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There are countless books and subjects on the migration of Italians to Australia and the America's, but very few on Scotland and of those the vast majority are either out of print or very hard to get hold of. Some excellent books do exist, and it is from these that I have borrowed photographs and other such material. The internet usually a reliable source of information, for this topic produced very poor results to begin with. Consequently much of the material in this project comes to you from word of mouth alone. So where and how did it all start? If you're familiar with the history then you'll know that most of today's Scotsitalians can trace their roots back to the early 1850's. This section skims over the 'how they got here' and 'what they did when they were here', rather it seeks to set in motion an understanding of how they have developed since those early days.
In the spectacularly preserved hilltop town of Coreglia Antelminelli (near Barga) there is I believe the one and only Museum of Statuettes and Migration. Many of the first journeys taken by the pioneers is documented with tales, artefacts and even some statuettes from as early as the 1600's. The majority of Italians soon diversified, selling ice cream, initially on the streets, later from cafe's. Interesting as most came from peasant farmer backgrounds and had no catering experience. It was not uncommon for them to work seven days 14 hours a day. It would take some years before they even made enough money even to visit Italy again. Most money was sent back to Italy then or funded other family members or villagers to come over. Once the cafe's were fully operational, it was expected that all the family members contribute. This included long, anti-social hours which as a result led to very little contact with people from out-with the Italian community. Though schooling was deemed important, once secondary school had been completed, the children went directly into the family business. The family was all encompassing. Much of the money was sent back to Italy either for the older generation left behind or to buy property.
In the households Italian was spoken, Italian food was the staple diet often with all the family dining together. Religious festivals were vehemently observed. During the early part of the 20th century, Italians were expected to marry only Italians and it wasn't until the 1950's that there was a distinct shift in this thinking. Indeed, many of the older settlers hoped to return to Italy to retire one day and viewed Scotland in a transitory fashion. As friendships from fellow settlers grew (through card games and religious occasions), a tight Italian business network soon emerged. In 1935, the Casa D'Italia opened in Glasgow, a grand home from home for many Italians (this has since closed down in 1989). Glasgow today has the third largest contingent of people from Italian extraction in the UK after London and Manchester. The Cafes first major obstacle was the Temperance Movement of the early 1900's whereupon Italian shopkeepers were highlighted for the unruly behaviour that happened within the businesses (often as a result of being the only place open after the pubs closed) and of course for trading on Sundays. This was also where the young met to sing, dance and spend their pocket money, often with disregard to their parents consent! Xenophobic attacks and criticism in the press for lowering the moral tone was not uncommon. However solid legal argument and the creation of the Temperance Refreshment Traders Defence Association (consisting entirely of Italians) went in some way to eroding this mentality. Read the full web article A large percentage of Italians in Scotland during the 30's were registered Fascist Party members. This appears to have been a response from a call from Mussolini, whose party's influence stretched to those communities outside Italy. This led to obvious tensions and with the outbreak of World War II many Italian Cafe's were vandalised and its owners persecuted. With anti-Catholic sentiment also evident, the speed and the intensity of the violence that the Italians were subjected to shocked many. After all, for nearly half a decade they had lived side by side in total peace. Some of the family members born in the UK even fought for Britain. It wasn't long after that adult males were interned.
