CATONI, Renata Rosa
1 March 1898 – 18 January 1986
Origin Castel Vecchio, Pascoli, Italy
Accompanying Family Adolfina & Renato Catoni
First settled in Koorda, WA
Original Occupation Seamstress
Occupation in Australia Seamstress, Cook & Laundress
MARIA CRISTINA
Departure Port Genoa
Arrival Year 1929
Fremantle
364 panel
Read their story
Renata came to WA to join her husband Adolfo who had come here 3 years earlier. Their daughter Adolfina (9) & son Renato (5) accompanied her. Adolfo was employed as a farmhand at Mr MacCallum Smith's farm at Koorda because of his experience with pig farming. MacCallum Smith was the Editor of the Sunday Times (1901-1934) & was trying to encourage the local farming of pigs, as all pork was imported from the UK. He lent Adolfo the money for the family fare & Adolfo repaid it over time. Renata thought she had gone to hell when she arrived at the unlined slab hut, filled with blowflies, in hot dusty Koorda & compared it with the forested hills of the Garfagnana district in north-west Tuscany!
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