Battista's in Edinburgh

[Love&Leaves]

I am trying to trace an ancestor from the North East who may have come to Edinburgh circa 1904/5.

His name was Giovanni Battista (one and the same from the Brickwall thread on the North East board) also known as John and by many other alias'.

I have an article from the West Lothian Courier dated Aug 1905 concerning a John Battista, Ice Cream Seller, who was fined for leaving his horse and cart to roam without a guide.  I followed this up with the archives and obtained a copy of the relevant Justice of the Peace court records, but sadly there was no further information on him.

I came across a Giovanni Battista, also an ice cream seller, as a visitor to an Italian couple (Dominic & Maria Angeluca) on the 1911 census but the age is wildly out, noted as 24.  My Giovanni would have been 66 years old. 

There are a few other Battista's that also come up when putting the name into Scotlands People but the records and few and far between.  Most are modern records so there are clearly descendants but not much info on the ascendants.  Plus the records of the correct time seem to be from Glasgow and not Edinburgh.  I was wondering if anyone out there recognises them as their ancestors?  I am interested in tracing Battista's in Scotland to see if I can make any family link or otherwise find any evidence to discount the Scottish Giovanni being my Giovanni.

Gallone G Battista - Valuation Roll 1905 Govan & Gorbals
Lauda Battista - Valuation Roll 1905 Govan
M Battista - 1911 Census Boarder Age 19 born Italy, Confectionary shop keeper, Calton, Glasgow
Rosa Battista - 1911 Census Age 49, mother to Augusta Mascia 24 (m. Louis, 33, hairdresser) all born Italy.

Many Thanks 

[CaroleW]

Link to previous post on the Battista’s. - all 72 pages of them😱😱

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=793871.msg7381355#msg7381355

The Scottish 1921 census is still awaited - due soon. 

[Love&Leaves]

Thank you for attaching the link Carole, we are very determined to chip away at the wall 

I hadn't thought about the Scottish 1921!  That will be useful.

[CaroleW]

I haven’t read that post due to the length of it so apologies if the questions below have already been addressed

You say your Giovanni would have been 66 in 1911 so born around 1844/45.  Have you found any documentary confirmation that he was ever in Scotland? 

If not - apart from the surname being found in Scotland - why do you think he may have been in Scotland?

Has he been found on any Scottish census?

Has his wife or children been found on a Scottish census or BMD record?

[Forfarian]

I am trying to trace an ancestor from the North East who may have come to Edinburgh circa 1904/5.

Do you mean the North-East of Scotland, or the North-East of Britain (same thing, really), or the North-East of Italy, or the North-East of somewhere else, and if so where?

[Love&Leaves]

I am trying to trace an ancestor from the North East who may have come to Edinburgh circa 1904/5.

Do you mean the North-East of Scotland, or the North-East of Britain (same thing, really), or the North-East of Italy, or the North-East of somewhere else, and if so where?

Apologies - he was born in Italy lived in Newcastle/North Shields from circa 1870 until 1904ish when he disappears from the records.

[MonicaL]

There is this mention of the name, Giovanni Battista Arcari, on the National Records of Scotland site. See:

www.rootschat.com/links/01rxr/
www.rootschat.com/links/01rxq/

Links shrunk.

Monica

[Love&Leaves]

I haven’t read that post due to the length of it so apologies if the questions below have already been addressed

You say your Giovanni would have been 66 in 1911 so born around 1844/45.  Have you found any documentary confirmation that he was ever in Scotland? 

If not - apart from the surname being found in Scotland - why do you think he may have been in Scotland?

Has he been found on any Scottish census?

Has his wife or children been found on a Scottish census or BMD record?

You are correct, he was born in April 1845.  He came to the UK around 1870 with two brothers and they settled in Newcastle/North Shields.  All three brothers had big families, most of whom stayed in North East of England other than my branch who came South.  Giovanni disappears around 1904 and we only have note of him on his children's marriage certificates and workhouse records thereafter.  The first definite note of him being deceased is not until 1918 (a marriage certificate).  We cannot find any trace of a death record.  It is a mystery what happened to him after 1904 and for the following period.

The idea that he may have gone to Scotland only came up upon finding the newspaper article, as the man is of the same name and trade.  It is obviously an easy journey to Edinburgh from Newcastle and I understand there was an Italian community settled there.  So I think it is a strong possibility he may have travelled there for work, or maybe because other family had settled there hence my post.  I don't have any other documents or references to Scotland for my Battista's, so it is somewhat of a wild card!

[MonicaL]

Porbably linked to this Giovanni in Glasgow? From the 1915 Valuation Rolls:

GIOVANNI B ARCARI
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE NO 85 THISTLE STREET
GLASGOW
1915
VR010201079-

Likely not who you are looking for.

Monica