Whittall
Originally from England.
Part of the European community in Turkey.
See
Historical background.
- References:
- 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.