My wife's ancestors - Maltass - Contents

James Whittall

(Left) James Whittall.
(Right) Magdalene Giraud.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.
Giraud portrait is also in [Giraud, 1934].

James Whittall,
born 20 Oct 1819, Smyrna.
Listed as of Smyrna at mar.

He mar 27 Aug 1838, in Smyrna, to his 1st cousin Magdalene Giraud [or Magdalen, born Apr 1823, of Smyrna].
She signs herself "Magdalene Giraud" at mar.
Both teenagers. She was already pregnant.
She was age 14, he was 18, when she got pregnant in Feb-Mar 1838.
She was age 15, he was 18, when married in Aug 1838.
See entry in Smyrna Anglican Chaplaincy register.
She was age 15, he was 19, when first child born in Dec 1838.

He became a very wealthy merchant, of the family company, C. Whittall and Co., Smyrna.
Lived "The Big House", Bournabat (Bornova), near Smyrna.
He was a noted collector of Hellenic and pre-Hellenic coins of Asia Minor. Many of these are now in the British Museum.
He died 3 Feb 1883, age 63 yrs.
Letter of the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy of 1 March 1883 describes the late James Whittall as "reputed to have been the wealthiest merchant of the Levant".

Magdalene lived with her son Herbert in "The Big House", Bornova.
The diary of Gertrude Bell on 3 Apr 1907 describes her as: "The old Mrs Whittall married at 15 and had 20 children! She is now 85."
[Giraud, 1934] notes that she lived to see her great-great-grandchild born in 1910.
She died Feb 1912, age 88 yrs.
James and Magdalene had issue:

Sir William Whittall, Kt,
James William Whittall,
born 1 Dec 1838, Smyrna [his mother was age 15].
Jane Whittall,
born 1842, Smyrna,
mar Richard Wilkinson and had issue.
Richard Whittall,
Richard Watson Whittall, born 1847, Smyrna,
of C. Whittall and Co., Smyrna (he was head of the firm),
lived Bornova,
mar Sophia Marie Kramer and had issue:
1. Mary Whittall, born 1870,
  mar Frederick De Cramer and had issue.
Edward Whittall, born 9th Sept 1851, Bornova.
Blanche Magdalen Whittall,
born 1855, Smyrna,
mar Edward Augustus John La Fontaine and had issue.
Herbert Whittall [Herbert Octavius],
born 1858, Smyrna,
NOT Herbert G., think NOT Octavios or Octavious,
lived in "The Big House", Bornova.
Edith Amelia Whittall,
born 1860, Smyrna,
mar Sydney James William La Fontaine.
Charlton Francis Whittall (second Charlton), born 1864, Smyrna,
mar 1stly to Ethel Maud Barker,
mar 2ndly to Anna van Lennep and had issue:
1. Willem Frank Whittall, born 1915,
  mar 1stly to Ruth Mary Giraud [born 1910 or 1911] and had issue,
  mar 2ndly to Livia Luisa Marraccini.

The Richard Whittall House, Bornova.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.

Edith Amelia Whittall (born 1860).
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.