'The business life in the (Italian) community was based on trust, family loyalty and personal knowledge, which were the essential factors for economic success in a strange land.' T.M. Devine The Scottish Nation
Many of these businesses somehow managed to continue trading, relying on the wives, children and the elderly members of the family. Though many had to be rebuilt from scratch following the end of the war. My great-aunt and her sister in law ran their shop for the duration of the War. This despite the fact that their husbands were interned and the husbands brother and family had escaped to Italy. In addition at one point the business was taken over by the army for use as a hospital. For Scotsitalian growing up in the post-war period, this was an extremely trying time as taunts and abuse were commonplace. Perhaps as a direct result from this there has been very little immigration from Italy to Scotland since. This may also have to do with the fact that Italy now has a vibrant economy of its own, which at one point in 1999 had overtaken the GDP of the UK itself, known it economic circles as 'Il Sorpasso", though I suspect this is no longer the case since Italy's venture into Euro-Land. This of a scholarly disposition can check this out for yourself: CIA UK FACTBOOK / CIA ITALY FACTBOOK There were of course a large number that remained and feeling a greater to need to assimilate it did not take long for many misconceptions to dissolve. With this understanding and an increase in further education more Scotsitalians were attending university and breaking into professional jobs and breaking out of their traditional roles in the family business. Despite this progressive assimilation, the Scotsitalian household retained a backbone of Italian food, customs and traditions. Superstitions were also well held, confusing to me as my mother always insisted that the number 13 was lucky! What remains evident however is that the Italian identity does not appear to have been diluted, rather it compliments many of the traits personified by living as a Scot, or perhaps I should say, Scotsitalian. Indeed, Scotsitalian filmmaker Sergio Casci identifies the Scotsitalians as a 'third' being representing the fusion of both backgrounds ultimately leading to the creation of a different characteristic. Never really feeling Scottish in Scotland or for that matter Italian in Italy. This theme is continued by the very same Sergio Casci, striking an interesting chord in the article If this was America for biannual publication Italia and Italy discussing his views growing up as a Scotsitalian. Mary Contini, of Valvona & Crolla in Edinburgh in a recent article states 'I am a Scot. I am a Scotsitalian. But essentially I am a Scot.' Also consider Anthony Minghella (of Scotsitalian parentage incidentally) when asked in a recent interview if he felt English or Italian replied: "I was born and raised on the Isle of Wight, an isolated area with few foreigners. My parents were Italian emigrants and therefore we were considered rather exotic. My parents talked about inglesi, as if they were talking about foreigners. But when I go to Italy, which I try to do as much as I can, I feel very English. I had an English education. English friends and my Italian is not very good. For a writer it is a good thing not to be too assimilated. I feel most at home in America, because everybody there is from another country." However, the main theme of the last few points is what does it feel like to be a Scotsitalian. I myself never really felt a 100% Scottish in Scotland or for that matter 100% Italian in Italy. Still, travelling with two passports does have its advantages.
What Happened to Auld Glesga? features the following verse as it recounts the old days of the city. I believe this poem was written Adam McNaughton. "Where is the Tally's that I knew so well?
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Italglese
Peter Muccini, a frequent contributor to this site reveals his own experiences: The older generation of Scotsitalians developed a sort of Creole language by adapting certain English words. One such word was pambrocco which I used in an essay at Glasgow University in 1947. My tutor, Enrico Cocozza (one of the famous Scotsitalians in this websites' list), told me it did not exist and the correct term was prestitore su pegno which is Italian for ‘pawnbroker’. These neologisms included mencia as in mencia e patate (mince and tatties), pocco (as in un pocco di patate, a poke of chips) checca (cake), broscia (brush) and trampi (yobs or uncouth persons). My favourite is sfoccheggiare, a verb that describes Billy Connolly’s frequent use of the four-lettered word beginning with F and ending in K. Thus: sfoccheggiava come un matto (‘he was effing and blinding like a madman’ or ‘he was swearing like a trooper’). A similar phenomenon exists where I live in south-west London. The Italians here are mainly from around Naples, Ischia and Calabria. One gave me his address as Salacocca Road which, on consulting the A-Z guide, turned out to be Selkirk Road. Other Italian-sounding places in the London region are Anaorta (Hanworth), Anzelo (Hounslow) and Emelemsi (Hemel Hempstead). Michele Sasso who runs a motor repair business and specialises in Ferrari and Porsches has his own vocabulary which, to my amazement, is understood by his British customers. Michele’s language features the Neapolitan practice of truncating words by knocking off the last syllable. Thus ‘a game of snooker’ becomes ‘a game of snook’. Michele’s business is called M&S Autos but when he answers the phone he says ‘Emanessot’. Michele has also Neapolitanised the English for vehicle components so that sciocasso is his version for ‘shock absorber’. For those of you looking for Italian translations of Scottish poems, Peter recommends the following website http://www.la-poesia.it/stranieri/inglesi/inglesi-index.htm.
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The first settlers of note were mostly Statue Sellers (figurinai),
many who had come up from London and were originally from Picinisco in the
Frosinone region. Their principal aim was to escape the
crippling economy and disastrous agricultural condition of their homeland
and generate enough income to support their families. Many of these carved
out careers in the arts and were accomplished barbers and hairdressers.
Indeed in 1928 a college of Italian hairdressers opened up in Glasgow.
As businesses expanded so the need for new employees began
to grow. The head of the business would commonly recruit young Italian's,
often from his home village. These Italians in turn would eventually own
their own businesses in time.
Another
town that could lay claim to being the most Scottish town in
Italy is 
Lets
not forget about
