Diego Novella
| Town/City | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| First name | Diego |
| Last name | Novella |
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Date of Birth | 10/1/2029 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1952 |
| Submitted by | Grace Garreffa |
Story
At the age of 16, Diego Novella had to support his mother and six siblings after the death of his father. Work was scarce in southern Italy and after moving to the northern regions, and work becoming scarce there too, he decided to make the journey to Australia at the age of 22.
Diego travelled to Australia on the ship, Castel Felice, arriving in November 1952. He travelled with some acquaintances and met many people on the journey. Some of the people he travelled with became lifelong friends.
The English language was a challenge for Diego, however he was determined to become fluent, so he studied the language part time and had his dictionary with him to ensure he understood. He worked as a labourer at first and eventually joined the Victorian Railways as a lad porter. Diego retired as a District Business Manager in 1995.
In 1954 and 1955 , Diego paid for his two younger brothers to migrate to Australia. In 1955 he met Carmela Italiano and they married in 1956. They have four children, Grace, Joseph, Mary and Robert and were married for just over 50 years until Diego’s death on 13th February 2007.