Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was home to numerous British ex-pats, one of whom, the writer Lawrence Durrell, painted a graphic picture of European life here.
It served as a home for many British ex-pats. 
mnli hypothesis: It served as a home for many British ex-pats.  premise: Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was home to numerous British ex-pats, one of whom, the writer Lawrence Durrell, painted a graphic picture of European life here.