6th February 2026
W.H. I have just been given your book “Son of Hydra” by my friend Vice-Admiral Heraklis Kalogerakis.
Shelley Dark: How lovely – please thank Vice-Admiral Kalogerakis for me. I hope you enjoy it.
W.H. I am starting it now. We are just over the road from the Voulgaris estate.
S.D. Wayne, do you know anything of the history of the Voulgaris estate? Or maybe an online reference? I would love to know more.
W.H. https://www.karapanou.com/the-story/#the-history-of-oikia
S.D. Thank you so much, Wayne. That is interesting, Wayne. Do you know when it was acquired? I didn’t include any mention of Aegina in “Son of Hydra” because I wasn’t sure when the land was acquired – whether the Sultan granted it to Giorgos along with the title of Bey and governor of Hydra or whether he bought it before he became governor, during his time in office or later, after leaving Hydra, under pressure from the Council.
But Ghikas would certainly have known about it.
W.H. I am not well informed about all this. You can ask Heraklis the relevant questions. But here is something I sent to Heraklis the day before yesterday and mentioned to him last night when we were together in a restaurant:
https://main.cse-initiative.eu/?p=1349
There is much more to come out of this serendipity.
Shelley are you related to Eleanor Dark?
From Shelley Dark’s “Son of Hydra”, p. 382
“I have news of Greece,” says Ando. “From the newspapers. Would you like to hear?”
“You know I would!” I lift my voice.
“You know the new Greek king is a Bavarian – a Roman Catholic? His taxes are higher than the Sultan’s and the foreign debts remain. It’s a disaster – no constitution, no democracy. They sentenced our Hydriot war heroes to death and only pardoned them under pressure.’
Damos says, ‘Didn’t you hear that Ghikas’ friend, Spryidon Trikoupis, is petitioning the English king to pardon men who fought in the revolution?”
Bitterness heats my face. (thinks Ghikas) ‘He had a chance to do something when we were in Malta. He’s forgotten we exist.’
Ando continues. ‘Well, they shifted the government to Athens, still in rubble. And they speak French instead of Greek. They wear western dress.
I struggle to picture this.
‘Hydra is in a worse position than before the war.’
I place my mug on the table. ‘So, Ando, are you still Greek?’
‘Even if I were to be given a pardon, Ghika, I will stay in New South Wales. I sell my first crop of wheat this year. One day I will buy my own land.’