Weston, Penelope Sophia

Submitted by edpope on

26.10.1788 Weston at Miss Williams' / 27.10.1788 again / 7.1.1789 again / 14.9.1789 again / 11.3.1791 again. Was in 1794 version of Godwin's 1796 list but left out of 1796 version and Baillie later inserted above in same place in list (see Baillie, Matthew)

Penelope Sophia Weston 1752-1827 daughter of Edward Weston a merchant of Worcester who married Mary Jordan of Ludlow, he died in 1765, his will (PCC) mentioned wife Mary, son Joseph and daughter Penelope, and property in Richards Castle, Ludlow. Anna Seward (DNB 1742-1809) knew her by 1783 and in Oct 1785 Miss Weston was her guest (Seward letters i 82; letters i 256 Seward described Ludlow circle to Dr Warner; letters i 300 Seward visited Ludlow June 1787). In May 1786 Anna Seward breakfasted in London with Helen Maria Williams and with the Mathias family (Seward letters i 152) and that year Miss Weston of Ludlow subscribed to Miss Williams' poems. In Dec 1787 Seward wrote to Miss Wiliams "glad you like my friend Col Barry" (letters i 390) and Miss Weston's cousin Rev Dr Whalley visited Miss Williams when she was in Southampton. In Apr 1788 Seward introduced a Miss --- friend of Piozzi Siddons and Greatheeds to Miss Williams, so their friends were very much the same set, and Godwin met Barry and Piozzi at Miss Williams'. Miss Weston under her later married name Sophia Pennington can also be traced in letters of Hester Piozzi (online). By 1788 Miss Weston and her mother had moved to London. On 23.7.1789 Seward wrote to Miss Williams "you and Sophia expressed.." and there was an abortive plan for Miss Williams to visit Seward in Lichfield with Miss Weston and Albinia Mathias. In Aug 1792 Seward and Miss Weston planned to visit the Whalleys at Langport, but on 27.12.1792 at Bath Penelope Sophia Weston married William Pennington, an American loyalist who had known her friend Jane Powell (QV*) in America and who became Master of Ceremonies at Hotwells Clifton for 28 years, and Seward and Sophia Pennington were estranged for 12 years