BRATTESANI Maria 1887-1948- Fusco and Demarco line
MARIA BRATTESANI was my great grand aunt, the sister of my great grandmother VALENTINA BRATTISANI Quilietti
BRATTESANI/FUSCO/DEMARCO
My Great Grandmother Valentina Brattisani Quilietti was born in Paris, France. She had several sisters, and her siblings were born in either Parma, Paris or Edinburgh. Their name was written down as Brattisani here in Scotland
This is the 1891 Scottish Census showing the Brattisani family residing at 5 Middlefield, which is situated at the top of Leith Walk, Edinburgh. You can clearly see the family with their places of. birth. Also with them nephew Giovanni Copeni, who was also born in Parma
It is a large Georgian villa and now 2022 is a listed building category B in Edinburgh.
A BIT ABOUT HER HUSBAND JOHN
John Fusco or Chevrerini was of Italian/Irish descent. His recorded father was actually Jacopo or Iacopo Basquale Cheverini b c 1840 in ITALY, and who had married Elizabeth Maginnes in Dublin c1859. His profession at first was one of Organ Grinder which occupation was dodgy at time with his live pet Monkey. Please see dedicated page Cheverini connections. After their marriage the couple moved up to Belfast with their family and made their lives there until Jacopo died in 1877.
Elizabeth at the time was running a Boarding House on the outskirts of Belfast. It was here that she met Luigi and may have known him before her husband’s death. There is a question mark over the father of her two youngest boys John and Joseph who were brought up with the Fusco surname.
Mary Brattisani and John Fusco married in St. Maray’s Cathedral, Broughton Street, Edinburgh on 25th October 1898. At first they moved to Belfast where we find them in the 1901 census living with the Fusco family in Main Street in Bangor which is a seaside resort on the south side of Belfast Lough.
Returning to Scotland soon after the births of their first two children, Luigi and Elizabeth and with his parents now joining them, they started off again with life in the High Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town which at that time was a festering den. They soon moved down to Portobello which became their home for the rest of their married years. At first they had a house in the High Street, Portobello and then moved to their house in 9 Bath Street. Their marriage was blessed with thirteen children of which twelve survived.
- FRANCIS FUSCO, their son, born in the year 1918, has helped us solve some family history mysteries and put names to the unidintified photos sponsored by our cousin Angela Giulianotti. Thanks also to our other cousin, Louise Costella for her part of the great identification run. Francis died in 2013.
THE CHILDREN OF JOHN CHEVERINI FUSCO and MARIA BRATTESANI
The children of Maria Brattesani and John Fusco are as follows.
1 – LOUIE or LUIGI FUSCO
- LUIGI FUSCO was born in 1899. He was born in BELFAST, Northern Ireland He died in 1903.
2. ELIZABETH VALENTINA FUSCO 1901-
- ElIZABETH VALENTINA FUSCO was born in 1901 in Newtownards in Northern Ireland.
- Newtownards is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula.
- The family moved back to Scotland and settled in the High Street in Portobello, Edinburgh. It was here in Portobello that she met and married a handsome lad whose family were also steeped in Italian history, also coming from the area of Picinisco that her own Fusco family had originated. Carmino Demarco.
They married on 9th October 1928 in St. John’s R.C. Church in Joppa. The Demarco empire had already begun and the family address was 38 and 40 Promenade. This address grew over the years as they added more addresses on to this and even in the 1940s with part of the Showground. They had three sons, Richard 1930, Michael 1931 and Louis 1934.
Their son – Richard Demarco, 92 C.B.E., H.R.S.A., R.S.W., F.R.S.A., Hon. F.E.C.A., Hon. F.R.I.A.S. – where to start? Beloved legend, art impresario, annoying crusader, talkative dynamo, Italian Scot, small size bigshot, tall artworld celebrity, loud performer, gentle watercolourist, headline entrepreneur, founder of the Traverse theatre, age-old scrounger, arts council enemy, life-enhancing gallery director, traveller extraordinaire, controversial ball of energy and enfant terrible celebrates his 90th B-day this Thursday, July 9th 2022 And he’s still as busy as ever, making a film as we speak. But as we all know, he has notably never made a profit! Written by his friend Clare Henry July 2022
Richard Demarco was born in 1930 into a Scottish-Italian family in the west end of Edinburgh, growing up in Portobello on the Firth of Forth. He attended Holy Cross Academy, Leith, and from 1949 to 1953 studied book illustration, typography, printmaking and mural painting at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1950 he visited Rome and in 1949 and 1952, Paris. In 1953-54 he trained as a teacher at Moray House Teacher Training College, Edinburgh. After completing his National Service he was appointed art master at Duns Scotus Academy, Edinburgh in 1957 and taught there until 1967. In 1957 he married Anne Muckle, also a graduate of Edinburgh College of Art. As Secretary of the Edinburgh College of Art Sketch Club in 1951-53, he gained his first experience of organising exhibitions. In 1961 he exhibited drawings and watercolours at the Society of Scottish Artists and in 1962 he had his first one-person exhibition at the Douglas and Foulis Gallery in Edinburgh. He has continued to exhibit his work in Britain, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Malta and the USA.
