Born on the 5 February, 1916, Francesca Mammone was one of four children living with her parents in Piminoro, Calabria Italy. At the age of ten she began working carrying limestones in baskets on her head. At 18 she received a letter from a fellow Calabrian living in Australia. Carmine Zito wrote to her and I can only guess at the words in that letter and the ones that followed that convinced a young girl that she should leave her family and move to another country far across the seas. Francesca left her small village in August 1937 after marrying Carmine by proxy in 1936. She arrived in Australia and was met at the port by the handsome Carmine and together they settled in regional Victoria. They had 9 children and I am the youngest of those children. Carmine passed away in 1965 at the age of 59 and Francesca was left alone with five children still living at home. Many years later, in 1998, Francesca was finally reunited with Carmine. Her memory and Carmine's live on as long as we keep telling their stories!
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I am the daughter of Michael.j.zito, my grandad is Vincent Zito. I remember knowing going to visit great nanna when i was quite young. We would drive from south australia to see her in Victoria. I remember how lovely she was and she made the best garlic bread!
ReplyDeleteHi darling neice! Glad you have some lovely memories, xx
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