Entry 31: Carmelo Casella

Location: Sicily, Italy

Dates: 1860 - Birth of Carmelo

1920 - Wedding photo of nephew

c. 1908 - Family photo of brother

Following on from Entry 28, Carmelo Casella was born on 21 March,1860 at the family home located on Contrada Arcaloro in Sant’Angelo di Brolo. This parents were Pietro Casella and Rosa Merenda.

He had two older siblings, Giuseppe (known as Santo) and Anna, and a younger brother and sister – Salvadore and Francesca. Another sister named Antonina was born around 1857, but she tragically died in 1860 when Carmelo was only eight months old.

Photographs of Casella ancestors from this era are rare, making it exciting to feature two group images. The first photo captures a wedding dated December, 1920. Carmelo is seated on the left, and his wife Francesca Catrini is standing beside him, with her hand resting on his shoulder. Sitting in the middle, Carmelo’s brother Giuseppe (Santo) is easily recognised by his trademark sideburns. The groom (standing at the back) is Giuseppe's (Santo's) son – Antonino. In this photo, the brothers - Carmelo and Giuseppe (Santo), are aged 60 and 66 respectively.

Also in the photo is the Candido family:

• Giuseppa Candido (bride, holding flowers)

• Vincenza (bride’s mother, standing next to her daughter)

• Francesca Paola Candido (bride’s sister, standing right)

• Luigi Candido (bride’s father, seated right)

The second photograph, taken circa 1908, shows Giuseppe (Santo) with his wife Francesca Caruso and three of their eight children - Nicola, Basilio and Rosa.

The fourteen year old boy standing on the left, is Nicola Casella. As an adult, he migrated to Perth and was known as 'Zu Cuono' or Uncle Nic. He was married to Carmela Casella, and they had two sons - Santo and Carmelo.

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EXTRA INFORMATION