White was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and emigrated to New Zealand with her family in 1886. From 1890 she worked with New Zealand photographer John Hanna in his studio. She later established her own photographic studio in Newton, Auckland. However this venture was not a success and she was forced to close her business. Despite this failure she continued to take photographs up until her death. After the closure of her studio she worked as a nurse at the Auckland Mental Hospital in Avondale. It was while working there that she took a series of photographs for which she is best known.
