Sarah Whitley

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A still image from Roundhay Garden Scene featuring Sarah Whitley and directed by Louis Le Prince
Gravestone in Roundhay Churchyard, Leeds, of Sarah Robinson, and her husband, Joseph Whitley

Sarah Whitley (born Sarah Robinson 1816 – died 24 October 1888) is credited as the earliest known born woman ever to appear in a film, with Pope Leo XIII (filmed in 1896) being born in 1810. She was the mother-in-law of cinematic pioneer Louis Le Prince and was filmed by him 10 days before her death, aged 72.[1]

In the film, Roundhay Garden Scene, Whitley is seen walking or dancing backwards.[2]

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.[3]

Whitley's death on 24 October 1888, is commemorated by a gravestone in the churchyard of St John's Church, Roundhay.[4]

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 known born woman ever to appear in a film, and also the first known person who had appeared in a film to die.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Hale, Tom. "The World's Oldest Film Has Been Revamped By Artificial Intelligence". IFLScience. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  2. ^ Macdonald, Ian. "Louis le Prince shot the first film – but did he invent movies?". The Conversation. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  3. ^ Tucker, Thomas Deane (10 December 2019). The Peripatetic Frame: Images of Walking in Film. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9781474409292. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Gravestone of Joseph and Sarah Whitley". Historic England – List entry. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Roundhay Garden Scene – Trivia". IMDb. Retrieved 28 February 2021.[unreliable source?]

External links[]

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