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THE WILLIAMS WYNN COLLECTIONS. The Right Hon. Sir Henry Watkin Williams Wynn, G.C.H., K.C.B., (1783-1856 D.N.B. lxiii, 256), diplomatist, was the youngest of the three distinguished sons of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, 4th Bart., of Wynnstay, and Charlotte, daughter of the Right Hon. George Grenville. After entering the Foreign Office in 1799 when his mother's brother, Lord Grenville, was its head, he was at different times from 1803 to 1824 envoy to Saxony, Switzerland, and Wurtenberg, whilst from 1824 to 1853 he was envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Copenhagen. Much of his personalia and of his art collections, etc., had remained until recently in the possession of his grand-daughter, Mrs. Stanley Leighton. After Mrs. Leighton's death in 1939, however, her daughter, Miss Rachel Leighton, decided to ask the appropriate museums and libraries to accept the custody of Sir Henry's collections, the allocations being made through the National Art-Collections Fund. As a result the National Library has received a series of seventeen engraved portraits of various members of the Williams Wynn and Grenville families and of some of the leading politicians who were associated with Sir Henry during his diplomatic career. It has also received the insignia of orders bestowed upon Sir Henry, including the jewel and star of a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (civil), and the collar, ribbon, and stars of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order. These gifts form an interesting addition to the extensive and important collections of material, mainly correspondence, of the great families of Wynn and Williams Wynn which have been brought together from several sources, over many years, into the Library. The accession of Wynn papers began with the presentation, in 1909, by Sir John Williams, Bart., of a group of Wynn (of Gwydir) Papers (N.L.W. MSS. 464-469). In 1919, Sir Herbert Lewis presented another portion of the Gwydir papers (N.L.W. MSS. 9051- 9069). In 1926, these two groups were fully described in the Library's Calendar of Wynn (ofGwydir) Papers, 1515-1690. Some early Wynn letters were deposited with an extensive collection of manuscripts and records by Sir Herbert Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart.,1 in 1933. This Wynnstay Deposit' also contains manuscripts of the Williams descent. The two descents were joined in the first Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, 3rd Bart., son of Sir William Williams, Bart., Llanforda, and grandson of Sir William Williams, Knight and Bart., Speaker Williams.' The first Sir Watkin, through his mother Jane, daughter of Edward Thelwall, was a great-grandson of William Wynn, the sixth son of Sir John Wynn of Gwydir. The correspondence of his grandchildren, Fanny Williams Wynn, Charles W. Williams Wynn, Charlotte Williams Wynn,2 and Sir Henry Watkin Williams Wynn, is well represented in the National Library's collections.3 The letters of Fanny Williams Wynn (N.L.W. MS. 2787) were purchased in 1917. In 1920, Mrs. Stanley Leighton and Miss Rachel Leighton presented the correspondence of Sir Henry W. Williams Wynn. This correspondence, covering the years 1795-1856 is bound in eighteen quarto volumes (N.L.W. MSS. 2789-2806). In 1922, Mr. Arthur Williams Wynn, of Coedymaen, presented the I His brother, Colonel Sir Robert W. H. Williams Wynn, of Plas-yn-Cefn, near St. Asaph, has also deposited in the Library an extensive collection of muniments of that estate together with various industrial and historical records. 2 Charlotte married Colonel William Shipley, son of Dean Shipley, and grandson of Bishop Shipley, both of St. Asaph. A large group of Shipley and cognate papers has come to the Library from Rear Admiral R. G. Rowley-Conwy, C.M.G., Bodrhyddan. 3 There are also a few letters written by their sister, Henrietta, who, in 1810, became Lady Delamere. One drawing by her, and one engraving after her, are in the Library.