Sarah Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave (17 January 1787 – 18 April 1873) was a British

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

. Sarah Whitear was born in 1787, the daughter of Rev. William Whitear, a

prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...

, at Hastings Old Town Rectory. She firstly married Edward Milward, who later served as Mayor of Hastings several times and she inherited considerable wealth on his death. On 8 December 1846, aged 59, she married widower

William Waldegrave, 8th Earl Waldegrave Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave, 8th Earl Waldegrave, CB (27 October 1788 – 24 October 1859) was a British naval commander and politician. Waldegrave was the son of George Waldegrave, 4th Earl Waldegrave and his wife, the former Lady Elizab ...

, who had inherited the title in September of that year. The countess used her position and wealth to help the poor of Hastings and also endowed seven churches in the town as well as many

Sunday school A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

s, poor schools, wash houses,

public baths Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...

and a Fisherman's Institute. Lady Waldegrave persuaded people to do things her way, especially as she attached strict conditions to her donations, such as separate entrances for boys and girls in the schools she founded and prohibition of alcohol in public areas she designed. In 1861, money was collected from the town's children to erect a

drinking fountain A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...

in her honour, but it fell out of use within a few years.

References

The Victorian Web

Burke's Peerage & Gentry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waldegrave, Sarah Waldegrave, Countess 1787 births 1873 deaths People from Hastings People from Chichester British countesses English philanthropists Waldegrave family 19th-century English people Women of the Victorian era