Di Dio Francesco

Article Written by Frank Viola

I have written a little about my family so here it is.
My grandfather Francesco Di Dio was born in Roccella Valdemone in Sicily about (Little Rock in the Valley of the Demons) on the 21st of August 1889. The name Di Dio means “of God” and it is possible that many with that surname were illegitimate and were given that surname by the family who raised them. I’m not sure about my grandfather’s origins with respect to his birth. However, the family owned quite a lot of land in Roccella. He worked on the family land until 1915 when he went to fight in WW1. He met my grand-mother Vicenza Pillera just prior to this. I understand he fought in the north of Italy in the Alps against the Austrians and returned to Roccella after the war. He and Vicenza were married shortly after and the first child, Philipo (Pippino) was born.

After 1922 when Mussolini came to power he was to have several disputes with his brother-in-law, who was a member of the Fascist Party and Francesco decided that the best thing for the family to do was to migrate. He decided to leave for the US to try his luck. This was a failure so he came to Australia in 1926 and arrived in WA (Albany).

1950 Back Row (L-R): ANTHONY FRETWELL, TOM PRICE, CARLO GHILARDUCCI, JIM SONEGO, BRIAN LEWIS, DICK NICHOLS. Middle Row (L-R): ELIZABETH FRETWELL, VIOLA SONEGO, LINA NATTA, MARIA DI DIO, VALMA LITTLELY, ANGELINA DI DIO, ANNA PLOZZA. Front Row (L-R): MARCIA FRETWELL, ADA ITALIANO, STELLA ITALIANO, DANITA PLOZZA, TERESA GHILARDUCCI, SHIRLEY LITTLELY, JANICE SCARI, LINA ITALIANA. Sitting (L-R): BRUNO SONEGO, EDWARD MACRI, CEASER PERPOLI, ROSS NICHOLS, RAY LITTLELY, BOB SCARI. #2

1952 PHOTO TAKEN BY TEACHER MR. BERT FORREST, 3rd DECEMBER 1952 #3 Back Row L - R: ANGELINA DI DIO, ELIZABETH THOMPSON, TERESA GHILARDUCCI, LINA CODA, ANNA PLOZZA. Middle Row L - R: ROSEMARY THOMPSOM, CAROLYN HIAM, VIOLA SONEGO, ADA ITALIANO, STELLA ITALIANO, NOLA FORREST, ELIZABETH FRETWELL, LINA ITALIANO, DANITA PLOZZA, SHIRLEY LITTLELY, MARCIA FRETWELL. Front Row L - R: NICHOLLS?, BRIAN LEWIS, JIMMY SONEGO, BOB HITCHINS, NEIL CASOTTI, JOE CODA, CARLO GHILARDUCCI, RICHARD NICHOLLS, TONY HITCHINS, ANGELO GHILARDUCCI, BOB SCARI, RAY LITTLELY, LUI DELLA FRANCA, TOM PRICE.

MARIA DI DIO #4

In 1926 Carmelo Conti, also of Roccella Valdemone, kindly sponsored Francesco to Perth where he worked on his market gardens in Wanneroo. Some years later Francesco took up some land in Ferguson Road in Karragullen and started an orchard of his own. My Grand Mother, Vicenza was the God mother of Francesco Conti, father of Paul Conti. Paul is a well-respected Real Estate Agent and business proprietor on Perth. Between 1926 and 1940 Francesco travelled back to Roccella several times and the result of these re-unions with Vicenza was several other children, Antonio (Uncle Tony – Nino), Salvatore (Uncle Sam), Maria (my Mother) and Angelina (Aunty Angelina).

Nonno, according to my family’s oral history was interned in 1940 and was sent to the Harvey Internment Camp. According to family history he was allowed to travel back to Karragullen to pick his fruit when it was required. It is told that he befriended a NCO at Harvey and he used to escort him back to his farm. This NCO supposedly later became the Perth Police Commissioner. However, no official record of this exists and it was quite likely that it did not occur as his name has not been included on the lists on the memorial plaques in the Memorial Shrine in Harvey.

After the war ended, my grandmother began selling off the family’s possessions in Roccella as they prepared to migrate to Australia. Finally in November 1949 they sailed from Messina on a former Liberty Ship named the “Sebastiano Caboto” (Sebastian Cabot) and arrived in Fremantle in January 1950. It was during this voyage that my mother met my father, who was playing in the band on the ship. The family spent the first night at the Conti home in Wanneroo. The next day my Grandfather arrived to pick them up.

My father stayed with the Pisconeri family in Northbridge.

Dad was a fine trumpet player, who worked with many fine performers through-out the 1940’s to as late as the 1990’s.

They enrolled Maria Di Dio and Angelina Di Dio to attend Karragullen Primary School July 1950 and their first day according to the principal was July 30th. There are several photos on the Pickering Brooke Heritage site of my mother and my aunty. I have a copy of the principal’s diary for that period in 1950.

My mother only attended the school for a brief period, but Angelina was a student until about 1954. She appears in several photos listed on the Pickering Brook Heritage site.

Mum and dad re-acquainted while they were recovering from tuberculosis in 1951 at Karnet Repatriation Hospital. My mother eloped with my father in early 1952, as my Grandfather did not wish his daughter to be associated with a musician. They eloped and were married soon after

MARIA DI DIO & HER FATHER FRANCESCO DI DIO #5

ANTONIO DI DIO (1924-2002), MARIA VIOLA (nee DI DIO), ANDREA VIOLA, VICENZA DI DIO (Nee PILIERA0 #6

Angelina married Renato (Ron) Casotti (son of Giovanni Casotti who had an orchard on Casotti Road) Antonio married Fotini and Salvatore married Rosina Rugiero of Cannington.

Francesco continued to work at the farm in Fergusson Rd until the late 1950’s when his health deteriorated. Antonio and Salvatore worked on the farm with their father. Francesco passed away on the 30th of June 1964. By that time the farm had been sold and the two sons had built their own homes. Antonio in Mt Hawthorn and Salvatore first in Leederville (still owned by Salvatore) and a second in Queens Park, where he still resides with his wife Rosina to this day.

Maria (my mother) passed away in 1992. Antonio passed away in 2002. Renato Casotti passed away in 2009. My father succumbed to leukaemia in May 2013.

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please click here to email us at info@pickeringbrookheritagegroup.com We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

Reference: Article: Frank Viola

Images: 1, 4, 5, 6 Frank Viola
2, 3 Pickering Brook Heritage Group