Serra

1.1.1.1.1. Giovanni Serra, (1806 Malta -), (Migrated to Smyrne, Izmir, Ottoman Empire), [“Giovanni 1806 and his brother jointly owned a shipyard in Bormla, Malta which was a ship breaker’s yard. He fell in love with Teresa Farrugia who came from a wealthy family that didn’t approve of the marriage. I am rather hazy about whether Giovanni and Teresa married in Malta and whether this is where their daughter Rosa was born but Peter says they only had Rosa and Tommaso. Giovanni and his brother bought a Russian sailing ship but it was in too good a condition to break up so Giovanni exchanged his half of the shipyard for the ship and sailed to Smyrna. He built a house on Bornova Caddesi but at this time the shoreline was much further inland and he moored his ship in front of his property. “(souvenirs de Peter Papi retransmis par Joyce Cully; During the Crimean War he was delivering lemons to the British troops when his ship was sunk by the Russians and he drowned in the Black Sea. This is why his death doesn’t appear in the registers. The British government indemnified the family and Rosa built a factory which manufactured ready made clothing for men and the area of the factory was called the Maltezika.”(souvenirs de Peter Papi retransmis par Joyce Cully) source]; married 1823 Cospicua to Teresa Farrugia, with issue.