Tues. 11. [11 March 1902] Pouring rain which cleared and came on
again. Packed and shopped. Called on Mr Cumberbatch. At 11.30
Helen Whittall came to fetch me and we went to Burnabat [Bornova],
Mr W. joining us in the train. Called on Mr Gaudin at the station to
thank him and saw M. Hatton. Got to Burnabat at 12.30. Charming
house with a big garden and most splendid cypresses. Old Mrs
Whittall, the grandmother of them all lives here too. Mrs H. Whittall a
delightful woman. Round the dining room family portraits - on one
side the grandfather who first came out, a stern old man; on the other
his wife, a Venetian (Cortazzi) of the Byzantine Venetians, driven out
by the Turks first to Crete [Kriti] then to Athens [Athinai] and then to
Smyrna [Izmir], and her mother, an Italian, a Capo d'Istria. Both
women in semi oriental dress. We walked in the big garden after
lunch; magnificent cypresses planted in a cross, part of the old
monastery garden. After a very merry schoolroom tea to which young
Herbert Whittall came, Mrs H.W. and I went to see Mr Edward Whittall,
the Vali's right hand and a great gardener. Delightful gardening talk
with him. He took us to see his nursery garden. After dinner he and
his 2 daughters Elsie and Rachel came in and we played Bridge.