P - Backhillonline

The Hill
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'RIVISrA: DEU.A COMUNlTA'rrAUANA
.'
Olive Besagni
I know how s3d many of you must
be at the news in last month's isSue
that this is farewell to BilCkhill, our
magazine, that evolved from an idea
that began with dear Vic Heissel and
was taken up by these young enthUsiastic
Anglo Italians and has given so
much enjoyment to so many. Backhill
has been the only link for a large
nuinber of the older Italians, (ex Hill
residents) the majority who riow live
in the suburbs' or further afield, who
were ,born and bred in 'Il Quartiere
ltaliano'. The mag' has also kept
many of you in touch with current
events in and around our church and
Social· Club. We know "nothing lasts
for ever, good or bad. In this instance
it is the end of something good. I
have often wondered how Francesco,
your,Editor, and his ever willing band
of helpers have kept BACKHll.L
going for all these years, but they
have, in spite of their. many other
commitments: family, Careers· etc. I
personally would like· to' thank them
from the bottom of my heart for all
the pleasure that BACKHll.L has
given' to so niany acrosS the years. I
would go on (as I ,do) but I know that
it wouldn't go down well with them.
I must tell you that when I
decided to write my late motherin-law's
story I didO't know that it
would be the ,last family stoir that I
would tell, but I think that it's fitting.
So without any further ado I will
conclude Anita's story.
Anita and Giovanni Besagni
They began their first venture as a
married couple when they opened a
small cafe in King's Cross Road. They
were both good cooks and many of
their paesani had started in this line
and made a. success of it. Anitaand
Jobnny had a good start, but, then the
babies started. arriving: Renaldo,
1923, Rita in 1924, Bruno in 1925.
They, were unable to continue with
the cafe. Jobnny soon found work on
the asphalt for the Ragusa Asphalt
Company. It was hard work but the
wages weren't bad. It also meant that
he travelled around a lot. Most of his
co-workers were Italians, which accounted
for his strong accent. ..
They soon found a self contained
flat' in Victoria Dwellings - a large
triangular block of dwellings encompassed
by Clerkenwell Road, Farringdon
Road and Little Saffron Hill
(Herbal Hill). Anita was happy to
move into a: flat on the ground floor
No 57. There were only two rooms
which would have been average accommodation
for a family at that
time. The ground floor was a plus,
remember that now there were already
three ,little ones and a fourth
baby's 'arrival was imminent.. Fortunately
her parents were living. close
by and the school, 'St Peter's Italian',
was only a stone's throwaway .. There
were many other Italian immigrant
farililies living in the dwellings, so
she was never lonely.
During the early years in the, new
home' Anita needed her mother and
the help and support of her neigh­
. bours for their trials were many. In
1926 they lost their first born. Renaldo,
to pneumonia. He was only
four and a beautiful child. The loss of
a child that age waS common eriough
then but the effect on' the mothers in
particular must have been traumatic,
but theY had' to carry on for the sake
of their other children.
The years that followed were very
hard for Anita. She spent most of her
days Inclnta so the close proximity of
her mother helped. Maria spent most
of her time with Anita and the
children. The children adored their
Nonni and loved to go and visit them
down in Leicester Place where there
was always a sweet in an apron
pocket or a drawer. Jobnny was rarely
home. His work took him away
for days at a time and even
when his work was nearer
home he worked long hours.
Anita's lot was . not easy, she
kept her little ones spotlessly
clean. the rooms neat and tidy -
she was always scrubbing and
cooking.
Shortly after the death of
Renaldo their little daughter
Famlglia.Besagnlln 1948.
Lldia already in the u.s.
Rita ended up spending years in and
out of Carshalton Children's Hospital,
the . result of being run over by a
eyclist. What at first seemed·, to be
minor injury developed into Ostiomylitus
which plagued her for the rest
of her days. Then Lidia developed
rickets and wore leg braces and had to
stay in the same h!>SPital for periods
of time.' Throughout all these trials
and depiivations many of Anita's old
neighbours would tell you how hospitable
and kind she was and how, in
spite of her own trials, she always had
time and sympathy for their problems.
In 1938 the family had increased.
There were now 9' surviving children
but Anita's life was a little easier -
the older childferi helPed with the
babies and the housework, - the girls
anYwayl In spite of all the ups and
downs, Anita had progressed: she had
learnt to read English by perusing the
daily newspapers, she made the chil­
,dren's clothes. She was an excellent
cook and could nlake a dinner go
further than anyone I ever met. lf the
family were having dinner and a
visitor Called or even the children's
friends, another chair would be put at
the table and whoever it was would
be pressed to mangla - mangla. .
The highlight of the year was the
annuru procession of Our Lady of Mt
Carmel. All the children walked in the
procesSion as soon as they were old
enough, and Anita .would make .all
their costumes, until Rita, who became
an excellent dressmaker, took
over from her Mother.
The only one of the family who
ever got holidays at the seaside·was
my husband Bruno, who, being the
eldest ooy in the family, had several
holidays with his young Z!as" Rosa
and Elisa Fassini. The two girls had
blossomed into beauties and whenever
they went on holiday, usually to
Clacton-