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Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams

1801 – 1876

British artist, botanical illustrator and botanical collector

Botanist Botanical illustratorScientific illustrator
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About Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams

Lived 1801 – 1876 (aged 75). Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams was a British botanist, botanical illustrator, scientific illustrator and watercolorist.

Lady Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams (; 9 July 1801 – 8 August 1876) was an English artist and botanical illustrator. She was born on 9 July 1801 to Sarah Amherst and William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst. She travelled with her parents to India and while there completed several watercolour paintings now held in the collection of the British Library. She later married Sir John Hay-Williams in 1842. In 1846 Hay-Williams contributed a watercolour to Edwards's Botanical Register. She died in 1876 at Chateau Rhianfa in Anglesey on 8 August 1876.

The leguminous tree Amherstia nobilis is named by Danish botanist Nathaniel Wallich in honour of her and her mother Sarah Amherst.

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Important facts

Born
9 July 1801, Middlesex
Birth century
19th century
Died
8 August 1876, Anglesey
Occupation
Botanist, botanical illustrator, scientific illustrator, watercolorist
Nationality
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Also known as
Lady Williams, Sarah Elizabeth Amherst, Lady Sara W., Sarah Elizabeth Pitt Amherst, Sara Williams, Sarah Elizabeth Williams
moreLady Sarah Elizabeth Amherst, Sarah Elizabeth Hay Williams, Lady Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams

Family & relationships

Spouse
John Hay-Williams
Child
Margaret Verney
Parent
Sarah Amherst
Parent
William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams's

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Louis Nicolas Vauquelin
1763 – 1829
Chemist
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William Hyde Wollaston
1766 – 1828
Chemist
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Joseph Fourier
1768 – 1830
Mathematician
 Portrait of Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
1769 – 1859
Geologist
 Portrait of Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
1769 – 1832
Paleontologist
 Portrait of Robert Brown
Robert Brown
1773 – 1858
Botanist

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams?

British artist, botanical illustrator and botanical collector (1801-1876)

When was Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams born?

Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams was born on 9 July 1801 in Middlesex.

When did Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams die?

Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams died on 8 August 1876 in Anglesey.

What was Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams's occupation?

Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams was a botanist, botanical illustrator, scientific illustrator and watercolorist.

What nationality was Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams?

Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams

· Wikidata: Q29145407

· DBpedia: Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams. https://biography.guide/sarah-elizabeth-hay-williams/

MLA: "Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sarah-elizabeth-hay-williams/.

Chicago: "Sarah Elizabeth Hay-Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sarah-elizabeth-hay-williams/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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