We will be showing the film, ‘My Brother is an Only Child’

On Thursday, 20th November 2008. 7pm – 11pm

The Police Club.
Fairfield.
L7 0LA.

Following on from the success of last years event, we are repeating this and having food, wine, and chat as well as showing this film, that many wanted to earlier this year at FACT.

Cost; 12.00 per person. (Strictly no Children)

To book a ticket, either send a cheque for the full amount required, made payable to all arts, or call or email on the address phone number below.

The Creation Station. 83 Newsham Drive. Liverpool L6 7UH

E-mail: AllArts at Liverpool.gov.uk (NOTE: Remove 'at' and spaces and replace with @ when emailing.)
Telephone: 0151 233 2156

My name is Debra D’Annunzio and I have just completed my first book entitled Liverpool’s Italian families. My own family were part of the pioneering immigrants that came to Liverpool from Atina in the Comino Valley and developed the slum area to the rear of William Brown Street into a thriving cultural melting pot of ice cream vendors, mosaic layers and musicians.

Even though there isn’t an area dedicated to the Italians as such any more I feel its my duty to bring the vibrancy back and encourage all the descendants of the Italian immigrants to be aware of their families struggles during the 19th century and become a part of the Italian culture once more through gatherings, festivals and of course literature.

Hon. Italian Consul Nunzia Bertali and Deputy Council Leader Flo Clucas are presenting the book to the Italian President in October; the book will also be donated to the Athenaeum Club. The launch will take place in November and the book will be available throughout Liverpool and online.

The links below give a more varied account of my journey as a local historian and writer.
Daily Post
Scottie Press

Debra D’Annunzio

14.08.08.

I visited the Rotunda site for the "Dolce Vita" event and met with Libby McKay who is the Rotunda Centre manager and David Jacques whose major artwork will be on show at the site as part of the Biennial Arts Progranme in the city throughout the Autumn.

What was outlined at the meeting was a quite innovative event with Italian music food and film, even a DJ for later on. It will be in the open air and the theme is "Italian Rock & Roll" so volunteers and guests are asked to dress the part. As Marcello Mastroianni invented the '50s Italian look, then the dark glasses are a must! There will be umbrellas specially commissioned for the event so with "La Dolce Vita playing on the sinde of the building, it whould be an almost Fellini-esque event!

Anyone who fancies getting involved in the preparation of refreshments, particularly of the Italian variety, crostine, bruschette, piadine, pizzettine, caponata siciliana, focaccia, prosciuto con melone ecc. would be most welcome to help out as "Il Bacino" is closed and Rosaria of the italian Club is on holiday. There is a budget so help will be suitably rewarded.

The event is open to all and Liverpolitaliani are especially invited so keep the date in your diary.

Gerry Murphy

The composition will draw imagery and narratives – both real and fictionalised - from community contributions around notions of Italophilia and Liverphilia as exemplified by the 1950’s trend of holidaying around the Bay of Naples and the flow back and forth of first / second generation Liverpudlian – Italian families. Ultimately, the project will reflect upon the values and significance of tourism and travel during the post-war years in contrast to those of today.

To celebrate the process of collaboration, a unique social event will be organised and hosted by the Rotunda, working closely with creative bodies in Naples and Liverpool"

The launch is on September 20th this year at the Rotunda Centre on Scotland Road. 

As David said: "We've got young Danilo from Naples doing a set of 50's Italian music to dance to. Also have MDI (Merseyside Dance Initiative) to help with the dancing and Gerry Murphy of Liverpolitalia to perform some Italian standards. It's happening outdoors at the Rotunda during the evening. We're getting a load of lighting set up and laying on 'aperitivos' & cocktails, so it should look pretty dramatic. All part of the Liverpool Biennial.

Every year since 1896 on the Sunday following July 16th the Procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel takes place through the streets of Clerkenwell
(Little Italy ) in London, starting and ending at St. Peters Italian Church.

Since the 1950s decorated floats and statues were added, making it a huge attraction with thousands, mainly Italian descendants from around London, and Italians from America and Italy, lining the streets.

There are stalls selling Italian foods,etc and the Police 'Ring-Fence' Clerkenwell to keep the traffic away so it is safe to walk around the area,especially for the Families with children. Also the pubs move tables and seats outside on to the pavement and in some cases the road, creating a 'Festival Atmosphere' for the afternoon.
There is no central hall or meeting place to gather after the procession, so the families have meals in the local Italian restaurants.

