Capaldi
by Stuart Capaldi
Achille Capaldi, son of Sante Capaldi and Angela Maria Fusco were originally from St. Giuseppe, a hamlet of Picinisco; they arrived in Scotland in the early twentieth century. They lived in Edinburgh during the early years, before settling in Cowdenbeath, in the Kingdom of Fife.
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Achille was born in Munich Germany in 1878. His parents Sante Capaldi and Angela Maria Fusco were from San Giuseppe, Picinisco and Achille was their first child. His birth was registered in Picinisco 6 months after he was born.
The family continued for approximately 35 years to live and work in Munich and Picinisco. This was common for the residents of Picinisco which had a tradition of young men working abroad and sending money home to their families. Some of this money was spent on Achille’s education and unlike many Italians arriving in Edinburgh; Achille could speak, read and write in several languages. He put this to good use by assisting his fellow Italians to write and correspond with their families at home.
Achille arrived in Edinburgh circa 1904 and lived at 112 Leith Street Edinburgh with Maria Civita Di Marco and her brother Alexander. He also had cousins named Coppola who lived in Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. In 1906 he married Margaret Gundel and had a son Alexander. They moved to High Street, Kirkliston where he worked as pit head labourer. They gave birth to a daughter Margaret in 1908, however she died in 1909. More misfortune followed when his wife Margaret died in 1910.
He moved to Cowdenbeath, Fife in 1911 and was living at 34 High Street Cowdenbeath with the following Italian subjects:-
1911 Census
- Giuseppe Adinolfi restaurant owner 37
- Amelia Adinolfi wife 28
- Riego Adinolfi 7
- Angelina Adinolfi 5
- Luisa Adinolfi 3
- Clorinda Adinolfi 1
- Antonio Valente 20
- Silvestre Pacitti 22
- Giuseppe Paravoni 23
- Achille Capaldi 32
- Luisa Fusco 17
In 1919 Achille was living at Greenside Row Edinburgh and he married Hannah Gatensby. They had three children James, Louie and Elisabeth.
Achille died in 1937. He had the following jobs in Scotland:
- Ice Cream Vendor
- Restaurant worker
- Pithead Labourer
- Terrazzo worker (Toffolo Jackson)
James, my father, had 3 children, James, Stuart and Gail. Louie had 2 children, Ian and June and they emigrated to Perth Western Australia in 1953. Stuart Capaldi has 3 children Simon, Christopher and Sarah. Gail Capaldi has 2 children Taylor and Lewis.
Stuart Capaldi
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The Capaldi family website contains more information about the family in Italy , Scotland and the USA.
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