image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Great grandmother Edith Whittall (1840-1935, m. 1862, daughter of Samuel Barker of Boudjah) when young.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Aunt Edie (Edythe) Thompson (b. 1905, daughter of F. Edwin Whittall, married Hugh Thompson in 1935) and Granny Florence Whitehouse, dressed in ‘native garb’ for some fun, in an Armenian photo-studio (R. Khendamian) in Kadıköy, Istanbul around 1900.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Daisy La Fontaine (1882-1982, daughter of Edward Augustus John La Fontaine and Blanche Magdalen Whittall, married 1905 Charles Goad in Bornova - wedding photo) and unknown - pantomines by Canon Whitehouse done each year around 1905.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Another episode of the pantomines: (l>r) Daisy La Fontaine, Eilleen Whittall (b.1889, daughter of Edwin Whittall and Adelaide Helen La Fontaine, married Edward Leonard La Fontaine), Edith Hill (b. 1887, daughter of Albert Anderson Hill and Linda Frances Whittall, married John Macmanaway).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Another episode of the pantomines: left to right, Edith Hill, Mary Maltass (?), Daisy La Fontaine, Eileen Whittall.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Canon Francis Cowley Whitehouse in front of his church in Therapia, Istanbul.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Therapia Anglican church near the British Summer Embassy residence, that burnt down in 1911, and this church probably survived that fire. The Anglican Church registers of Istanbul record a wedding in Tarabya Chapel in 1921. Also there are earlier entries for Therapia Chapel in 1893, 1891 and the earlier entries hard to decipher as it is in flowery script that have faded going back to the middle of the 19th century (the land was donated by the Sultan in 1847) but the wording of ‘the Chapel of the Ambassador to the Sublime Porte’ probably meant the Embassy chapel in Pera House. Going further back in time it is clear that this building did not exist, and perhaps an earlier chapel existed inland: in 1802 a baptism is described in the Chapel at ‘Belgrade Forest’. And, in 1801, there was a ceremony at the Ambassador’s ‘Büyükdere Palace’! (next neighbourhood to Tarabya).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Canon Francis Cowley Whitehouse, after the capitulations were rescinded he could no longer wear his dog collar in public.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
His wife, Florence Philippa (Florry) nee Whittall, I refer to as ‘little granny’. Below granny is in the study of the ‘Tower’ house, I remember the chair well.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Roland Whittall, 3rd son of Edwin Whittall and Adelaide Helen nee La Fontaine, born 1892, killed at Gallipoli 1915.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Grandmother Florence Whitehouse nursing at Şişli [Etfal Hamidiye - archive views] hospital wearing white gown for the Turkish wounded of the Balkan war (1912-13 - images). She was an usual Western woman as she could speak some Turkish, but was not the only Levantine to volunteer to help in Turkish military hospitals.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Granny Whittall’s 94th birthday with Kenny Whittall (4th son of Edwin) next to her, Granny Whitehouse holding Philipa and aunt Gwen (b. 1882, nee Barfield married to Reginald La Fontaine Whittall) on the left.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
seated: Sir Telford Waugh and Lady Waugh, Canon Whitehouse on the left, on the right possibly Colonel Harold Woods (commercial secretary of the British Embassy and son of Sir Henry Woods Pasha and Sarah Madeline Whittall).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Lady Edith Whittall (1840-1935, daughter of Samuel Barker of Boudja, Smyrna and Marianne nee La Fontaine, wife of Sir James William Whittall of the Tower, Moda) aged 95 in her garden a year before she died.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Lady Edith Whittall (my great-grandmother) garden in Moda looking straight over to Istanbul.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Great grandmother Lady Whittall in her garden with her daughter Florence Whitehouse (1876-1954), her daughter in turn Millicent Perkins (b. 1900) and her daughter in turn, the eldest, Glen (b. 1925, sister of Philippa).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Diver helping to place huge rocks against the pier of Moda to protect it from winter storms, 1930s.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
