They have gone down in the history of the island as successful latifundists. In particular, Tabitha Morgan, the author of Sweet and Bitter Island, found a story of a method of locust control that was developed by one of the Mattei family, Richard, 100 years ago:

“While the locusts still had no wings and were crawling on the ground, they were lured onto tall screens three feet high covered with a wide strip of oilcloth. Unable to crawl on the slippery oilcloth, the insects jumped, falling into holes that were dug along the screens, in which they were buried alive.”

The know-how was considered a success, and the British administration implemented it for a while.

After Cyprus became British, the family home of the merchants seemed suitable for putting up the Officers’ Club.

The British bought it, and, with time, it became available to the locals and became a true English Club. The very concept of “club” as an association of aristocrats was formed in England, and from there, it spread to France and Europe, clubs occurred in different communities.

The club membership meant that the candidature was supported by all members of the club. The total number of club members did not change, so sometimes a candidate had to wait for several years.

Mrs Leda Sandama, who was a teenager in the 1950’s, remembers this place with such affection — she played tennis in the yard here in the afternoon with friends. Iosif, our traveling companion on the Larnaca walk, told me how he first came to the club in the late 1990s, when it was living out its last days: “Everything inside was dilapidated and ancient, and all the members were old men. In town, it was called the Immortals Club.”

Before COVID began, the house underwent an award-winning restoration. The historic building is now a creative space and a restaurant. Thuswise, a cultural cluster of the city is formed here — a picture gallery, the Pierides Museum, he Larnaka Archives - Phivos Stavrides, the historic building of police agency and city administration.