Whone was born in Bingley, West Yorkshire, where his parents were both employed in the cloth mills. He studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of Music) and Manchester University, he secured positions in the Royal Opera House orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, before moving to Glasgow in 1955, where he took up the position of deputy leader of the Scottish National Orchestra. His obit in the Guardian describes his time and painting there “He was inspired by Glasgow's changing fortunes and painted a series of notable canvases featuring the beauty of a city in transition. His painting of trams and shipbuilding, to pick two of his fondest subjects, were presented with warmth and beauty, almost impressionistic in their depiction of glowing sunsets and use of rich colour.” He performed on the BBC and published a number of books on the Violin.