Sarah Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave
Encyclopedia
Sarah Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave (1787–18 April 1873) was a British philanthropist
.
Sarah Whitear was born in 1787, the daughter of Rev. William Whitear, a prebendary
of Chichester
, at Hastings Old Town Rectory. She later 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 the widowed 8th Earl Waldegrave
, 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
s, poor schools, wash houses, public baths 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 in her honour, but it fell out of use within a few years.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
.
Sarah Whitear was born in 1787, the daughter of Rev. William Whitear, a prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, at Hastings Old Town Rectory. She later 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 the widowed 8th Earl Waldegrave
William Waldegrave, 8th Earl Waldegrave
Vice-Admiral William Waldegrave, 8th Earl Waldegrave, CB was a British naval commander and politician.Waldegrave was the son of the 4th Earl Waldegrave and was educated at Eton. In 1802, he became a Midshipman in the Royal Navy, rising to the ranks of Lieutenant in 1806 and Commander in 1809...
, 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
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
s, poor schools, wash houses, public baths 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 in her honour, but it fell out of use within a few years.