Sarah Rachel Amelia Suther was born in Edinburgh, the only daughter of Thomas Suther and his wife Catherine Fraser. She had several brothers. Thomas Suther became Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney. Sarah took an active part in the life of the church. Her mother died in the 1870s, and Sarah took over many of her roles. Her father died in 1883, and Sarah died in 1889. She left a substantial legacy to St Andrew's Cathedral.