ITALY: Immigrants to UK - RISI family

[millybobs]

Hi
Just joined Rootschat and wondered if anyone else is researching the RISI family from Cassino (Frosinone / Lazio) Italy?  My branch came to UK in 1880s and lived in Glasgow, London, Leeds and Bradford before settling in Hull.  I believe the parents Lorenzo RISI and Geltruda (nee FUSCO) moved to Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1910s and both died there.
Paul

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi Paul,

Welcome to Rootschat 

The first question that usually arise for Immigrants, is "were they naturalised ??

See Topic: RootsChat Topics - Naturalisation and Internment
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,157691.0.html
for various topics about what you might find on nat. papers at the TNA, and links for how to find them.

I had a quick look at the TNA (The National Archives) site and found:
Risi, Pasquale Anthony, from Italy. Resident in Kingston-upon-Hull. 1908
Risi, Vincenzo (known as Vincent Risi), from Italy. Resident in Kingston-upon-Hull. 1919
Risi, Angelo, from Italy. Resident in Wolverhampton. 1929
Risi, Antonio, from Italy. Resident in Wolverhampton. 1930
Risi, Vincenzo, from Italy. Resident in Reading. 1931.

Could any of these be the children of your Lorenzo and Geltruda ??
Or could the first two be brothers or cousins.  Many immigrants tended to "flock together" in the new country.

good luck,
Bob

[millybobs]

Hi Bob
Thanks for the reply.  Vincenzo (Hull) was my grandfather and Pasquale his brother, both sons of Lorenzo and Geltrude.  Both were naturalised and I have copies of the naturalisation papers from TNA.  I don't know if there is any connection with the other 3 Risis who were naturalised as their naturalisation papers, I understand, are still classed as 'closed documents' because of their relative recency. 
I have found Lorenzo and his family on censuses for 1881 (Glasgow), 1891 (Hull) and 1901 (Bradford) though confusingly in 1891 his wife is named as 'Restituta'.  I have found the births in UK BMDs of six children and according to the naturalisation papers Pasquale was born in Cassino and Vincenzo in S Elia Fiumerapido, a nearby village.  I have found Lorenzo's and Vincenzo's birth records on LDS film.

I believe Geltrude and Lorenzo died in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1919 and 1927 respectively.  I know there were other Risis from Cassino in Newcastle (and still are) and I am sure they were related, but I have been unable to find a definate link. 

I have also found a first cousin of Lorenzo - Guiseppe - who married Nicolina Tomasso in 1884 in Leeds.  They later moved to Holborn then Isleworth.  But I seem to be stuck with the Newcastle 'connection'.
Paul

[mazzie74]

Hi,

I found this on the CWGC website:-

In Memory of
Driver BENEDETTO RISI
217075, "B" Bty. 186th Bde., Royal Field Artillery
who died age 20
on 09 April 1918
Son of Angelo and Francesco Risi, of 16, Little Brick Kiln, Wolverhampton.
Remembered with honour
ADELAIDE CEMETERY, VILLERS-BRETONNEUX


AND

2 medal rolls listed:-

Risi, Benedetto
Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regiment No: 217075
Rank: Driver


Risi, Anthony
Corps: South Staffordshire Regiment
Regiment No: 31510
Rank: Corporal



Regards,

Darin, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

[millybobs]

Hi Darin
Many thanks for the information.  Not sure if the Wolverhampton Risis are connected but you never know where this kind of info an lead, so thanks again.

I've just found out that there was business in Newcastle under the name of A Risi & Sons, ice cream dealer, at 155 Conyers Road, listed in Ward's Directory (1910), and listed as a confectioner at 14 Brinkburn Street and at 6 Shields Road in Ward's (1916).  The same directory also shows the company as an ice cream dealer at 119 Byker Bank.  In 1953 (telephone directory) Risi's Ices were at Grainger Market and 4 Shields Road.

When my great grandmother Geltrude died in 1919 and when my great grandfather Lorenzo died in 1927, their address was given as 63 Byker Bank.  The informant for Lorenzo was his son, J(?oseph = Guiseppe) Risi of 119 Byker Bank.  So there is certainly a connection. 

Regards
Paul

[millybobs]

Hi again
Just found the following link   http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/05/08/risis_ices_feature.shtml  on the BBC website. 

It seems the business in Newcastle was set up by Antonio Risi but that was in 1898, so this  may not be the same as the Wolverhampton Antonio.

I will contact the current owner of the business which is still there in Newcastle and hope for some answers!

Paul

[millybobs]

Sorry
Not sure how to insert the link.  Is this right?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/05/08/risis_ices_feature.shtml

Paul




Moderator Comment: URL edited (slightly) to act as link 

[J.J.]

You probably would like to join this topic: Ice cream sellers and street musicians
  No Risi additions here, as yet, so yours will be the first...  J.J.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,224402.0.html

[Livi78]

Hi. My great great grandmother was Restituta and great great grandad Lorenzo Risi.
Im from Newcastle and can safely say I am from the same family. Their daughter Maria (Mary ) married my great grandad Giulio Toti,  who himself sold ice cream (Julians ices) .