news that every parent fears: he had died, while Annabel had been taken to hospital.
The Family’s Final Goodbye
Mary and Paul travelled to the hospital in High Wycombe, a town in Buckinghamshire. There, they saw Annabel running towards them in a pink tracksuit, covered in mud but alive. She had escaped without serious physical injury. The sight brought relief, but it could not soften the shock of losing their son. Mary has spoken about touching his cold face after his death. The moment was painful, yet it gave his parents a final opportunity to be close to him.
Memorial material connects his death with Coleshill, near High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. The exact road, vehicle details and full official findings have not been established through dependable published documents. Claims involving ice, speed or a collision with a lorry should therefore be treated with caution.
Was He 19 or 20?
Some online pages give his age as 20, but this is incorrect. A birth date of 3 June 1969 and a death date of 21 January 1989 mean that he was 19 and several months short of his twentieth birthday. Mary Berry and Child Bereavement UK have consistently stated that he died at 19.
Effect on Mary Berry
The death of William John March was described by Mary as a loss that never leaves a parent. At first, ordinary life felt difficult. Her husband, surviving children, neighbours, work and garden helped her move through each day. She has explained that keeping busy did not erase grief. Instead, purpose gave structure to life when sorrow felt overwhelming. She began teaching cooking classes from home so she could remain close to Paul and her children.
A neighbour also encouraged Mary to attend the Chelsea Flower Show, an annual garden show in London. The outing helped her take an early step back into the wider world. It did not mean leaving him behind. It showed her that continuing to live was not the same as forgetting him.
He remained part of family conversation after his death, and his photographs stayed on display in the family home. Younger relatives born years later know him through stories, and at Christmas the family raises a drink to Will.
Grief, Faith and Family Strength
Faith became part of the family’s response. He was buried at Holy Trinity Churchyard in Penn, Buckinghamshire. The church’s burial record notes a stone marker and a camellia border. Mary has said that the tragedy brought the family closer. They did not remove him from conversation or act as though he had never lived. They kept talking about him, shared memories and allowed his place in the family to continue.
Child Bereavement UK
The death of William John March led Mary to a strong connection with Child Bereavement UK, where she became a patron. A patron lends their name and voice to a charity. Child Bereavement UK is a British charity supporting bereaved children, young people and families. Mary has explained that little specialist help was available to her family in 1989. Through the charity, she later met parents and children receiving the care that her own family had lacked.
Her support included the One More Minute campaign, a campaign about one more minute with a loved one who has died. When asked what she would say if she could have one more minute with her son, Mary answered that she would thank him for being a brilliant son. Her words focus on the happiness he brought, not only on how he died.
Advice to Bereaved Families
Mary encourages people not to avoid someone after a death. She believes it is better to speak, mention the person who died and share a kind memory. Silence can leave grieving people feeling alone, especially after the funeral, when much of the early support has faded. Friends who stayed close helped, even when words could not fix anything.
How His Memory Lives On
William John March was remembered by his mother in 2026 as still part of their lives. She spoke of the family’s gratitude for the 19 years they had with him and the joy he gave them. Mary also honoured him during her BAFTA Fellowship acceptance speech, thanking her husband and children and including her late son in the tribute. BAFTA is a British arts academy. The moment showed that major achievements do not replace private loss. They can become another place in which a loved one is remembered.
His memory is kept alive in simple, family-centred ways, introduced below:
- Photographs displayed in the family home
- Stories shared with grandchildren and younger relatives
- A Christmas toast to Will
- Open discussion of grief, rather than silence
His significance does not depend on fame or achievement. It comes from the life he shared with his family and the influence his memory had on their values. Through Mary’s charity work and open discussion of grief, his story has also offered comfort to people facing similar loss.
A Private Life with Lasting Meaning
William John March had no spouse, children, established profession or personal fortune. He died before he could finish university and build an adult career. Reliable accounts do not document romantic relationships, employment history, height, income or personal social accounts. That absence prevents invention and keeps focus on the private family life that mattered most.
Final Thoughts
William John March was a bright, dependable and sporty young man who was studying business when his life ended suddenly. He was born in London in 1969, grew up as part of a close family and died in Buckinghamshire in January 1989 at the age of 19. The tragedy changed Mary Berry, Paul Hunnings, Thomas and Annabel forever, yet the family chose to remember him through photographs, conversation, Christmas tributes and shared stories.
Mary’s later support for bereaved families gave that remembrance a wider purpose, offering presence and community to people who might otherwise feel alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was he?
He was the son of Dame Mary Berry and Paul Hunnings, a business student who died in a car accident in January 1989, aged 19.
How old was he when he died?
He was 19 when he died on 21 January 1989, having been born on 3 June 1969, several months short of turning 20.
Who were his parents?
His parents were Dame Mary Berry, a British cookery writer and television presenter, and Paul Hunnings, who worked in the book trade.
Was he married?
No reliable record indicates that he was married. He died at 19, while still studying at university, before beginning an adult family life.
Who were his siblings?
His siblings were Thomas Hunnings and Annabel Hunnings. Annabel was travelling with him in the 1989 car accident and survived.
Conclusion
His short life is still remembered for warmth, dependability and promise, rather than for fame or public achievement. He loved sport, valued learning, and remained close to his parents, brother and sister, even as he began adult study away from home, and the quiet promise of his future was never lived.
For his family, grief did not end with the funeral, but memory did not end either. Through photographs, stories, Christmas tributes and charity work, his place in the family continues, offering comfort to others who have lost a child, brother or son. That continuing love remains central.
