Biagio & Francesca Settineri

Story

Biagio boarded the ship ‘Protea’ at Messina, Italy on 21st May 1951. As he bade farewell to his pregnant wife Francesca and their 8 month old daughter Maria, Francesca thought she would see her husband again in 2 years.

Francesca’s brother Peppino, who was already in Australia, had written to them telling of the great employment opportunities. Biagio convinced his wife that if he went it would be only 2 years, she finally agreed.

After a 5 week trip he finally arrived in Sydney on 29th June 1951. His brother-in-law, Peppino met him and they headed for Canberra where Biaggio was hired as a labourer. After 2 hard years labouring he decided to give the “big smoke” Sydney a go where he quickly found employment at the old rubber factory in Erskine Street, Sydney.

Biagio wrote to his wife and told her Australia was a great country that had so much to offer and that he wanted her and the 2 children, Maria & his new son Guiseppe to come to Australia to be with him. At first she was unsure about leaving her parents, siblings and friends but she realised that her place was with her husband, so once again she agreed.

Biagio received word from his wife’s sister Maria, who was married and living in Griffith, that he should go to Griffith and help her and her husband work the farm and earn enough money to bring his wife and children out. This took longer than he hoped, but finally after another 3 years he had the money and sent word to his wife to make arrangements to come to Australia.

Francesca said an emotional farewell to her parents, in-laws, and all her family and friends. Late in February 1956 she and her 2 children boarded the ‘Oceania’ at Messina and set sail for Australia. Biagio was in Sydney waiting for them when the ship docked. After 5 long years apart they were finally together as a family – he embraced his wife and held his son for the first time. They headed to Griffith where they thought they would raise their family and while in Griffith another son, Michael Angelo in 1957. Life in Griffith was a lot harder for a family than a single man, so Biagio went to find work in Sydney and buy a house for his family. He found employment at Dairy Farmers and in September 1957 the family moved into their new home at Cabramatta. The family grew by one more, a daughter Caterina born in 1959. Francesca didn’t like her husband working shift work so he found a job in the Redfern Eveleigh train yards where he was employed for 30 years.

In 1967 Biagio, Francesca, Maria and Guiseppe became Australian Citizens. It was one of the proudest moments of their lives.

Biagio and Francesca have always kept close to their hearts their Italian traditions and culture, which they passed on proudly to their children. But in saying that they have always loved and respected their new homeland, they taught their children to respect the laws and traditions of this “lucky country”. Biagio and Francesca always instilled in their children to be proud of their roots but to be just as proud of being Australian.

Today Biagio and Francesca are proud parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Written by Caterina Setterini daughter of Biagio and Francesca Settineri as told by them.

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