Two sisters from Australia are searching for descendants of an Italian ice cream seller who may have escaped the Mafia to start a new life in Croydon.
Hilary Wright and Alis Middleton believe their great-uncle Antonio Chincharo could have changed his name when he came to Croydon at the turn of the 20th century to keep his identity hidden from mobsters.
The Italian is thought to have worked as an ice cream seller when he came over to Croydon in the late 1800s.
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The sisters were researching their family tree when they discovered the intriguing story of Antonio Chincharo - a man who they only knew from a single photograph in their family album.
Antonio married their grandfather's sister Catherine Middleton. The couple had 10 children and were thought to be the only registered Chincharos in the whole of England at that time.
Further research by the sisters revealed Catherine Middleton also had a child in 1893 in England but with no father's name on the certificate. Neither Catherine Middleton nor Antonio Chincharo were listed in the 1901 census and nothing was known of them until their first child - a daughter called Celestene - was born in 1904.
Hilary said: "Through an internet site we contacted two of the Chincharo descendants, who had no photos of Antonio and had no information about the Middletons.
"When we were both visiting England, in August 2005, we were able to meet up with them and had a wonderful time swapping photos and family information. However no one knows much about the original family.
"We have found no Chincharos in the American or Italian phone books and even searches of the Italian births registers for Antonio's probable birth proved fruitless - possibly because various members of the family could not agree where he was born.
"We'd love to know what had happened in the lost' years between 1893 and 1904. There is a rumour that the couple spent some time in Italy and also that Chincharo may not be his original name. There is a story that he changed his name when hiding from the Mafia.
"His brother Joe or Joseph also came from Italy but never married and apparently died here."
Local history research on the Chincharos in Croydon has proved fruitless so far and the sisters are hoping Heritage readers might be able to help.
Hilary added: "It's a mystery but we wondered if, even at this late date, there would be people who remember the family, or who have any information about them.
"Does anyone have any stories about the Italian ice cream sellers or street musicians in Croydon in the early 1900s?"
Posted by: Paul Beaumont, Upper Norwood on 1:39pm Thu 23 Aug 07
I grew up in Croydon in the 1950's.
In Queens Road was the Pacitti Ice Cream parlour.
The Pacitti's were Italian - the boys were at my School [Elmwood Boys] and they had been there for yonks.
Can't send this on as the posted link is duff.
I grew up in Croydon in the 1950's.
In Queens Road was the Pacitti Ice Cream parlour.
The Pacitti's were Italian - the boys were at my School and they had been there for yonks.
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