Ballestrin family

In 1927 three members of the large extended Ballestrin family arrived in Adelaide on 20 September 1927 per ‘Regina d’Italia’. Brothers Antonio, (born 21 September 1902) aged 25 years, and Isidoro, (born 15 May 1905) aged 23 years, and first cousin, Giuseppe, (born 19 July 1910) aged 17 years emigrated from Valla’ in the province of Treviso.

In the first years during the Depression it was difficult to find employment but the Ballestrins managed to work and saved enough money to return to Italy in April 1934. Each of them got married there and returned to Adelaide with their wives in December 1934. Initially they worked market gardens in Virginia, about 34 kms north of Adelaide. In the early 1940s the families moved to the Kidman Park – Flinders Park area and they developed market gardens.

Isidoro married Maria Gina nee Andreazza (born 5 December 1905) on 27 September 1934, leased land from Edward Keele on the western side of River Road (now Findon Road). At the beginning of the 1940s they took up a lease of 15 acres on the eastern side of Findon Road, and worked 17 glasshouses growing tomatoes and other vegetables on land which they eventually bought. Their son Frankie continued to work on the land growing potatoes at Bolivar for a number of years. Isidoro died on 5 May 1965. Maria Gina died 18 April 1978.

Antonio married Romilda Minato (born 24 February 1908) on 4 October 1934 and they worked market gardens on Grange Road close to Eugenio and Luigia Zalunardo. Romilda died on 4 January 1957. Antonio returned to live in Italy where he married Elena Vettori in 1959. He died on 3 April 1977 in Riese.

A third brother, Ermenegildo Ballestrin, born 7 February 1911, joined Antonio and Isidoro and arrived in Adelaide per ‘Esquilino’ in 1937 aged 26 years.  At first he stayed with Isidoro and Gina and worked in the market gardens. He returned to Italy and married Norina Berti (born 10 December 1915) in 1954. Ermenegildo died on 28 February 1988, and Norina on 5 August 2005.

Giuseppe and his cousin, Ermenegildo bought 20 acres in Flinders Park abutting the River Torrens. Giuseppe married Cesira Tieppo (born 26 May 1914) on 29 September 1934. The two families worked glasshouses where they grew tomatoes and also grew potatoes and celery. Giuseppe died on 15 June 1989. Cesira died on 6 December 2005. Giuseppe and Cesira’s daughter Norma Camozzato died on 10th May 2019, aged 78 years.

Narcisio, born 30 July 1913, brother of Antonio, Isidoro and Ermengildo, was aged 25 years when he arrived per the ‘Romolo’ on 10 December 1938. He and his wife, Maria Maddalena nee Dotto (born 10 June 1914) had married two months before he left Italy. Maria arrived with their son, Egidio (Jimmy) aged one year old on 5 June 1940. The family leased land first on Valetta Road and around 1953 bought a holding at Flinders Park, east of Findon Road. After finishing in the market gardens they moved to Findon. Maria died on 17 February 1988. Narcisio died on 20 February 2007.

In April 1938, two other family members arrived on the ‘Romolo’: the mother of the four Ballestrin brothers, Santa Ballestrin nee Guidolin, (born 1874) aged 65 years, and their sister, Luigia, (born 1 December 1916) aged 23 years. They lived with Isidoro and Gina. Luigia married Eugenio Zalunardo in 1944 and they lived and worked market gardens on Grange Road. They had two children, Noemi and Renato. Luigia died on 22 December 1965. Eugenio died 13 November 1972. Santa died on 5 July 1945.

Two Ballestrin brothers: Ermengildo and Narcisio, and cousin, Giuseppe, worked in the Allied Works Council during the War. They were required to live away from Adelaide including in the Northern Territory. Isidoro who had a health problem, grew vegetables for the Australian Army.

The Ballestrin families began selling their land in Flinders Park from the late 1960s when the area was subdivided by developers.

Giuseppe Ballestrin’s older sister, Ida Maddalena, (born 20 March 1903) arrived in Australia in 1949 and lived with the family on Hartley Road until her death in 1973. Giuseppe’s cousins – twins, Primo and Secondo  Ballestrin (born 18 August 1916),  also migrated and lived in Adelaide after the war and worked in the concreting business.

A number of Ballestrin relatives have been interviewed for the Veneti market gardeners project. They include: Frankie Ballestrin, Egidio Ballestrin, Lina Campagnaro nee Ballestrin, Noemi Campagnolo nee Zalunardo, Norma Camozzato nee Ballestrin, Lino Ballestrin. Friends have also been interviewed: Johnny Marchioro, Mel Recchi and Ada Valentini nee Recchi

Nel 1927 tre della famiglia Ballestrin arrivarono ad Adelaide. Fratelli, Antonio, 25 anni e Isidoro, 23 anni e un cugino di primo grado, Giuseppe di 17 anni arrivarono il 20 settember 1927 con la nave, ’Regina d’Italia’.

