ALLA FINE DEL MONDO.
Remembering our Ancestors - Saverio & Cordialina (nee De Simone) Casa
Family Profile - Paolo Casa
Paolo Casa is the son of Saverio & Cordialina Casa.
Full Name: Paolo Casa
Birth Date: 12th December 1903
Where in Italy did he come from? Pastena, Massalubrense
What was he doing prior to leaving Italy? Attended the Navy Academy
When did he leave Italy to come to New Zealand? 1927
How old was he when he left Italy? 24
Who did he leave behind? His father and 4 sisters and 2 brothers.
How did he travel to New Zealand? Ship
Who did he come with? Paolo travelled to New Zealand with his brother-in-law Antonino Gargiulo and a close friend Salvatore Farentino
Who did they know in New Zealand: They initially travelled to Wellington and later moved to Nelson. In Nelson they knew Natoli Di Leva another recent immigrant.
What did they intend doing when they came to New Zealand? Commercial Tomato Growing
What did they end up doing in Nelson? They brought a Tomato Garden in Hardy Street and then a few years later Paolo brought a Tomato Garden in Trafalgar Street
Where did they live? Paolo initially lived with his brother-in-law Antonino at 179 Nile Street East and then various other places within The Wood. Just prior to the start of WWII, Paolo moved to Greymouth where he purchased a Fish Shop and Processing plant in partnership with another ex Nelsonian (not Italian).
During WWII Paolo, like all Italian immigrants experienced many problems living in New Zealand was interned on Somes Island, Wellington as a POW when he broke his curfew to visit Nelson to see his dieing sister. Upon his release he resided in Nelson where he purchased a Tomato Garden and met his future wife (Mavis Hulme, sister of Clive Hulme VC. Clive Hulme was the father of Denis Hulme 1967 World Formula 1 Motor Racing Champion)
The only contact Antonino kept with family in Italy was via Letter Writing but none occurred during WWII
Family traditions continued in New Zealand with pasta every Sunday, growing Italian vegetables - Eggplant, making traditional Italian sausage and making special food for Christmas and Easter. e.g Ravioli.
Paolo was also one of the founding members of the Club Italia and served time as President as well as other duties which lead to him being made a Life Member of the Club
Paolo passed away on 7th June 2001.
Source: Marietta Durdle (nee Muollo)
Family Profile - Maria Muollo
Maria Muollo is the maternal granddaughter of Saverio & Cordialina Casa.
Maria came to New Zealand with her mother (Rosa) and her sister (Romilda) in March 1929 to join her father (Antonino) and Uncle (Paolo Casa) in Nelson. Also making the same voyage to New Zealand was Maria Fiorentino (Sangster) and that was the start of a lifelong friendship. The photo taken before the trip shows Maria holding her doll Maria Sangster remembered taht doll and later told Maria that she threw it overboard The two Maria's remained good friends.
In later years, Maria would often wonder how different life would have been if the family had remained in Italy. Maria was very much part of the Italian community and she also embraced the New Zealand way of life - following sport, reading books to all hours of the night, baking from the Edmonds recipe book, and maintaining a beautiful flower garden. At the same time keeping up with making mozzarella, pasta from memory. At the insistance of her children she eventually wrote them in her own handwriting and they are still treasured today.
Maria loved her school years and later her office job at Betts Printing and Stationery in Hardy Street. Her daughter Marietta, has her certificates from 1939 showing her high marks in shorthand, typing and bookkeeping. This was the same year Maria became a New Zealand citizen.
Maria joined indoor and lawn bowls and went on to represent Nelson. When Maria was no longer playing bowls, she turned her sporting passion to watching cricket and rugby. When the New Zealand cricket team was playing overseas Maria would stay up during the night to follow the progress. Maria would never watching the All Blacks' games
Who knows how she would have reacted if New Zealand had to play Italy in a Rugby World Cup final!
An Italian lady but also very much a Kiwi - the best of both worlds.
Source: Marietta Durdle (nee Muollo)