Biography

Thomas White 1830–1889

Thomas White’s parents were Thomas White, brewer, and Sarah White (née Cartwright). He was born in 1830 in Manchester, England, and married Emilia Arnati, also born in Manchester, before emigrating to Dunedin about 1862 via the goldfields in Australia. Thomas and Emilia were both musicians and entertainers in the goldfields in Australia. In Dunedin, Thomas was a teacher of music and Emilia taught singing.

From the Otago Witness of 11 July 1889: “Mr. Thomas White, a well known teacher of music, died rather suddenly on Thursday night. On deceased’s being taken ill Mrs. White summoned Dr. de Zouche, who found it necessary to inject morphia as had been done on former occasions, but Mr. White never rallied.”

Thomas died at his residence in Smith Street, Dunedin. From Thomas’s death certificate, cause of death was listed as “Alcoholism and Failure of the heart”.

Thomas’s brother Frederick John White also emigrated to New Zealand, and set up as a pharmacist in Westport and Hokitika before moving to Wellington, where his son Robert Oscar White was born. The latter remembers staying with his Aunt Emmie (Emilia) in Wellington, where she moved some time after Thomas’s death. Emilia married her second husband Thomas Ancell in Wellington in 1893 and died there in 1915.

On Thomas White’s headstone at the Northern Cemetery, the inscription reads “Erected by Emilia Arnati, in loving remembrance of her husband Thomas White. Died July 5th 1889 aged 59. Cette tombe renferme les cendres de mon mari avec mon coeur”. (This grave encloses the ashes of my husband along with my heart.) Thomas and Emilia had no children.