Sarah Dunkin Wedd 

Sarah Dunkin (1793-1875) married George Wedd (1785-1854) of Gainsford Street at Hazeleigh Church, Church, Maldon, on. 20 August 1812 (Monthly Magazine, vol. 34 (1812, part 2, p. 280). He is another nephew of J. T. Rutt and a distant relation of Crabb Robinson; she was one of Mary Hays’s favorite nieces and the one who retained most of Mary Hays’s papers. In 1819 the Wedds are living in Gainsford Street (she subscribes to Fatal Errors that year from that location); they may have taken over the Hays residence but most likely they did not; by the mid-1820s they were living in Greenwich, near several of her sisters and her aunt, Mary Hays. In the 1841 Census, the Wedds were living in Grove Street, Hackney (probably Clapton, once again not far from Mary Hays). In the 1851 Census, the Wedds are living in Middle Road, Islington, and he is still listed as a Corn Merchant. Sarah Dunkin Wedd is listed as having been born in Kent Road, Surrey, south of the Thames (near Paragon Place, just off what was called then ‘Surrey Road’, so when Mary Hays moves out there with her mother and sister, John Dunkin and family had already preceded them). Wedd children listed in the 1851 census include the following: Joanna Dunkin Wedd, age 35; Ellen Dunkin Wedd, age 34; Susanna S. Wedd, 32; George Wedd, 29; Harriet A. Wedd, 29, all of the above born in Southwark, Surrey; Mary Dunkin Wedd, 25, and Joseph V. Wedd, 21, both born in Greenwich, Kent (the Wedds are living in Greenwich about the same time as the Hills and the Bennetts); Henry Arthur Wedd, 19, and Frances E. Wedd, 16, born in Clapton, Middlesex. [Compare with Wedd family tree.] H. A. Wedd (21 March 1832-89) married Lydia Budgett, and their daughter, Anne Frances Wedd (1875-1958) in the 1920s published the collection of letters between Hays and Eccles and later some letters pertaining to the Fenwicks.  Sarah Dunkin Wedd died on 8 May 1875 at Leinster Square, Bayswater, London.

Crabb Robinson writes of this group on 2 May 1823:

Dined with Geo: Wedd. [The Wedds were living at that time in Gainsford Street.]  Walked with William Pattisson – Met there Mrs Mary Hays – Mr & Mrs Bennett [her niece, living at Vanbrugh House] – She is occasionally melancholy even to disease – I was not aware of the malady and her mildness pleased me – A Mr Shooter – Mrs Talfourd, two Miss Rutts.  The conversation well enough – Talfourd came late and I stole away soon after that I might see Esther Nash.  She was to go to Lymington early in the morning.  She informed me of the interview she had had with Mr Wedd about my sister and in consequence I wrote to my brother before I went to bed.    

Robinson writes again on Wednesday, 9 July 1823:

A very agreeable day – I went to B. R. in the City with a brief of Talfourd’s which Mr Shepherd took a note in for me – and being so released I took the stage to Greenwich – a beautiful ride – There I found my friend Ms Hayes very comfortably established at Vanbrugh: Castle – a house built by the famous architect and tho’ whimsically built yet a pleasing object – It stands near one of the entrances to the park – A Mrs Browne keeps a school there and Ms H: praises the people much for kindness and personal civilities – her nieces Mrs Bennett and Mrs Francis are near her and she sets out with a prospect of enjoyment.