The ‘Bati’ yacht owned by young Kenny Whittall. The designation ‘young’ was always attached to Kenny Edwin La Fontaine Whittall of Moda and Pendik (son of Edwin Whittall), to distinguish him from his uncle Kenrick Edward Whittall of Moda and Pendik, who was known as the ‘elder Kenny’.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Lord Lytton’s ‘Bulwer’s castle’ on Yassı ada, sea of Marmara, with its haremlik / selamlık wings - more photos (not from this family)
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
SS Dawn around 1933 a Whittall yacht.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Granny Lady Whitall seated, uncle Edwin Whittall (1864-1953, the eldest son of Sir James William Whittall) on the right, Aunt ‘Lily’ (1867-1948, Adelaide Helen nee La Fontaine, wife of F.E.W) next to him, Sheila (one of the daughters of F.E.W., b. 1904, m. 1930 Patrick Graeme Tweedie, group captain RAF), her husband Pat and their child Jill Tweedy, b. 1932 who used to write books - obituary.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Edwin and Lily Whittall on their diamond wedding day 1947 (married 1887).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Uncle Edwin Whittall in his study in Moda looking at a photo of his late wife Lily - notice of her death in 1948 in the London Gazette.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
In Edwin Whittall’s garden, left to right: Susan La Fontaine (daughter of James Sydney La Fontaine and Olive nee Hayter), Yolande Whittall (b. 1929, daughter of Hugh McKinley Whittall and Mercy nee Lawson), Rosemary La Fontaine (b. 1929, daughter of Hugh La Fontaine of Gilchrist Walker La Fontaine & Co., Istanbul and Maroushka nee Melnikoff), Cynthia Whittall (1929-1976, daughter of Arthur Whittall, Foreign Service, Istanbul and Lilian nee Dunderdale), Philippa Perkins (b.1927, daughter of William Jackson Perkins, solicitor in Istanbul and Millicent Edith nee Whitehouse), in front, Elizabeth Whittall (b. 1933, sister to Yolande) and Benjamin Perkins (b. 1932, brother to Philippa).
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Philippa’s governess Miss Lyne who was the daughter of Sargeant Lyne who was the first custodian of the Crimean War Cemetery, him, his wife and their daughter all buried there.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Reggie Whittall (Reginald La Fontaine Whittall, 1872-1952, of Moda, Istanbul, one of the 6 sons of Sir James William Whittall). He married Gwendoline Barfield.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
Harry Pears (son of Sir Edwin Pears, like his father solicitor in Constantinople) and wife Gertie (Gertrude Anna nee Whittall, daughter of Sir James William Whittall), 1946.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
My father in army uniform, either from WWI period or Istanbul occupation.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
My mother, Millicent Edith Whitehouse before her wedding possibly in Tower garden 1920s.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
William Jackson Perkins, father of Philippa, always well dressed. He never practice being a lawyer as such because of the end of capitulations as he was due work for Harry Pears. But he became a legal advisor in Istanbul. He left Turkey around 1955.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
An amusing map of the Marmara island of Antigoni (Burgaz) done by my father. This island was our family favourite.
image courtesy of Philipa Threadwell
British Chamber of Commerce Istanbul around 1953 and some members of foreign coordination committee. Left to right: Eddie la Fontaine, Thomas John Victor Ferid Tucker - further photos and information, Jack Kernick, Kenny Whittall, Harry Downing, unknown, Victor Middleton Binns (1918-1992, son of Cuthbert Evelyn Binns and Edith Mildred nee Edwards), Sidney Nowill, W.J. Perkins, Hugh La Fontaine, Tony Tubini (son of Bernard Anthony Tubini and Jennie nee Richardson), Richard Coleman (Ottoman Bank). Sitting: unknown, Gaby Couteaux (Belgian and prosperous businessman in Istanbul), Percy Johnson Chairman, Donald Riddle vice-chairman, some general Potts?, unknown. - (history of the British Chamber of Commerce of Turkey). According to Osman Streater, Donald Riddle was the Istanbul boss of G&A Baker Company, while Osman’s dad Jasper was the Ankara boss after the war until 1962. The two men are buried next to each other in the Feriköy cemetery.
All images courtesy of Philipa Threadwell who also provided images of Levantine sporting history in Turkey, 3 of this football gallery, and all of cricket: Click here to read Ms Threadwell’s recollections of life in Istanbul.


return to the Whittall photogalleries courtesy of Yolande Whittall | Betty McKernan