Cyfres EH4. - Household and tour account books,

Household account books of Wynnstay and the London town houses occupied by the Williams Wynn family, eleven in total. Nine of them contain accounts compiled by Samuel Sidebotham, steward to the fourth baronet, 1768-1777; the tenth appears in a different hand, 1779-1781, and the eleventh is of later date, 1843-1857. The first volume records the expenses of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn’s grand tour through France and Italy, 1768-1769; the second includes the expenses of Sir Watkin Williams’ Wynn’s coming of age party, 1770; the next seven volumes contain general household accounts, systematically organised into sections for sundry disbursements, pictures, Master Williams Wynn, charities, music, house rent, taxes and repairs, cellar, stable, servants’ livery, servants’ bills and travelling expenses, servant’s wages, housekeeper, kitchens, cash receipts and balance. From 1775, the house in St James’s Square is added and there are other variations in the tenth volume; the eleventh volume has a different layout. These account books reveal the fourth baronet’s interests and lavish lifestyle, listing payments to artists, craftsmen, entertainments, musicians, societies, and charities. The sundry disbursements include monuments and a font for Ruabon church. Recurrent payments to individuals include the artist Paul Sandby, 1770-1773, sculptor Joseph Nollekens, 1772-1774, various music sellers, the musicians Charles Linton, 1771-1773, David Parry, 1770-1777, [Richard] Hay, 1773-1780, and [Stephen] Paxton, 1770-1777, Jeremiah and William Parkinson, 1774-1780, theatre scene painter George Wilkinson, 1774-1777, potters Wedgwood and Bentley, 1771-1775, and others.