White was the son of a retired watchmaker, supplier of chronometers to The Admiralty and director of White and Poppe customers Swift and Singer.
wˈaɪt wʌzðə sˈʌn əvɚ ɹᵻtˈaɪɚd wˈɑːtʃmeɪkɚ, səplˈaɪɚɹ ʌv kɹənˈɑːmɪɾɚz tə ðɪ ˈædmɚɹəlɾi ænd dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ʌv wˈaɪt ænd pˈɑːp kˈʌstəmɚz swˈɪft ænd sˈɪŋɚ.