If anyone is interested, and are not travelling by car, from Euston you can get the tube to Farringdon Station, walk up Farringdon road and turn left along Clerkenwell Road to St. Peters.
Or if enough people were interested maybe a coach could be considered.

St. Peters have an excellent web site giving it`s history and lots of photo`s of the church interior, and last years procession.

St Peters Italian Church
136 Clerkenwell Rd.
London EC1R - 5EN
TEL: 0207-837-1528
Website: www.italianchurch.org.uk

Bruna Morena, Parish Secretary.

Auguri
Tom Sloan

TO HIM, it’s the most important place on God’s Earth. You can rattle off the names of other places that have made their marks in history – the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, Canterbury Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House and so on.

Well, they all have stories to tell. But not compared to this place.

The passion of the man is rising because he loves his subject and his subject is Scotland Road – famously the 1,640 yards which stretched from Scotland Place to Boundary Road, in the Vauxhall neighbourhood of Liverpool.

For Ron Formby, community champion, this old road has a message for the world which should be heard by everyone, as we approach the mid-point of Liverpool’s year as the European Capital of Culture.

It was here that the people of many races and creeds settled in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often seeking sanctuary from persecution or poverty in their homelands.

Germans, Poles, Italians, Jews, Scots, Greeks, Lithuanians, the Welsh, Russians and, of course, the Irish, were among the people who joined the indigenous population on Scotland Road and the many terraced streets running off it.

So Liverpool presented itself as “the World in One City” when seeking the 2008 European prize.

Without Scotland Road and the communities in the immediate vicinity, it would not have been possible to use that slogan.

It was a poor, tightly populated area dominated by docks and the big ships, which sailed in and out. Crews called the main corridor running down the middle of ships, Scotland Road, respecting its place in maritime history. That was true even of the Titanic.

To make sure the point is not forgotten amid all the cultural celebrations and congratulations, the Scottie Roaders, old and new, are holding their own 08 party to make sure that their special contribution to this city is remembered in these high times.

THE Scottie 08 Reunion is being held at the Silvestrian Club, Silvester Street, from noon on Sunday, June 8.

Organisers believe it will reflect the road’s international heritage with Italian music and dance coming from the Wirral Mandoliers. There will also be Scottish pipers and Irish dancers. A varied programme of songs and music will come from bands including Liverpool Tradition and the Gardens (which features Ged Fagan and Paul Sudbury, who were brought up in Gerard Gardens, the tenements built on what had been Liverpool’s Little Italy). Other acts are still to be booked.

Obviously, this being Liverpool, there will be comedians, but in the spirit of the old days when nearly everyone, from children to their grandparents, could do an act of some sort, it is hoped that people will perform on the day.

Although, he is too modest to say so himself, the credit for organising this event belongs to Ron, below, editor of the monthly Scottie Press run by the Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council.

It began in 1971 and is now the country’s oldest community newspaper.

Ron, 58, suggested a follow-up to the party at the Silvestrian Club, which marked the 200th anniversary of Scotland Road, which was a great success, reviving the community spirit of the old days.

He is convinced that the sense of belonging, which once bound the area, has many lessons for today – a sentiment that will be heard in My Mother’s Lullaby, written by Tony Flanagan, who will sing it at the party.

“I wanted to write something that showed that us so-called street urchins went home to a mum that tucked us up in bed, gave us a goodnight kiss and sang us a lullaby, as we gently closed our eyes and went to sleep,” he says.

“Maybe today’s new Liverpool could learn something from that.”

Gerry Murphy, of Liverpolitalia (which sustains the memories of Little Italy), will be playing Sweet Liberty, a ballad about immigrants, and The Ballad Of Dixie Dean.

Early in the 20th century, there were 246 pubs on Scotland Road – one on every corner. Some blocks had one in the middle as well.

Only the three bird pubs now survive – the Parrot, the Eagle and the Throstle’s Nest.

But the spirit lives on. Ron, who will be showing his Changing Face of Local Communities photo exhibition, is hoping people will come with their own photographs, memories and diaries.

“Everyone has heard of Scotland Road,” says Ron. “This will be the Capital of Culture celebrated in the local community, which became home to people from all over the world.”