Risi and Fusco families

[Geordie]

Hi, I am new both to this site and the who family history research effort. I am a Newcastle Risi and would love to have any dialogue from someone who could point me in the right direction!

[PeterTimber]

Anybody here can assist you with information. Just let us know what you want to achieve; what are your research objectives? Give us names and dates and we can begin to assist you. =Peter=

[millybobs]

Hi 'Geordie'
Welcome to the forum.

I have been researching the Risi family, mostly the Hull branch, for a couple of years. Some of the family moved to the Newcastle area in the early 20th century so we may have some connections. As Peter says, let us know some details about your ancestors and what you know already.

Regards,
Paul

[Geordie]

Thanks for the replies Paul and Peter. I have three or four early objectives; I am keen to know where my family came from in Italy... I believe it was Cassino, I would LOVE to visit Italy in the summer to see if I can find out where they came from. I gather they settled first in Scarborough for a short time before relocating to Newcastle, I'd like to know if this is true or not, my father always said they did and sold hot chestnuts on the beach there! I'd be facinated to find out why they headed for Scarborough. Coincidently I am now based in Scarborough with my work. One theory Ihave is that there may have been some friendship between my family and the Jaconellies (sp) who are famous in Scarborough... my only (weak)reason for thinking this is that next to our family tomb in Newcastle, there is a grave for members of the Jaconelli family.

I am almost 50 now... my father was Angelo Antonio Risi born in Newcastle in 1925 to Giuseppi (Joe) Risi and Margaret Risi from Greenock near Glasgow. My grandfather Joe was only one I think when he came to the UK in about 1901. He had a brother called Sammy Risi and a sister who died only about fifteen years ago in the USA. My great grandfather was Angelo Antonio Risi, I think his wife was called Euphemia... not certain on this. I would be really interested to know why they came over and chose the UK, where they came from, where they landed and if there are any direct relations anywhere else. I remember my dad saying he had a cousin or cousins in Leeds... again I can't be certain. My uncle and cousins in Newcastle are still involved in the family business which was of course Ice Cream. I have quite a few old photographs of the family which I cherish. If anyone has any information I would be extremely grateful. Regards. Bjorn Risi

[PeterTimber]

Bjorn go to www.scotsitalian.com and start here with your research. =Peter=

[Geordie]

Thanks Peter. I think I gave a red herring when I mentioned my grandmother! She came to Newcastle I believe and met my grandfather Joe Risi who arrived in the UK in about 1901. I seem to remember my father saying the port was Liverpool. I looked at the site you suggested, thanks very much.

[millybobs]

Bjorn
Have you seen http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/artic ... ture.shtml ? Is this your family?

Paul

[Geordie]

Hi Paul. Yes I have seen this, yes it is my family. One thing I'm looking for is somewhere where I can get a list of passengers on ships that arrived at Liverpool... any pointers. Regards, Bjorn

[PeterTimber]

Have you tried the paying website www.findmypast.com? =Peter=

[millybobs]

You could try the pay-to-view Ancestry.com website but all the evidence suggests it is almost impossible to get passenger lists for vessels coming to UK unless they originated ouside Europe or the Mediterranean, since they simply do not exist. There has been lots of correspondence on this forum under immigration/emigration and all correspondents seem to agree on this. Unfortunately it's the question most UK Italian descendants all want to know - me included!
Paul

[riza]

Hi there... I am new to this site and have been made aware of your original request from my cousin..... I may have a great deal for you...
I haven't read through all the links yet... but I am the great great grandson of Lorenzo and Geltude RISI and I am from the Hull area.
My great grandfather was Pasquale Antonio Risi who was about 4 when he came over with his parents. I know that parts of the family settled in London, Leeds and the Newcastle areas.
I have a 'birth certificate' (actually a copy of the record from Cassino) for Lorenzo and have a photo of him with Geltude, Pasquale, another child and a babe in arms... I also have a similar birth certificate for Pasquale, both of which are dated in the 20's and may have been for naturalization. I have only done a bit of research and have not done the full roots bit, ie going back to Cassino, but my brother did and there are still a number of Risi's there
Tony Rice

[millybobs]

Hi Tony
Great to hear from you. Would love to hear more: I've sent you a pm with my email address.

Regards
Paul

[zucca]

I am a newbie, I guess this is more for Geordie My grandmother was a Risi born in Cassino Italy in 1927 her name was Peirina she had a sister Genivrina[ not sure of the spelling] brother Armondo that came to north Toronto in the late 1940's she had other siblings in Italy but I don't know their names. Her mother's name was Dominica. She married Giuseppe Di Nallo, born Feb 19th 1927 in Italy. He had lots of siblings that came to north Toronto and at least one brother Guido in Italy.
Genevrina married Gino Genivrino yes she was Genivrina Genivrino....... Armondo Risi married and had 2 kids Sussie and Tony. If you have any info on these or possible links would much appreciate
thanks
zucca

[millybobs]

Bjorn
Wondered if you have found out any more about your family since your last post? My great grandfather, Lorenzo Antonio Risi, b 1850 in Cassino, arrived in Newcastle in 1914 after living in Glasgow, Bradford, Leeds and Hull. He lived in Byker until his death in 1927. He was a street seller of ice cream.

Lorenzo's mother was Giacomina Risi (b 1820)(he was illegitimate) and her parents were Gaetano Risi & Francesca Minchella. Gaetano & Francesca had at least two more children: Giovanni Battista Antonio (b 1821) and Angelo Tomasso Gabriele (b 1824). Giovanni stayed in Italy but had a son Guiseppe (1863) who came to the UK and founded a large branch of Risis in Leeds and Hounslow.

I believe Angelo Tomasso G Risi also stayed in Italy, but that two of his sons, Angelantonio (b 1860) and Michele (b 1866) came to the UK and settled in Newcastle. I believe Angelantonio married twice - by his first wife, Germanella Morolla, he had a daughter, Carolina Risi, who married Nicola Fionda; by his second wife, Euphemia -?-, he had three children: Saverio (Sammy) (1893); Flora (1899); and Guiseppe Angelo (Joe)(1902).

I understand Guiseppe was your grandfather, and would be grateful if you could confirm this and perhaps let me have details of where the other Newcastle Risis fit in. I have visited the family graves in Byker and Heaton cemetery but am having difficulty in fitting together all the branches of the family there. I would be happy to let you have my email address so we can communicate privately if you prefer.
Regards
Paul

[Morto]

Hello all
My great-gradfather was Erasmo Giannandrea from Belmonte Castello. His second wife who he married in Newcastle was Maria Grazia Risi. He was in his fifties, and she was 20 (probably younger in reality). Maria Grazia according to census entries was daughter of Lorenzo and Gertrude. She is listed as born in Cassino, though Lorenzo and Gertrude had been living in the UK. I have searched the Cassino birth records for the appropriate years with no luck. Possible reasons are that she wasn't really Lorenzo and Gertrude's daughter (e.g. could be daughter of an older 'sibling'); that the age given on the census was way out (my family do seem to have been extremely approximate in the ages they gave on official documents, though I did look a few years either side); or that she was born somewhere near but not actually in Cassino.
At the time of their marriage in 1914, Erasmo and Maria Grazia list their address as 119 Byker Bank, which was an address of Risis Ices in 1916. Erasmo was listed at various times as ice cream seller and confectioner.
If anyone has come across Maria Grazia in their research, or has any info on the connection between the families, that'd be very welcome. I have put together a tree for Giannandreas going back a few generations, and I have the Risi research that appears on Ancestry.com, but nothing much on Maria Grazia. Happy to share email addresses if anyone sends a PM.