Turkey, Smyrna 1806: Entire folded letter written in Italian by the British Consul Robert Wilkinson* sent to Samos, to Gerassimo Svorona, console de Svizia (Γεράσιμος Σβορώνος*, Πρόξενος της Ελβετίας), RRR & F-VF

* Also Consul for Sweden and Denmark.
The British Wilkinsons had resided in Smyrna and Bournabat (present-day Bornova) since the mid 18th century. In addition to his consular appointments, John’s father-in-law Robert Wilkinson (1750-1822) was treasurer of the Levant Company in Smyrna. Four of John and Mary’s 10 children founded the family’s major lines of descent in Smyrna, two male and two female. Among other things, this involved an extensive internationalization of the family, with the injection of French, Greek, Italian, Austrian, Persian, Armenian, American and Canadian strains over the next few generations in addition to fresh British and Dutch blood. All this would seem to underscore the fact, noted by many observers, that nationality as such was generally a matter of secondary importance in the Levantine community, which seems to have functioned as a splendid melting-pot.

** Originated from Cefalonia, Ionian Islands