Nei primi anni durante la depressione era molto difficile trovare lavoro. I Ballestrini però trovarono lavoro e avevano risparmiato abbastanza per ritornare in Italia nel 1934. Ognuno di loro si sposò e le tre coppie ritornarono ad Adelaide nel 1935.

Antonio sposò Romilda Minato; Isidoro sposò Maria Gina Andreazzae Giuseppe sposò Cesira Tieppo.

Lavorano come articoltori prima a Virginia 34 chilometri a nord di Adelaide. Negli anni quarate le famiglie si trasferirono nell’area di Flinders Park e Kidman Park.

Il padre di Frankie Ballestrin, che si chiamava Isidoro, e la moglie, Gina, affittaraono terreno da Edward Keele nella parte ovest di River Road addesso chiamata Findon Road.

Al principio degli anni quaranta preserò in affitto 15 acri nella parte est di River Road addesso chiamata Findon Road. Lavorarono 17 serre producendo pomdori e altre verdure. Eventualmente comprarono la proprietà.

Ermegildo Ballestrin, un terzo fratello di Antonio e Isidoro, arrivò 1937 all’età di 26 anni e lavorò con i fratelli come agricoltore. Giuseppe e Cesira e Ermengildo comprarono 20 acri in Flinders Park a fianco del fiume Torrens. Lavorarono nelle serre producendo verdure, patate e sedano. Giuseppe è morto nel 1989 e Cesira nel 2005. Ermenegildo sposò Leonora (Norina). Lui è morto nel 1988 e Norina nel 2005.

Narcisio, fratello di Antonio, Isidoro e Ermengildo, arrivò il 10 dicembre 1938 a bordo del ’Romolo’ all’età di 25 anni. La moglie, Maria Maddalena nata Dotto e figlio, Egidio chiamato Jimmy che aveva un’anno, arriavarono il 5 giugno 1940. La famiglia affittò il terreno prima in Valetta Road. Circa 1953 comprò il podere a Flinders Park est di Findon Road e vicino a Isidoro e Maria Gina.

In aprile 1939 altre due familiari arrivarono a bordo della nave ’Romolo’. La madre dei quattro fratelli Ballestrin, Santa Agata Ballestrin nata Guidolin, 65 anni di età e sua figlia, Luigia, 23 anni vennero con Isidoro e la sua famiglia. Luigia sposò Eugenio Zalunardo nel 1944 e visserò e lavorarano come agricoltori in Grange Raod. Santa mori nel 1945.

Durante la seconda guerra mondiale, i due fratelli Ballestrin: Ermengildo e Antonio, e il cugino, Giuseppe lavorarono per il governo nel Allied Works Council. Tanti Italiani erano costretti a vivere lontano di Adelaide. Alcuni di loro andarono a vivere nella campania e il territorio del nord. Isidoro chi aveva la salute poco buona restò in Adelaide e continuò a produrre verdure per l’esercito Australiano.

Due famiglie Ballestrin vendetterò la proprietà in Flinders Park negli anni sessanta e l’area è stata suddivisa per costrutire case. Isidoro mori’ nel 1965 e Frankie continuò lavorare il terreno a Flinders Park fino a agli anni settanta.

Antonio mori’ in Italia nel 1977; Isidoro  nel 1965; Ermegildo, 1988; Narcisio, 2007.

Le mogli sono morte:  Maria nee Dotto nel 1988, Maria Gina nel 1978 e Maria nel 1988.
Certi familiari Ballestrin e gli amici sono stati intervistati per il progetto dei agricoltori veneti e includono:
Frankie Ballestrin; Jimmy Ballestrin; Lina Campagnaro nee Ballestrin; Noemi Campagnolo nee Zalunardo; Norma Camozatto nee Ballestrin; Lino Ballestrin; Johnny Marchioro; Bruno Piovesan; Mel Recchi

Documents:

Photographs: 

How to read the transcripts on mobile devices

To view the transcript use the control on top of the transcript.
The – + signs enlarge or decrease the document. The arrows take you to the next or back a page. The controls also show you what page you are on.

View on full screen

Full screen is available on your desktop computer and some mobile devices. To view the transcript on a full screen click the four arrow link .

To return to the transcript click the four arrows at bottom left of  the screen.