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Bedford's Italian question |
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"No like-a potatoes”
Christmas at Kempston Hardwick hostel, 1953. The table was specially laid for Christmas.
© Hidden Voices, Carmela Semeraro and Bedford Creative Arts |
A love of food is at the heart of Italian culture, so it’s not surprising that it was something that Bedford’s Italians struggled to cope with on arrival. One reason they disliked the hostels was the English food, and one girl told the local paper she did not like school because she “no like-a the dinners” – it was “potatoes all-a-the-time”. It was not long, therefore, before specialist Italian shops like La Bottega Italiani and Ferretti’s appeared.
The family is also central to Italian identity, but it could not just be transplanted to England. The first arrivals missed their families terribly, and gender relations were particularly affected. The 'pioneer' males had to do their own cooking and housework, which was done by the women in Italy. And even when Italian women arrived, many went out to work, often in the Meltis sweet factory, so a joint effort was needed around the house, especially looking after children.
For the Italians it was often village loyalties, and rivalries, which remained strong, as newcomers tended to settle with people from their own area. These divisions hampered the development of a tight-knit “Italian” community in the early years. But, over time, religion in particular has helped to overcome this, and create a common sense of identity. The Italians worked together to build their own church called Santa Francesca Cabrini, named after patron saint of emigrants, which was funded by donations from the community.
Nilda Iaciofano working in "Lina" hairdressers, Bedford 1967.
© Carmela Semeraro |
Statues of the saints of the Italian villages were placed inside, and the church became the centre of social activity, and weddings in particular were big community events. There is still a procession of saints each May, as part of the festa, keeping Italian traditions alive in Bedford.
Reminiscing
Today Bedford’s Italians feel much more at home. With intermarriage and new generations born and bred in England, they have become well integrated into the community. But though they may no longer haggle in shops and jump bus queues, as one contemporary newspaper reported, their culture and traditions are still strong. The church is still there, and the festa is an annual event.
A “Club Prima Generazione Italiani” organises outings and activities for first generation immigrants, including traditional Italian dancing, with its founder Carmela Semeraro, these men and women have been reminiscing over their experiences as emigrants as part of her oral history project. Their memories now form a bilingual book, Hidden Voices, which records for posterity how a touch of Italian passion and glamour came to England.
Acknowledgements to:
Carmela Semeraro for all her help with researching this article.
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