Albinia Hobart

Albinia Vere Hobart, Countess of Buckinghamshire (née Bertie), was born between 3 November 1737 and 1738. She was the daughter of Lord Vere Bertie and Anne Casey. Her maternal grandfather was Sir Cecil Wray, 11th Baronet. Anne Casey was illegitimate but inherited her father's estate and was left £14,000 in his will dated 21 January 1735/6, which is equivalent to approximately £2,762,000 in 2023.

Albinia married The Hon. George Hobart in 1757. Upon his inheritance of the title, she became the Countess of Buckinghamshire in 1793. The couple resided at Hobart House in Ham Common, Richmond, London, a residence said to be inspired by Frederick the Great’s Sanssouci palace. They had a total of eight children: Robert Hobart, Hon. George Vere Hobart, Rev. Hon. Henry Lewis Hobart, Lady Albinia Hobart, Lady Henrietta Anne Barbara Hobart, Lady Maria Frances Hobart, and Lady Charlotte Hobart.

Her son Robert Hobart became the 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire. He married Margaretta Bourke in 1792; after her death in 1796, he married Eleanor Eden in 1799. Another son, Hon. George Vere Hobart, married twice, first to Jane Cataneo and then to Janet Maclean, producing children including Lt. Charles Hobart of the Royal Navy. Rev. Hon. Henry Lewis Hobart married Charlotte Selina Moore, and they had children.

Her daughters included Lady Albinia Hobart, who married Richard Cumberland; Lady Henrietta Anne Barbara Hobart, who married John Sullivan; Lady Maria Frances Hobart, who married George North, 3rd Earl of Guilford; and Lady Charlotte Hobart, who married Col. Edward Disbrowe. With her husband's death in 1804, she became Dowager Countess of Buckinghamshire. She died on 11 March 1816 in Nocton and was buried alongside her husband.

Albinia Vere Hobart was known for her prominence in social and political circles, notably during the general election of 1784 in Westminster, where she supported her relative Sir Cecil Wray. Her lifestyle was characterized by participation in fashionable parties and indulging in gambling and extravagant fashion, which drew public and satirical attention. She was involved in illegal high-stakes gambling at her house, which contributed to her notoriety, and was a subject of over 50 satirical prints by artists such as James Gillray.

Her reputation was also associated with her physical appearance and fashion choices, which were noted by contemporaries. Her social activities extended to hosting lavish gatherings attended by high society, including members of the royal family.