My wife's ancestors - Maltass - Contents

Whittall

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

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.

(Left) Charlton Whittall.
(Right) Magdaleine Giraud.
From 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.
He mar 1814 to Magdaleine Giraud [born 22 Apr 1790].
Lived in "The Big House", Bournabat (Bornova), near Smyrna [originally bought in 1820 by his brother James, who died relatively young].
The Big House was 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 1857 (the Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, consecrated 1864). Wonder if named after his 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 Abdul Aziz (reigned 1861-76).
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 18 June 1867, age 75 yrs.
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.

Grave of Magdaleine Giraud.
Anglican cemetery, Bornova.
From Levantine Heritage. Used with permission.

The Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, Bornova

The Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, Bornova. See location on map.

The Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, Bornova.
See full size. Formerly here.

The Anglican church of St.Mary Magdalene, Bornova.
From here at wowturkey.com.

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."

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.