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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 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. See findagrave.
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 15 Feb 1912, age 88 yrs.
See findagrave, which confuses her with her grand-dau Magdalene Blanche Whittall (born 1890).
James and Magdalene were bur in Anglican Cemetery in Bornova. Grave 177.
They had issue:

1. Sir William Whittall, Kt,
   James William Whittall,
   born 1 Dec 1838, Smyrna [his mother was age 15].

   
   

2. Helen Whittall,
   born 1840.
   She died 1841, age 1 yr.
   She was bur Anglican cemetery, Buca. Grave 60. Moved to 216.

   
   

3. Jane Whittall,
   born 1842, Smyrna,
   mar Richard Wilkinson and had issue.

   
   

4. Mary Whittall,
   Mary Adelaide Whittall, born 1843.
   She mar 1868 to Frederic Giraud and had issue.

   
   

5. Richard Whittall,
   Richard Watson Whittall, born 1847, Smyrna.

   
   

6. Edward Whittall, born 9 Sept 1851, Bornova.

   
   

7. Blanche Magdalen Whittall,
   or Magdalene, born 1855, Smyrna.
   She mar Edward Augustus John La Fontaine and had issue.

   
   

8. Herbert Whittall [Herbert Octavius],
   born 1858, Smyrna,
   NOT Herbert G., think NOT Octavios or Octavious,
   lived in "The Big House", Bornova.

   
   

9. Edith Amelia Whittall,
   born 1860, Smyrna.
   She mar Sydney James William La Fontaine.

   
   

10. Charlton Francis Whittall,
    second Charlton, "C. Frank Whittall",
    born 1864, Smyrna.

Grave of James Whittall. Anglican Cemetery in Bornova.
See larger and full size. From findagrave.

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Children

Apparently this is the grave of Helen Whittall (died 1841), Buca.
Photo 2024. See larger and full size.
See wider shot.

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