Carlo and Giovanni Cavani were born in Italy, one year apart, in the early 1880s and were raised in the small village of Capraia, in the district of Pieve Fosciana (Lucca) by their parents Giovacchino and Teresa Cavani (nee Biagioni).

Similar to other young men of the area they left the Garfagnana in the late 1890s in search of a better life and initially were employed as ice cream vendors in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland. They left behind their parents, brothers Costante, Liseo, Fede and sisters Maria & Ersilia.

By the early 1900s they were running their own “refreshment saloons” in rented premises at two locations within the seaside town of Saltcoats, North Ayrshire. During a return visit to Tuscany, Giovanni met and married Nilde Piacentini in Chiozzo, Italy on Christmas Day 1904. Their first son, Alberto, was born in Italy and mother and child were soon able to travel to Scotland to re-join Giovanni at the home he had set up in Scotland.

Their first daughter, Ada Mary, was born in 1907 followed by Maria Palmira in 1909 but sadly she succumbed to whooping cough after only 4 months and died in Saltcoats in July of that year. On 29 June 1909, Carlo married Argelia Maroni at St Mary’s in Saltcoats and by 1915 they had a family of 3 – Ines Mary, Livia and Reino Guiseppe. (picture 1 shows a pre-1910 group including Giovanni, Nilde, Alberto, Ada & Carlo)

On 23 November 1915, Carlo left Saltcoats for what would be the last time. Along with a few other young Italian men, he had volunteered to join the Italian Army and they were given an enthusiastic send off by the town’s Provost, local officials, a military band and escorted to the town’s railway station.

In late 1916, news reached Saltcoats that Corporal Carlo Cavani had died on service in Albania on 10 October 1916, just days short of his 36th birthday. A Requiem mass has held at St Mary’s in Saltcoats with the catafalque draped with the Italian flag. His remains rest at the military cemetery in Bari, Italy and his name is etched on the War Memorial in Saltcoats, across the street from Cavani’s Café, the business he helped to establish.

(picture 2 shows an extract from the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald. 1st December 1916 and picture 3 shows the War Memorial with today’s café in the background)

Carlo’s wife decided to return to Italy with her children and they grew up in Capraia under the guidance of Costante Cavani, Carlo’s elder brother. Giovanni continued to run the business and was able to purchase his own premises at 68 Hamilton Street which he would name the West End Café.

(picture 4 shows Giovanni with one of his sons outside 68 Hamilton Street, pre 1920)

By 1924, the family had grown and now included Mary, Dorino, John, Carlo, Settimo, Albertina and Pino. At the same time, Giovanni supported many aspects of town life and in particular provided financial support to the local junior football team, Saltcoats Victoria. In addition, he was a keen pigeon racer and along with other local businessmen he established the West End Flying Club which ran until 2005 when it was merged with two other local clubs. Over the years, Giovanni allowed the club to use his premises as headquarters, sponsored important races and donated trophies. His own birds also won the occasional race!!

(picture 4 shows Giovanni being presented with a cup in 1933 on the roof of the café. His sons Settimo (at left background) and Pino (at foreground) join him and the winning bird. The presentation is being made by his son-in-law Amos Gonnella who married Ada in Saltcoats on 12 October 1927)

During this period, several members of Nilde’s family had also left Italy and decided to join her in Scotland and with Giovanni’s guidance started up in business in Saltcoats. Her brothers Angelo and Ralph & sisters Anelide (Nella) and Amabile and their families were all involved in the commercial life of Saltcoats as follows: Premises Family The Marina Café, Winton St Nella & Guiseppe Manfredini La Scala Fish & Chip Shop, Hamilton St Angelo & Amabile Piacentini The Olympic Fish & Chip Shop, Raise St Ralph Piacentini In addition, his daughter Ada and her husband Amos Gonnella owned the Venetian Café and Argyle Fish and Chip Shop and subsequently their daughter Annamaria and husband Francesco Cecchini would establish The Ice Cream Shop in Dockhead Street.

(picture 5 shows a Cavani/Piacentini family group at Settimo’s wedding in 1952)

Unfortunately, Giovanni died in 1936 aged 57 but there is no doubt he and Carlo made a significant impact on Saltcoats and provided a business legacy that lasts to this day. Neither brother would live to see the issues created by the Second World War with some family members interned on the Isle of Man while others served in the British armed forces. Neither would live to see family weddings, grandchildren and subsequent generations. However, their achievements remain and their memory is acknowledged through this on-line archive forever.