Anglo-Italian Family History Society
Early twentieth century residents of the Back Hill area of London
The Finsbury archive has a number of issues of Back Hill magazine, a newsletter that was published by the community around St Peter's Church known as 'Little Italy'. The archive has an incomplete bound set of issues, among which are a number of charming pieces by Pino Maestri. Unfortunately they don't always mention the dates he's talking about, but he died in 1992, so the following list probably dates from some time between 1910-1930. From memory, and in collaboration with other old timers, he reconstructed a map of who lived where in the streets around that area; the names mentioned on the map have been transcribed here. Some of the surname spellings may be inaccurate, but have been transcribed as found. More than one name on a line means multiple occupancy of a building:
Great Bath Street:
Mariani
Bonaiuto
Bencivenga
Tiano
Carter
Sullivan
McCarthy
Fusillo
Johnson/Politi
Santella
Bulldog
Barotta/Cavallii
Pasquale
Cura
Bellini/Pett's Workshop
Mariani
Massa
Borolle/Carrano
(Carran above?) Fusco
Timolus
Lawrence
Bussolini
Grocer/Dairy
'The Magpie'
Caliendo
Ghezzi
Piacenti
Johnson
Foundry/Jack Dime's father's club
Solomon's (Tommaso)
Tommaso
Cacavella
Mazzoni/Cossi Coal before or after
Garard
Carini/Lusardi/Buffoni
Meserotti
Tiano/Dimetti
Dimetti
Johnes Dair (Above Spreni/Ellero)
Uganda (Bella Vene Resaurant)
Organla
Cortese
Polverino
Pulisano
Ciccone
Servini
Toselli
Lombardini
Marino
Fratellanza Club
In Coldbath Street:
Doncaster
Oddi
Ghirardini
In Coldbath Square:
Toomey
Secchi
Bonfanti
Capocci
Malvermi
Melly
Thereis a charming picture of kids playing cricket in Crawford Passage at this time, with lots of onlookers, so if any of these names are yours, they may well be in the photo.