Born at Hordle, Hants on 24 October 1858, the only child of Edwin Driver White, who was of independent means, and Francis Elizabeth Hughes, his wife. He was educated at Charterhouse, which had just moved from the City to Godalming in 1872, and at St Thomas's Hospital, where he served as anaesthetic house surgeon and as house physician. After a term as out-patient assistant at the East London Hospital for Children, White began to practise privately at 280 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, moving later to No 388. In 1884-85 he saw active service as surgeon to the Red Cross Hospital during the Egypt and Nile expedition, and was awarded the medal with clasp and the Khedivial star. Thirty years later, during the first world war, White served as surgeon to Gifford House Hospital and to Templeton Hospital, and was twice mentioned in despatches. White filled the office of president of the South-West London Medical Society, and sat in the council of the Royal Society of Medicine. He was a member of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. White married in July 1898 Mabel Wyman, who died on 22 December 1940 at Warren Gate, Beacon Road, Crowborough, Sussex. White died at the same house on 16 April 1945, aged 86, survived by his son and daughter.