Zampin family

Irene Zampin, interviewed for the project in Italy, in 2017 and 2018

Zampin, Antonio (Nico) and Simeoni, Ines

 Antonio (Nico) Zampin, the son of Giuseppe and Angela Silvello, was born on 19th April 1917 in Riese Pio X in the province of Treviso in the Veneto region. He was the seventh of eight children and their parents were contadini, a family who worked the land.

Two older brothers had emigrated to Australia in 1920s. Pietro, 11 years older, had emigrated in 1926 and had died in a vehicle accident on 3rd September 1930. Silvano, born in 1910, emigrated in January 1928.

Ines (Delia) Simeoni was born on 31 October 1923, the daughter of Pasquale and Irene Gazzola. Ines was one of five children and their parents also worked the land and they also owned a bakery in Riese Pio X. Antonio married Ines on 27 July 1946 in Riese Pio X where they both lived with their families. Their first child, Teresa, was born on 1 January 1947 in Riese Pio X.

Nico was sponsored by his brother Silvano and emigrated to Australia from Riese Pio X after World War II when the economic situation in the Veneto region was very difficult. Silvano had settled in Adelaide 20 years earlier. On 28 November 1948, Nico arrived in Adelaide per ‘Toscana’ and stayed and worked in the market gardens on the property of the Berno brothers on Valetta Road for the first months.

Six months later, Delia arrived with their daughter Teresa, aged two years, on 31 May 1949 per ‘Ugolino Vivaldi’.

Two of Delia’s sisters, Gilda and Bruna also emigrated to Australia after she arrived there. Two children were born in Adelaide. Irene was born on 4 May 1952 and Dennis was born on 23rd April 1958.

In 1967 Nico, Delia and Irene and Dennis returned to Italy. Terry married Luigi Mazzarolo on 5 December 1965 and she remained living in Adelaide.

Nico died in 1990 and Delia, in 2005.

Irene was interviewed for the project in 2017 and explained that her parents were working a market garden in the Kidman Park area that the veneti called ‘Lockleys’ at the time she was born in 1952. After working for other people, they were able to buy land on the corner of Findon Road and Valetta Road where they grew tomatoes in 21 glasshouses, as well as beans and lettuces.

In her interview Irene describes her family’s work in the gardens, her memories of growing up in a market gardening community, schooling, her uncles, aunts and cousins, family friendships in the Veneto community. She speaks about her parents’ decision to return to live in Riese Pio X in 1967. Irene reflects on the challenges of her transition to life in Italy as a 15 year old, her marriage to Giuliano Berducsco, and a return visit to Australia in 2000, her own family and the strength of her Australian identity.

Second interview 16 November 2018
Irene recorded a second interview with Madeleine Regan and spoke about the importance of family history and understanding the family story of migration. She also explained how she had interpreted in the interview with her auntie Gilda and with two women who had also been born in Adelaide: Gabriella Antonini and Elisabetta Pastro. Irene explained her interest in family history and the importance of being able to find documents in the parish archives.

 

Interviews with Irene Zampin

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