Sarah, Countess Of Ripon

Sarah Albinia Louisa Robinson, née Hobart, was born on 22 February 1793 in England. She was the daughter of Robert Hobart, who later became the 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire, and his wife Margaretta (née Bourke).

On 1 September 1814, she married Frederick J. Robinson, who was serving as the Member of Parliament for Ripon and held the office of Paymaster of the Forces in the government of Lord Liverpool. The couple’s first child, Eleanor Henrietta Victoria Robinson, was born on 22 May 1815. Following her father's death on 4 February 1816, Sarah and her husband inherited his property. Their son Hobart Frederick Robinson was born on 8 September 1816 but died shortly after birth. In 1818, Robinson became President of the Board of Trade, and in 1823, he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Their daughter Eleanor died on 31 October 1826.

In 1827, Robinson was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Goderich, making Sarah viscountess. Her husband was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in August 1827, succeeding George Canning. During his premiership, Lady Robinson was known as Viscountess Goderich. She gave birth to a second son, George, on 24 October 1827, shortly after her husband's appointment. It is suggested that she may have experienced post-natal depression following this birth.

Historical accounts describe Lady Goderich's behavior as demanding and neurotic, with some contemporaries characterizing her as capricious and difficult. William Huskisson noted in December 1827 that her influence and behavior contributed to her husband's stress, and Christopher Hughes, an American diplomat, described her as "a tormenting, worrying & very pretty woman" who politically and personally dominated her household. Emily Eden, Sarah's step-aunt, also remarked on her niece’s peculiar conduct, mentioning instances where Sarah’s behavior caused concern and upheaval in her household. These descriptions suggest her personality traits may have affected her husband's capacity to govern effectively.

After his resignation as Prime Minister in January 1828, the Robinsons resided at Nocton Hall in Lincolnshire. On 13 April 1833, Sarah's husband was created Earl of Ripon, which conferred the title Countess of Ripon upon her. In 1834, Nocton Hall was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt.

As Countess of Ripon, she was involved in charitable activities, notably funding the education of local children by paying their school fees. She maintained a close relationship with her son, who succeeded her husband as the 2nd Earl of Ripon, and was described as his “only intellectual and religious guide until late adolescence.” In 1862, she commissioned the rebuilding of the church of All Saints in Nocton Hall to a design by George Gilbert Scott, in memory of her husband. Sarah Albinia Louisa Robinson, Countess of Ripon, died on 9 April 1867 at the age of 74.