Philip White was known as “Pat”, “Paddy”, “Sunny” and “Sonny” White throughout his life. His father, James White, was a School Teacher who was posted to different locations throughout NSW. Pat White was born at Tea Gardens in the Port Stephens District in 1913. However the family finally settled in the Bathurst district, where James White taught at the Kelso School.
Bathurst was also where Pat and his brothers learned how to play rugby league. Young Pat was an exceptional player. He led the Bathurst High School in a semi-final of the University Shield against Tamworth High in 1929, and captained Bathurst schoolboys against Queensland schoolboys, the same year.