1. Introduction

Primogenitors of the great ship-owning Stathatos family were the brothers Othon, Konstantinos and Dionysios, sons of Antonios Petalas – Stathatos. The Petalas – Stathatos family was related to the other significant ship-owning family from Ithaca (Ithaki), the Petalas – Theofilatos family. In fact, according to a manuscript of a church’s title deed in Gardelaki, Ithaca, it appears that the Stathatos and Theofilatos families shared the same ancestor, Theofilos Petalas. As time went by, however, the degrees of kinship became more and more extended; as a result, the names Stathatos and Theofilatos became two separate surnames of a family once united.¹

The Stathatos family would evolve, as would their kinsmen the Theofilatos family, into one of the most notable Greek ship-owning houses during the last quarter of the 19^th and the first half of the 20^th century. Moreover, they would not limit their shipping and commercial activities only in the Danube area, but would also expand in the Mediterranean with Athens as their base, and, finally, in London, the maritime centre of the time.²

2. The shipping tradition of Ithaca (18th – 19th century)

Ithaca (Ithaki)³ is one of the smallest and most barren islands in the Ionian Sea. From the end of the 18^th century, however, its inhabitants started to involve themselves heavily in shipping; consequently, along with neighouring Cephalonia (Kefalonia),⁴ the island became a sipping centre not only for the Ionian Sea, but for the whole of the eastern Mediterranean.⁵ In fact, it is recorded that in 1810 there were 40 vessels in Ithaca, manned with experienced mariners, as well as ship-builders. From the early 19^th until the beginning of the 20^th century, however, a migration wave took place towards the South of Russia, the coast of the Black Sea, as well as the Danubian Principalities. The Ionian merchants who located in the ports around the Sea of Azov, in Odessa, in Crimea, as well as in the ports of the Danube such as Tulcea, Sulina, Galaţi and Brăila, took over the grain trade.⁶ The Stathatos family participated actively in this commercial activity, relying both on their extended family networks, as well as on their use of modern methods in their entrepreneurial activities. As a result, they became one of the most significant Ithacian ship-owning houses during the 19^th and 20^th centuries, following the nautical tradition of their island.⁷

3. The Stathatos family

Antonios Petalas – Stathatos, son of Dionysios, was the father of the Stathatos brothers who involved themselves in the Danube trade. It is known that he was a teacher in Ithaca and that his only relation to shipping and trade was through his marriage to Adrianna Vlassopoulou, daughter of the Ithacian sea-captain Spyrakis Vlassopoulos. Antonios Petalas – Stathatos had three sons, Othon (1843-1925), Dionysios (1844-1930) and Konstantinos, all of whom went to Romania after primary education; there, they involved themselves in shipping and became known with their second surname: Stathatoi (pl. of Stathatos).⁸

3.1. The brothers Othon, Dionysios and Konstantinos Stathatos

3.1.1. The Stathatos ship-owning house: maritime and commercial activity (1860-1930)

Othon Stathatos was born in Ithaca in 1843. After having completed his studies in the island's Lyceum around 1860, he left for Brăila and worked with the Theofilatos family, being followed later on by his two brothers Dionysios and Konstantinos- after they themselves had finished school. Initially, all three brothers were employed by their cousin, the wholesale merchant Antonios Theofilatos. Soon, however, having acquired the necessary knowledge about the Danube trade and, by making the most of the opportunities presented to them, they got their first river boats.⁹ Around 1868, Othon Stathatos and his brothers founded the family’s ship-owning house under the name “Stathatos Bros”.¹⁰ The company owned many “shleps”¹¹ and harbour tugs travelling the Danube. Indeed, the first ever iron shlep in Danube was bought by Othon Stathatos. His daring entrepreneurial thinking was quickly imitated by other Ithacans, or Greek in general, ship-owners.¹²

The Stathatos ship-owning company collaborated many times with the Theofilatos one, by having constructed both sailers and steamboats.¹³ A few years later and after the death of Panos Theofilatos (1876), Othon Stathatos with Ioannis Theofilatos and his sons established the “Stathatos and Theofilatos” shipping company.¹⁴ At the same time around 1880, the Stathatos family operated one more maritime agency in the port of Sulina.¹⁵

