My wife's ancestors - Maltass - Contents

Herbert Whittall

   
(Left) Herbert Whittall.
(Right) Louisa Maltass.
Photos courtesy of Philippe Vincent.

Herbert Whittall,
born 1858, Smyrna,
of C. Whittall and Co., Smyrna.
Lived "The Big House", Bornova.
He mar pre-1881 to Louisa Maltass.
Gertrude Bell visited them at "The Big House", Bornova, in 1902:

• See Bell's diary, 11 Mar 1902: "Charming house with a big garden and most splendid cypresses. Old Mrs Whittall, the grandmother of them all lives here too. Mrs H. Whittall a delightful woman. ... We walked in the big garden after lunch; magnificent cypresses planted in a cross, part of the old monastery garden." (This confirms this is The Big House.)
• See letter of 11 Mar 1902: "The house is a great big place, with high enormous rooms, set in a garden 200 years old across which a line of splendid cypresses runs. The old mother of the tribe, Mr Whittall's mother, lives here, a very old woman who kissed me when I came in. ... The old Sultan, uncle of 'Abd ul Hamed stayed in this house; it is the only private house which has received a Sultan." (This confirms Herbert's house is The Big House.)

Herbert supported the Greeks during the Greek occupation of Smyrna 1919-1922.
Whittall of the Big House entertained Prince Andrew of Greece in 1921 (father-in-law of Elizabeth II).
They were forced to flee Smyrna when the Turks took it 1922.
They went to Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa, where Herbert had a property which may originally have been a holiday home.
"The Big House" was sold to the Giraud family.
Herbert died 1929, Tunis, age 71 yrs.
Louisa died 1942, Tunis.
They had issue:

1. Kathleen Whittall, born 1881.
   She mar 1904 to Frederick Keun [Frederick George, born 1880].
   They inherited the property in Tunis after Herbert died 1929.
   Frederick died 1941, Tunis, age 61 yrs.
   Kathleen lived with dau and her husband at Tunis.
   After her dau divorced, Kathleen "went to live in London along with lots of other family members".
   She died London, 1960, age 79 yrs.
   Frederick and Kathleen had issue:
   1. Norah Keun,
      Norah Louise Keun, born 1906.
      She mar Norman Giraud [born 1904] and had issue.

   2. Frederick Keun,
      Frederick Herbert Keun, born 1907.
      Lived Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

   
   

2. Helen Whittall, born 1883,
   died Sept 1906, age 23 yrs.

   
   

3. Herbert Whittall,
   Herbert James Whittall, born 1884.

   
   

4. Mabel Whittall, born 1886.
   She mar Ulric Marraccini and had issue:
   1. Livia Luisa Marraccini, mar Willem Frank Whittall.

   
   

5. Louisa Whittall, born 1890.
   She died 1892, age 2 yrs.
   She was bur in Anglican Cemetery in Bornova.

Herbert Whittall and Louisa Maltass and their 6 children, on the steps of The Big House in Bornova, around 1910.
Back (left to right): Mabel, George.
Front (left to right): Herbert, Herbert Whittall, Kathleen, Louisa Maltass, Helen, Henry.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.
From Philippe Vincent.

Kathleen Whittall.
Photo courtesy of Philippe Vincent.

Frederick Keun.
Photo courtesy of Philippe Vincent.

Helen Whittall.
Photo courtesy of Philippe Vincent.

Herbert Whittall with his daughter Mabel (back LHS) and various grandchildren.
On holiday in Nice, France, in 1925.
Photo courtesy of Philippe Vincent.

Grave of Louisa Whittall.
Anglican Cemetery in Bornova.