My wife's ancestors - Maltass - Contents

Whittall

Originally from England.
Part of the European community in Turkey. See Historical background.

(Left) Charlton Whittall.
(Right) Magdaleine Giraud.
From Yolande Whittall photo album at Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.
Giraud portrait is also in [Giraud, 1934].

Charlton Whittall,
born 4 July 1791, Liverpool.
See Wikitree.
He went to Smyrna (for commerce) 1809 (age 18).
Founded C. Whittall and Co., Smyrna, 1811.
Admitted to the Levant Company 13 Feb 1812.

He mar 1814 to Magdaleine Giraud [born 22 Apr 1790].
Lived in "The Big House", Bournabat (Bornova), near Smyrna.
This house was originally bought in 1820 by his brother James Whittall, who died relatively young. Charlton then lived there.
The Big House was the Whittall family home for generations.
He and his wife entertained King Otto of Greece at The Big House in 1833.
He built the "English church", Bornova in 1857 (the Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, consecrated 1864).
He named the church after his wife and her niece (his son's wife).
Magdaleine died 1861, age 71 yrs.

The Sultan stays at the Whittall house, 1863:
In 1863, Charlton entertained at his house the Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz (reigned 1861-1876).
The Big House is described at the visit as "the country home of Charlton Whittall". That is, he also had a town house in Smyrna. See [Kalcas, 1983] on the visit. This quotes [Woods, 1924].
The visit of the Sultan was talked about for years.
See visit of Gertrude Bell to the house 1902. Her diary of 7 Apr 1907 notes on a visit to Edward Whittall that: "Abdul Aziz stayed with his grandfather and after the visit the Turks flocked to kiss the place where he had stood and slept".

Charlton died at Bournabat (Bornova), 18 June 1867, age 75 yrs.
Charlton and Magdaleine were bur in Anglican Cemetery in Bornova. Grave 165.
Note that [Kalcas, 1983] confuses the deaths of his brother James with that of his son James.
Charlton and Magdaleine had issue:

Charlton Arthur Whittall,
born 1816, Smyrna.
James Whittall,
of "The Big House", Bornova,
James John Whittall, born 20 Oct 1819, Smyrna [British Chapel, Smyrna].

Charlton Whittall.
See full size. Photo courtesy of Stephen Sheaffe.

Charlton Whittall grave, Bornova

Grave erected by Charlton Whittall for his wife Magdaleine Giraud in Anglican cemetery, Bornova.
Charlton Whittall was then buried here too.
See findagrave.

Grave of Charlton Whittall and Magdaleine Giraud.
See larger and full size.
See view from other side. From findagrave.

Grave of Charlton Whittall and Magdaleine Giraud.
See larger and full size.
From findagrave.

Grave of Charlton Whittall and Magdaleine Giraud.
Smaller shot but earlier and more legible.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.

Lost portraits

The following portraits existed in The Big House in Bornova as at 1902.
See visit of Gertrude Bell.

PORTRAIT of old Charlton Whittall "and all his sons and grandsons flanking him".
PORTRAIT of his wife Magdaleine Giraud.
PORTRAIT of her mother Hélène Cortazzi.

Philippe Vincent says: "Nobody is sure where [the above] are any longer."

References

The Genealogy of the Whittall Family of Turkey, by Betty McKernan, 1996.

Sources yet to be consulted

Whittall Papers (EUL MS 259) in Exeter University Library, Exeter, Devon (see map). This contains:
- Trading in the Levant: centenary of C. Whittall & Co., Smryna 1811-1911, C. Whittall and Company, Manchester, 1912.
- The Genealogy of the Whittall Family of Turkey, Yolande Whittall and Benjamin Perkins, 1967.
- The Whittalls of Turkey, 1809-1973, unknown author.
- The Early Whittalls, G.W. Whittall, 1975.
- Scrap-book 1809-1922, Ray Turrell, 1987.
Constantinople and Istanbul: 72 Years of Life in Turkey by Sidney E. P. Nowill, 2011.

Philippe Vincent says: "The family socialised amongst themselves and cousins ended up marrying cousins. Eventually the family spread out of Turkey and moved all over the world."
In Izmir (Smyrna) a Whittall company still exists today.