BIOGRAPHY

Whitehurst was born as Mary Ellen Selina Bolitho in Maerdy, Wales, U. K., on 20 October 1905 as the eldest of 10 children born to Jack and Mabel Bolitho. Her father was a coal miner, and was advised to emigrate to Australia due to the cleaner air. The family initially settled on the Sunshine Coast, and Whitehurst would go on horseback to turn on a gas lamp for the town nightly.

At the age of 12, Whitehurst performed at the renowned Sun Aria competition, which produced some notable tenors in Australian operatic circles. She was later a café manageress, and would provide meals for hundreds of factory workers.

Whitehurst was married twice. Her first husband, Roy Lowe, died of medical complications in 1965; she later married Riddell’s Creek resident Jack Whitehurst. With her first husband, she had a son, Eric. Her mother lived to the age of 103.

Whitehurst died at a Sunbury, Victoria care home on 2 January 2017 at the age of 111 years, 74 days. She was survived by her youngest sister, Edna Nolan, who was 90 years old at the time, as well as her son, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Following the death of 113-year-old Ethel Farrell on 20 December 2015, Whitehurst became Australia’s oldest known resident. Upon her own death, the title passed to Melbourne native Marjorie Cooke (1906 – 2017).

On 17 January 2016, Whitehurst became the oldest Welsh-born person in the world after the death of Gwenllian Davies, 110. Succeeding her after her own death was Vancouver, Canada resident Mary Roberts (1906 – 2019).

Whitehurst’s age was verified by Dr. Andrew Holmes and validated by the ESO on 4 September 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

• Australia’s oldest person, Mary Whitehurst, dies aged 111 Herald Sun, 27 January 2017

GALLERY