Kathleen (Kitty) WhytePrint Page 
The sculpture commemorates the life of Kathleen (Kitty) Whyte and her contribution to the local community. Kathleen was a local swimming teacher who died in a shark attack in 1920.
Kathleen Duncan Campbell Whyte (“Kitty”) MacCully was the daughter of Reverend Alexander MacCully , the Rector of St Jude’s in Brighton. She was the wife of Ernest Primrose (known as “Prim”) Whyte, the manager of Wirraminna Station north of Port Augusta, when she died on the 18th March 1926 aged 35.
Before her marriage, Kitty had regularly taught the children of Brighton to swim, being an adept swimmer who won the Grand Diploma of the Royal Life Saving Society in 1919. In that year she was officially thanked for having saved Miss Sybil Davies from drowning. Whilst on holiday in Brighton in 1926 she took her usual class of children and afterwards returned for a swim herself. She dived off the springboard, screamed suddenly throwing up her arms, and was dragged under the surface. A twelve foot long black shark had attacked and badly mutilated her. She died before reaching the hospital.
Location
| Address: | Esplanade, Brighton Jetty, Brighton, 5048 |
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| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.017694 Long: 138.514548 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Tragedy |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | 1920 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | 1920 |
| Artist: | Gerry McMahon |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2011 |
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Plaque :
City of
Holdfast Bay
KATHLEEN (KITTY) WHYTE
SCULPTOR
GERRY McMAHON
This sculpture commemorates the life of Kitty Whyte. It acknowledges the contribution she made to the community and her love and passion for the sea. Kitty Whyte (nee Macully) was an accomplished swimmer who was awarded the Grand Diploma of the Royal Life Saving Society in 1919 when she saved a woman who was drowning. Kitty had a commitment to educating children on general water safety and spent time teaching the local children of Brighton to swim. At the conclusion of one of her classes in 1920 Mrs Whyte dived from the Brighton Jetty and was fatally attacked by a shark.
PURCHASED BY THE CITY OF HOLDFAST BAY 2001
