The Lady of Ro

[Emma]

 I wondered if anyone had any information about this lady, whose name was Despina Achladioti?  Or possibly the surname was Achaldiotou?  I find it written both ways when I search on the internet.

If anyone has any information about her, or has any relatives who might remember anything about her, I'd very grateful.  I understand she was born on Kastellorizo but moved with her husband to the nearby island of Ro in 1927 and they were the only inhabitants.

Did they ever have any children?  Or any other relatives left on Kastellorizo?

Thank you.

[Administrator]

Hi Emma,

Thanks for your post regarding Despina Achladhioti.

Both surnames are the same - Achladhiotou is the more correct genitive version, but Achladioti is equally valid. As you might know, females adopt the genitive in their surnames in the Greek language. The male version is Achladhiotis (and means 'pear farmer').

Despina was born on Castellorizo in c.1902. Her maiden name was Despina Antoniou Christou Kypriou which signifies a Cypriot origin on her father's side. In 1922 she married Kostas Theodorou Achladhiotis and in 1927 they settled on the nearby islet of Rho (or Ayios Yeorgios, as it is sometimes known). They had no children and she remained there until her death. Relatives of her husband still live on Castellorizo and some of her distant relatives are to be found in the USA & Australia.

Her story of defiantly raising the Greek flag on her small islet captivated the entire Greek nation, particularly after her husband's death when she lived there alone. I am attaching a photo of her taken at the time she was honoured by the Hellenic Republic.

You should be able to find a lot more info about her interesting life online.



Regards,
Nicholas