1923 Kalpakian Passport

Good morning Aunt Peggy and Laura,

Last night we looked at and took pictures of the Kalpakian family passport.  As you know, it is all written in two languages, one of which is French.  (I assume the other is Turkish.). There are a couple of interesting things in it.

It was issued by someone in the « 4th section of the police »
It was only good for one year.
On one page  there is a stamp from the Canada with the date of 9-13-1923.
On thé following page there is a visa that appears to be Greek.
There is a page that says  the passport is for departure on July 8, 1923 stamped by the (inter) Allied passport control in Constantinople 
The following page is in English and says « Inter Allied Passport Bureau British Section permit to leave Constantinople for the USA on July 5, 1922!

Then there is a page which lists those accompanying the passport holder and lists the names, relationship and place of birth (and birthdate though these are not given) hair and eye color and a description of the noses.

Here is the info on that page:  Haigoohi - his wife 22 years old and born in Adana
Angaghoohi-his daughter 4 years old born in Mersin 
Pakradoohi - his daughter 1 year old born in Constantinople 
All are identified as having brown hair and eyes and being of average size and with average noses.  The date of all of this is March 26, 1923.

Then there is a décrispation of grandpa 
average size
round face
brown skin
brown haïr
regular nose
normal mouth
a thin blond mustache
shaved beard
no other characteristics 

The place where Grandpa should have signed is blank

Another page asks the name of the passport holder’s father: Hagop
The profession of the passport holder:  none
Born in Mersin in 1886
Home address:  Macri Kreui Djevizlik (sp?) Patchadhi Street number 46 (in French this is domiciled at - and in France and many other countries each person is registered with the government at a specific address, and this is important.)
Destination: USA
Goal of trip: at his relatives’ home

The following page says 
“In the name of the government of the Big National Assembly of Turkey given to a Turkish citizen Mr. Harootun Kalpakian, son of Hagop March 26, 1923”

I thought some of this was very interesting-especially mom being born in Mersin, and Grandpa having a thin blond mustache!

See you soon.

Love,  
Patty

Subject: A new discovery!!!!

I just looked at the passport one last time and realized that I was looking at the passport as if it were an American one and thought it strange that there was nothing on the front cover.  In fact the passport reads from right to left!  So the front cover has the Turkish symbol then on the next page the passport number (#674) and so on with the visas in the later pages.

�� Lové,

Patty

The passport pages have been reorderd here as if it were an American passport--just remember it is backwards from the original.

Passport

Last page of the original passport
Passport # 674
March 26, 1923 Turkey
Father's name was Hagop
Characteristics of Harry Kalpakian
Patty's Grandmother, mother, aunt
Permit to leave
Arrived on Canadian ship "Canada"
Arrival in Greece
 
Passport Photo
What appeared to be first is really last