The extended shipping activities of the Stathatos brothers were based on their well-organised and extended production, purchase, transport and trade network concerning grain and dry goods commerce; this network was established by Othon Stathatos himself and his representatives and grain producers in the whole of Romania. Otto Stathatos was also associated with the merchant Embeirikos from Andros. Specifically, they had undertaken the transport of Romanian governmental crops cargos abroad. These products were collected by appointed governmental officials in the Danube ports, close to where they were produced, and Stathatos along with Embeirikos transported them with their shleps to the great Danubian ports, such as Brăila, Galaţi and Sulina. Consequently, they were transhipped to their sailing and steam freighters and dispatched to the most important western European ports.¹⁶

Othon’s modern way of entrepreneurial thinking was apparent in yet another choice, this time concerning steamboat freighters shipping. Following the on-going changes in commercial shipping worldwide, caused by the introduction of steam technology, Othon Stathatos with his uncles Antonios and Ioannis Theofilatos built the first ever Greek iron steamboat freighter. He himself records characteristically: “I am happy to be able to mention at this point that in the year 1871, when steam shipping was emerging and the replacement of sailing boats by steamboats had begun, I too contributed – in my power – to this progress, along with Antonios Theofilatos and an English shipbuilding house in Sunderland by ordering the first Greek steam freighter named ‘Ithaca’. This steamboat with a tonnage of approximately 1,550 was the first to sail the ocean, a fact thought of as a great feat at the time”.¹⁷ The launching of this freighter marketed the assertive involvement of the Stathatos family in the building of privately owned freighters.

The Stathatos brothers appeared more enterprising, daring and progressive than their cousins, the Theofilatos family, but also the rest of the Greek ship-owners of the time. So, between 1884 and 1898, each brother ordered 10 ships to be constructed in English dockyards. In fact, they reached the point of receiving one newly built steamboat per year, a fact that ranked them among the top of Greek ship-owners during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.¹⁸

In order to paint an accurate picture of Othon and his brothers’ activities, let us have a look at the data provided by Spyridon Fokas;¹⁹ in 1894 and 1895, the Stathatos brothers, Othon included, owned 36 shleps with a tonnage of 35,625, and 6 harbour tugs with propellers with a horsepower from 60 to 100. Moreover, they owned one more shlep with a tonnage of 1,050 in collaboration with P. Kallinikos. Otto personally owned 14 out of the 36 shleps, as well as 3 tugs, while the family also owned 7 newly built steamboat freighters. In 1930, finally, only 5 shleps remained in the possession of the Stathatos family. The gradual absence of the Stathatos family in Danube shipping is due to the fact that it became more involved in open-sea steamboat freighters that offered opportunities for greater profit.²⁰

The Stathatos family shipping activity was especially important with regard to the Danube area for both Romanian trade and finance. This is plainly apparent by the fact that during the nationalization of land and business imposed by the Romanians in the beginning of the 20^th century, the Stathatos family was excluded and asked to remain in the country. They declined, however, and decided to leave Romania and locate in Athens, continuing their shipping business from there.²¹

3.1.2. The Stathatos ship-owning house: social activity (1860-1930)

Beyond their entrepreneurial and shipping activities, however, the Stathatos family was also prominent socially, led again by Othon Stathatos. The latter founded in 1907 the first Greek School for sea captains in his place of origin, Ithaca; it was called “A. Stathatos Commercial and Naval School”, also known as “Stathatos School”. It was located in a newly built and grandiose building.²² The school was directed by the Swiss educator Julien Cherm and during the first five years of its operation was known and distinguished for its adequacy, for the quality of its professional education and for the proficiency of its graduates.²³ In 1913, however, Othon Stathatos ceased funding the School claiming personal reasons²⁴ and the building was donated to the state in order to be used a public school. Moreover, Othon was involved in the establishment of the Voula Asklipeion Hospital, part of which was dedicated to Athina, his wife.²⁵

The impressive Stathatos Mansion of Athens, a work of the architect Ernst Ziller, was built in 1895 as the residence of Othon and Athina Stathatos. It belonged to the family until 1938. After WWII it functioned as the residence of several foreign embassies. Today it is used for the exhibitions of the Museum of Cycladic Art.

3.1.3. The Stathatos ship-owning house (1925-today)

The presence of the Stathatos family in both Greek and international ship-owning continued during the 20^th century by Dimitrios, son of Dionysios Statathos, who founded a maritime agency in London under the name “D.D. Stathatos & Co.”. He managed the family’s privately owned fleet in collaboration with his cousin Spyridon Zavos.²⁶ After WW II, Dimitrios moved to the USA and involved himself once again in shipping and commerce. The Stathatos house still exists in London, managed by members of the family.²⁷