Sophia Robins was born in 1794 and lived in Lydney. On 11 March 1813, at the age of 20, she was sentenced to three months in prison for the theft of clothing from John Morgan. On 15 October 1814, at the age of 21, she was arrested but acquitted for the theft of plumbs with a basket and cloth. On 3 April 1816, at the age of 22, she was sentenced to be transported for 7 years for the theft of two gold guineas, two half guineas, two gold rings, a silver coin and other articles from the Lydney house of Sarah Bethel After a spell on a hulk, she was transferred to the Lord Melville which set sail on 15 September 1816 and arrived in New South Wales on 24 February 1817.
Between 1850 and 1856 Sophia Robins regularly appeared in front of the courts in Sydney charged with drunkenness, vagrancy, using obscene language, prostitution, etc. During this period she was sent to Darlinghurst prison on about 20 occasions.