The London Lives of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn: 3rd and 4th Baronets
Born in the Heart of Power: Downing Street, 1749
In April 1749, newspapers across Britain and Ireland—such as the Ipswich Journal (15 April 1749), Aris’s Birmingham Gazette (10 April 1749), and George Faulkner’s Journal in Dublin (18 April 1749)—announced with great fanfare:
The birth of the heir at Downing Street came at a time of swift and dramatic change for the Williams-Wynn family. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet (born 13 October 1692), had lost his first wife, Anne Vaughan (born c.1705), on 14 March 1748, when she died at age 43. Only four months later, on 19 July 1748, Sir Watkin—then 55—remarried; his bride was Frances Shakerley, his 30-year-old goddaughter, daughter of George Shakerley of Cheshire.
On 8 April 1749, at their residence on Downing Street, Lady Williams-Wynn gave birth to their son and heir, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet.
“The Lady of Sir Watkins William Wynne was brought to bed of a Son, at his House in Downing Street, Westminster.”
The event echoed through the British and Irish press. Aris’s Birmingham Gazette noted the birth on Monday 10 April 1749, while Dublin’s George Faulkner’s Journal dated Tuesday 18 April 1749 added:
“This Morning the Lady of Sir Watkins William Wynne, Bart, was safely delivered of a Son and Heir, at his House in Downing Street, Westminster, to the great joy of that ancient and honourable family.”
The flurry of press announcements in April confirm a precise date: the family and the wider world welcomed the next generation of this ancient and honourable Welsh dynasty at the very heart of Westminster, symbolising both their powerful political connections and social prestige in Georgian London.
Why Downing Street?
This address placed the Williams-Wynn family at the epicentre of British political life. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet (c.1692–1749), was not only the largest landowner in Wales but also one of its most powerful Members of Parliament. Representing Denbighshire from 1716 until his death, he was a force in national politics, often in opposition and deeply involved in major debates and coalitions.
For an influential MP like Sir Watkin, Downing Street—a fashionable and strategically situated row close to both the Palace of Westminster and Whitehall—offered more than status. It represented daily convenience for parliamentary business, social gatherings, and political manoeuvring. Before Downing Street became the designated address of the Prime Minister, it was home to several senior politicians, ministers, and officials.
📚To learn more about how politics, fashion, and society intertwined in Georgian London, see our Georgian London History.
London Life and Political Networks
Living on Downing Street put Sir Watkin in immediate proximity to the centres of power, allowing him to host political allies, meet lobbyists, and participate fully in the vibrant world of mid-Georgian government. The house itself symbolised the family’s integration into elite London society, and its address in birth notices was a clear statement of the family’s stature and influence.
Sir Watkin’s position enhanced his family’s social standing and provided a head start for his heir. The birth of a son—immediately and widely reported—was a major event for the Williams-Wynn dynasty and for Welsh influence at Westminster. These announcements reflect how deeply enmeshed the family was in British political culture.
The Next Generation: London Upbringing and Education
The boy born in Downing Street would become Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet. Raised in this environment, he continued the family’s London legacy. He attended Westminster School (1760–1766), one of the country’s foremost institutions for the sons of the aristocracy and political classes, thus reinforcing the family’s connection with high society and governance.
The 4th Baronet later acquired and remodelled 20 St James’s Square, cementing the Williams-Wynns’ place among London’s elite. This shift from Downing Street to St James’s Square reflects both the family’s ongoing political prominence and its embrace of the cultural and architectural aspirations of Georgian London.
This London address placed the family in the very heart of British political life, mere steps from Parliament. Downing Street was a prestigious and practical choice for a senior Welsh MP, providing both convenience and social clout.
Society Marriages in London
Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet, was at the centre of London’s aristocratic and political scene, and his marriages exemplified elite 18th-century society.
First Marriage: Lady Henrietta Somerset
On 11 April 1769, the young baronet married Lady Henrietta Somerset, the fifth daughter of Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort. The wedding took place in London, though the precise church has not been identified in current historical records. This union brought together two distinguished families and would have been a highly notable event in the London social calendar. Tragically, Lady Henrietta died just three months later, on 24 July 1769, leaving Sir Watkin a widower at an early age.
Second Marriage: Charlotte Grenville
Sir Watkin’s second marriage was to Charlotte Grenville, daughter of former Prime Minister George Grenville and sister to the Marquess of Buckingham. Their ceremony was held at St George’s, Hanover Square on 21 December 1771. St George’s was known as the premier venue for society weddings in Georgian London, especially among politicians and the wealthy elite. Located in the heart of Westminster, the church hosted countless high-profile nuptials, making it the perfect setting for a union between two of Britain’s most politically connected families. This marriage not only increased the Williams-Wynn family’s influence but also firmly established their place within London’s fashionable and political circles.
St James’s Square: The Ultimate Townhouse
In 1771, the newly-married 4th Baronet purchased and renovated No. 20 St James’s Square — London’s premier address for the Georgian elite. Designed by Robert Adam, the grand townhouse became the centre of the Williams-Wynn family’s social, cultural, and artistic life. St James’s Square was home to eight MPs, twelve Lords, and scores of political figures, meaning the Williams-Wynns occupied London’s most influential neighbourhood.
Art, Music, and Cultural Prestige
At the heart of London’s Georgian high society stood 20 St James’s Square, the breathtaking townhouse of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet. More than just a residence, this address was the epicentre of refinement, taste, and innovation in both the arts and social scene. Designed by the celebrated architect Robert Adam, the interiors were a triumph of neoclassical style—gilded ceilings, dazzling plasterwork, and rooms custom-made for entertainment and display.
Sir Watkin quickly gained a reputation as “the Welsh Maecenas” for his extraordinary patronage of music, painting, and performance. His home became renowned for its glittering musical breakfasts—mornings alive with the sounds of talented musicians and celebrated singers from London’s vibrant scene. Country dances and amateur theatricals animated the evenings, drawing actors, artists, and members of the political elite under one magnificent roof.
Art was omnipresent at St James’s Square. Sir Watkin was a dedicated collector, acquiring works by contemporary British artists and Italian masters alike during his travels, and supporting leading talents such as painter Joshua Reynolds and actor David Garrick. Adam’s original decorative schemes featured bespoke chimneypieces, painted roundels, and marble statuary, turning the house itself into a living work of art. The music room alone featured masterpieces by Nathaniel Dance and Antonio Zucchi, and inspired awe in visitors both in its day and in the centuries since.
St James’s Square was a symbol of civic commitment as well as style. Sir Watkin’s hospitality extended to hosting grand political gatherings, charitable events, and cultural commemorations, making his house a hub for movers and shakers within the British capital. This era of cultural leadership lasted for well over a century—the house remained in the family’s possession until 1906, its walls bearing silent witness to the evolution of London’s artistic and social life. The Williams-Wynn home on St James’s Square exemplified the confidence, taste, and influence of Georgian London at its dazzling peak.
Conclusion
From a Downing Street birth in the political heart of Westminster, through elite schooling at Westminster and society marriages at London’s most fashionable churches, to an architectural masterpiece on St James’s Square, the Williams-Wynn baronets exemplified the Georgian era’s blend of power, prestige, and culture. Their London locations aren’t just footnotes — they are key chapters in the story of Britain’s aristocratic and political evolution.
🎧 Listen to London History Podcast Episode 139: Downing Street – A Microcosm of London and learn more about the former residents of Downing Street.
