‘It’s your homeland’

This blog provides a history of a Veneto family who settled in Adelaide
after the Second World War.

Although Tina Mazzarino nee Perin has lived in Adelaide for more than seven decades, she still feels a deep attachment to her homeland, Italy and her paese, Caerano San Marco. Tina has recently reflected on her family story of migration.

The image above is the wedding reception, 25 March 1965 –
marriage of Tina Perin to Sandro Mazzarino.
L-R: Peter, Piero and Mary Perin, Sandro and Tina, Gina, Silvio and John Perin.

Tina was born in Caerano San Marco in 1941. Her father, Silvio Perin, had grown up assisting in the Perin family osteria in Caerano. Tina’s mother, Gina Favero, had been born in Montebelluna where her parents were contadini and owned land.

Around the time Tina was born, her parents were working in the osteria. She remembered that her nonna catered for weddings and her nonno organised bocce games on Sundays

 

 

In 1946, a terrible blow affected the family when Tina’s older brother Gerardo was killed in an accident. A year later, her brother, Gerardo or John, was born.

 

 

 

A decision to migrate
After the shock and sadness of this family tragedy, Tina’s parents wanted a new start and it was possible to migrate at that time when so many Italians were accepted by the Australian Government. Tina’s uncle, Piero Perin lived in Adelaide and sponsored her father who arrived in March 1949.

Six months later, Tina’s mother arrived in Adelaide with Tina and her two-year old brother John. Tina was eight years old and had completed three years of school in Italy.

Starting life in Adelaide
The family stayed with Silvio’s brother, Piero and sister-in-law, Mary, at Croydon for about 18 months before Silvio, Gina, Tina and John moved to Hendon. There they shared a large shed with the De Faveri and Trenti families for about two years.

Tina remembered that the shed was very basic and they slept under umbrellas when it rained.  At 10 years, Tina was the eldest of the five children in the shed and looked after them while their parents worked.

Silvio worked in a factory in Edwardstown until he became unwell in 1957 and was no longer able to work in industries. He bought a ute and began delivering beer to Veneto families he knew. Gina began working at Elena Stoco’s boarding house in Waymouth Street in the west end of the City of Adelaide. Another Veneto woman, Agnes Urbani, organised the job for her not long after the family was reunited in Adelaide in 1959. Gina cycled from Croydon into the city with John in a seat on the back of the bike. She changed and washed sheets for about 40 men who lived in the boarding house.

Tina went to St Margaret Mary’s school at Croydon where at first, she was put into Grade 1. She quickly picked up English and made progress and the following year, completed Grades 3 and 4. She finished primary school at Lockleys where her parents rented a house before buying a home in Torrensville. Tina attended St Marys College until she was about 16 years old.

Working in the boarding house on Waymouth Street
Tina remembers that her parents took over the kitchen in the boarding house in about 1956-1957. They prepared meals and cut lunches for the boarders. After a day at school at St Marys College, Tina prepared tables for dinner for about 60 men. When they were working in the boarding house, the Perin family moved into a house that the Rossetto family[1] had rented for some years. It was owned by a Syrian family who had a factory in Waymouth Street that manufactured sheets. At one stage, her parents were robbed of a week’s takings and this was a big blow to their sense of security. In 1955, Silvio and Gina were naturalised.

While Gina kept working in the boarding house, Silvio bought a continental shop in Hindley Street. Silvio became ill and was in hospital for several months and Tina left school to manage the shop for nearly a year until it was sold. Every morning she opened up  and was responsible for the daily business. After finishing in the shop, Tina worked in the office at Champion Motors in Currie Street in the City.

Gina and Silvio had a very full and happy social life and mixed with different Veneto families who had settled in Adelaide.

Meeting her husband
Tina met her husband Santo (known as Sandro) Mazzarino in 1959 in the city when he was looking for a place to board. With her insider knowledge of the boarding house on Waymouth Street, Tina was able was able to direct him there.  This meeting was the beginning of their 62 years together.

Tina recalls that when Sandro went to meet Tina’s parents at Torrensville to ask for permission to go out with her, it was a bit of a challenge. Although her father knew that Sandro was Sicilian, Tina had told her parents that he was from Bologna! Her father was not sure about the idea of his daughter being with a young man from Sicily.

Sandro took the challenge and said something like: “I’m only 20, I have no money. No diplomas but I’ve got two strong arms and I can look after your daughter.” Tina’s father could see Sandro’s sincerity and resolve. Silvio confirmed that he was happy for Sandro to go out with Tina and knew that they would probably get married. And then Sandro became Veneto!

Sandro founded S & T Mazzarino Pty Ltd in 1989 and it grew into Boston Building Group which provides construction services from residential to commercial buildings around Adelaide. Sandro was respected in the building industry.

 Tina’s role at Borgia Brothers’ Pasta factory

Tina had an interesting working life at the Borgia Brothers’ Pasta factory in Gouger Street in the City. Francesco Borgia had started the factory in the late 1930s and he had supplied pasta to the boarding house. Tina began working there when she was about 17 years and looked after the office. When Francesco went to Italy for a few months, he gave Tina the key and she was responsible for the operations of the factory and the seven women who made the pasta. She worked there for about four years until her daughter, Lisa, was born in 1963.

 

John Perin – soccer player

Tina’s brother, John, had a very successful career playing soccer from 1965 to 1982.

He represented Australia as a player including at the World Cup Qualifying games in 1969. He was inducted into Football Australia Hall of Fame in 2000 and the FootballSA Hall of Champions in 2003 for outstanding performance as a player and coach.

 

 

Lessons from her parents
Tina reflects that her parents taught about her working hard and always being honest. She learned about the importance of hospitality from her mother. Family was very important to her parents and they both kept up connections with their relatives in Italy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silvio and Gina travelled to Italy several times. Tina’s uncle Beppi was a pilot for Argentinian airlines and through him it was possible to get tickets at cheaper prices.

Tina and Sandro took their children to Italy in 1976 when Lisa was 12 years, Frank, 10 and Paul, 2 years old. Tina remembers this was a great experience to connect with the two families of relatives. It was her first visit to Italy since she had left in 1949. She has been many times and says that each time she loves it more.

Tina and Sandro had three children, Lisa, Frank and Paul and became grandparents to Christian and Georgia, Sebastian and Alicia.

Silvio died in 1973 and Gina was 95 when she died in 2010.
Tina and Sandro’s son Frank died in 1993.
Sandro died in 2023.

Maintaining Veneto traditions
Tina bakes crostoli and frittole and makes baccalà (salted cod) and polenta – all dishes that are typically made in kitchens in the Veneto region. In winter she makes trippa or tripe for her brother John and her children’s families who love it.

Sandro was a Foundation member of the Veneto Club and Tina participates in functions held by the Club. Each year in June she is a judge of the Radicchio Festival held at the Veneto Club. She assesses the plants that people enter for the competition. Radicchio is a variety of chicory that is grown in winter and is distinguished by its red or purple leaves.

Although she has lived in Australia for more than 70 years, Tina still declares “I’m Italian.” She has a strong sense of her Australian identity but also feels a deep connection to Italy. Tina says, “it’s your homeland, the place you were born” and this connects her to her Italian roots.

---

Tina Mazzarino nee Perin
Madeleine Regan
30 June 2024

[1] Gelindo and Lina Rossetto were veneti and had been market gardeners on the River Torrens at Lockleys for some years in the 1930s and 1940s.

All family photos were supplied by Tina.