Accrington's 'Little Italy?'

[graeme thacker]

Originally Posted by Valerie Bacigalupo

Hi, my name is Valerie (Bacigalupo) Engh. My paternal grandfather was/is Leo Bacigalupo, who was one of the seven Bacigalupo brothers. The seven brother's parents were Bartholomew Bacigalupo, born 20 Dec 1874 in New Accrington, Lanc. England, died 1940 and Ann Jane Walsh, born 15 Feb 1879 in Haslingden, Lanc., England, died May 1963. The Bacigalupo brothers names are, from eldest to youngest: 1.Bartholomew (Bart) 2.William (Bill) 3. Leo 4.Francis (Fran) 5. Albert 6. Joseph (Joe) 7. Horace I would love to connect with relatives and share information. My father, Barry Bacigalupo, was an only child and emigrated to Canada. I have never met any of my English or Italian relatives, (except for my Grandfather Leo and my Grandmother Alice Mary Wood), and I would really love to finally get in touch. You are correct about the story of Bartholomew walking across the Alps to get to England! I've heard that story many, many times from my father Barry and my grandfather Leo!

Dear Valerie,
We share the same ancestry. My great grandfather was Bartolomeo Bacigalupo. Just to keep the family history correct, it was he who walked across the Alps, not his son Bartholomew. Bart. Jn. had seven sons, one of which was Leo. Bart Jn. was born and reared in Accrington not Italy. In fact, the English connection goes back to Bartolomeo's father and mother, Giuseppe and Rosa (nee Botto) They came to England c1840 but went back to Italy. They returned for good in April 1856 and settled in Bradford where they ran a lodging house. Bartolomeo was born in Italy in 1853. He went back to Italy in the late 1860's, early 1870's to finally return to marry in 1874. It is he who walked across the Alps with his friend Antonio Papa, (Tony Pope, another ice-cream supplier to the town).Bartolomeo married Mary Jane Rodgers of Italian parents. Her father James although Italian was known locally as 'German Jimmy'. He ran a doss house in Duke Street Accrington.
I have tried for years to establish Bartolomeo's exact place of birth. I think it is Chiavari, about 20 miles south of Genoa, but cannot be certain.
I have a few family photos if you would like copies. Message me and I will send you my email address.
Regards,
Graeme

[Atarah]

Hi lovely post. I dont really know much of your family in our town of Accrington, but certainly have heard of them. They "left their mark". Your mention about "German Jimmy" and Duke Street made me smile. If I remember correctly, if you look on the census, an early one, am sure you will find all the names of the folk who were registered there on the night of the census. Maybe that gives the birth place of your ancestor.

[graeme thacker]

Originally Posted by Atarah

Hi lovely post. I dont really know much of your family in our town of Accrington, but certainly have heard of them. They "left their mark". Your mention about "German Jimmy" and Duke Street made me smile. If I remember correctly, if you look on the census, an early one, am sure you will find all the names of the folk who were registered there on the night of the census. Maybe that gives the birth place of your ancestor.

When Bartolomeo settled in Accrington, the family home was 29 Oswald Street c1891 and remained so up into the 1970's when Agnes Bacigalupo, the last of Bartolomeo's daughters died. He tried his hand at many jobs. Apparently had the first fried fish shop in Accrington, greengrocer, and of course made and sold ice-cream. The family story is that he was the first man to put raspberry sauce on the 'penny lick'. My father who was William Thacker, also lived in Oswald street, and told me that as a very young boy, would help his grandfather Bart to make the ice-cream which would then be packed in blocks of ice and loaded onto a hand cart. Bart would then push the cart to Burnley to sell at an annual fair. You know how family stories can get embellished down the years!!
Bart's eldest son, also Bartholomew, had seven sons. Three of them were well known in the town for being barbers.
With regard to my other greatgrandfather, James Rodgers, I visited Accrington Cemetery and found the entry for James. Next to his entry was written, A.K.A, German Jimmy, and he was Italian!!

[cashman]

i used to know a bacigalupo in accy back in 60s but sorry my memorys knackered i cannot tell you anything.

[Margaret Pilkington]

There used to be a shop in Ormerod street that was run by the Bacigalupo family.
It was on the block just higher up than Howard and Bulloughs....can't remember what the business was though... i have it in my mind that it was a barbers/mens hairdressers, but I could be wrong.

[pifco]

There was Bacigalupo Barber on Richmond Hill Street between Ormerod Street and Holden Street and he was well established there for many years.

[landhusweg]

The only Bacigalupo that I knew was the gents hairdresser at the bottom of Warner street, this was in the fities and sixties.
My father was a gents haidresser in Rawtenstall (Dany Kenyon), he would normally cut my hair at home in Accrington where we lived, but now and again he didn't have the time, so I would visit Bacigalupo's shop in Warner street.

Cheers

Philip Kenyon
Formally Belfield road