Percy La Fontaine

Although born in the Levant at Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey) Percy La Fontaine was educated at Uppingham School in England. He almost certainly played football during his time at Uppingham and in 1906 was part of the Smyrna team that went to Athens for the intercalated Olympic Games and they came away with a silver medal although the Levantines usually played football for fun.

Percy’s mother was Edith Whittall. She was one of 13 children of James Whittall and eight of his grandchildren were in the Smyrna team at the Olympics. In additon to Percy, there were his cousins Edmund and Jim Giraud and five Whittalls: Albert, Edward, Godfrey, Donald and Herbert. Percy died in Persia (now Iran) in 1914 when only 27 years of age.