Sarah Whitley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sarah Whitley
Whitley (second left) in Roundhay Garden Scene directed by Louis Le Prince
Born	Sarah Robinson 1816 Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
Died	October 24, 1888(1888-10-24) (aged 71–72) UK
Spouse(s)	Joseph Whitley ​ (m. 1842)​
Children	3

Gravestone in Roundhay Churchyard, Leeds, of Sarah Robinson, and her husband, Joseph Whitley

Sarah Whitley (née Robinson, 1816 – 24 October 1888) is credited as the earliest-born woman known to have appeared in a film. She was the mother-in-law of cinematic pioneer Louis Le Prince and was filmed by him 10 days before her death, aged 72.

In the 1888 film, Roundhay Garden Scene, Whitley is seen walking or dancing backwards.

She and her husband Joseph, who also appears in the film, were the parents of Le Prince's wife, Elizabeth. The film was shot in their garden at Oakwood Grange, Roundhay, Leeds, on 14 October 1888.

Her appearance in the film, and her death 10 days later, help to substantiate Roundhay Garden Scene as the oldest surviving film in existence.

She is the earliest-born woman known to have appeared in a film, the earliest-born man being Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903) who was filmed in 1896. She was also the first known person who had appeared in a film to die.

Death

Whitley's death on 24 October 1888, is commemorated by a gravestone in the churchyard of St John's Church, Roundhay.

Filmography