As mentioned above Richard married Ann Carol Muckle on 27th December 1956. In 2022 he continues to try and house a permanent home for his precious archives. .http://www.richarddemarco.org/documents/35.html
3 – GIUSEPPE FUSCO 1902 -1970
GIUSEPPE FUSCO was born on 27th April 1902 at 63 St. Mary’s Street in Edinburgh’s old town. He was known as Joe. He married Angelina Franco on 17th July 1924 at St. Ninian’s RC Church, Portobello, Edinburgh. I believe they had two sons and three daughters. One Monica 1924 and Francis 1942 – HELP REQUIRED HERE PLEASE
4 – LUCIA FUSCO 1904-1994
Lucia was born on 6th January 1904 at 151 High Street in Portobello. She married Edward dune Maher on 6th April 1926.
As well as their son Giovanni Edward Maher seen below on their gravestone, there was a daughter Maria Brattesani Maher who was born in 1928 in Portobello, Edinburgh. Marie married PETER WOLFGANG ISSERSTEDT or SMITH in 1954. Help here please
5 – MARY FUSCO 1906-1997
- MARY FUSCO was born 10 June 1906 at 151 High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh. She married Luke Connor on 2nd January 1936 at St. John’s R.C. Church, Portobello, Edinburgh. She died on 20th January 1997 in Edinburgh.
- Of their children Bobby emigrated to Australia where he still lives today. There was also a daughter Margaret 1927-2010
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6 – JOHN FUSCO – Reverend Father 1908 – 1994
Father John Fusco was born into this large family on 21st March 1908. There is usually one of the children in these large families who take up the cloth and John was the one from this family. He gave Nuptial Mass when his sister married in 1936 at St. Luke’s as you can see above,
The Reverend Father died in 1994.
7 – PHILOMENA FUSCO 1910-1996
- PHILOMENA FUSCO, or Minnie was born on 1st March 1910 at 151 High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh. She moved to England for a short period having eloped to Gretna Green with Alex. Donnelly, a soldier. They had no children. In later years she and her sister Kathleen were housekeepers to Father Walter Glancy who was Priest at St. Peter’s R.C. Church at Morningside in Edinburgh
8 – THERESA FUSCO 1912- 2000
- THERESA FUSCO, born on 25th February 1912 at 151 High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh. Teresa married John Lawrie Thomson on 23rd October 1935 at St. John’s R.C. Church, Portobello, Edinburgh. WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION on this line
9 – ANTHONY FUSCO 1914 – 1958
ANTHONY FUSCO, born 20th May 1914 at 151 High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh. He married Dorothy Malcolm on 13th December 1941 st St. John’s R.C. Church, Portobello, Edinburgh. They had one daughter Kathrine Fusco, known as Kate. Kate married William Anderson and they have two sons who still live in Edinburgh. Anthony re- married to Robina Smith. He died on 15th June 1958.
10 – KATHLEEN FUSCO 1916-2010
KATHLEEN FUSCO was born on 19th August 1916 at 151 High Street in Portobello in Edinburgh. I have no information at all about Kathleen. Seemed she stayed in Bath Street at parents home until at least 1953. 1963 sees her residing at St. Peter’s in Morningside, Edinburgh. Later in life we find her back in Joppa. Can any of the family help fill in the blanks. She died in 2010.
11 – FRANCIS MICHAEL FUSCO
12. FRANCIS MICHAEL FUSCO born 27th September 1918 at 151 High Street, Portobello, Edinburgh. Francis married Mary Brown Cullen in the year 1949 in Portobello. They had no children. He died in 2013. Francis was in touch and helped out with much of this information. He still remembered lots of the folks and identified many of our ‘lost photographs’ Thanking him for his input
12 – NOEL FUSCO
Noel Fusco was born on 24th December 1923 at 9 Bath Street, Portobello, Edinburgh.
He married Teresa (Tessie) Accettola or Waddie (18/09/1923 – 24/01/1988) on 14th June 1944 at St. Cuthbert’s R.C. Church, Slateford Road, Edinburgh. Noel died in 2010
Their three children were. JOHN, CONSTANCE and NOELINE who were all born in Sheffield. Their son John helped us with the information in his family’s honour
- John Gerard Fusco who was born on 4th Feb 1964. John now lives in York and to date has never married.
- Constance Marie (now Connie Federici). Connie was born on 19th June 1946. She married Giuseppe Federici whose family were from the Fossombrone region of Italy. They in turn have three children Marco, Leo and Carina.
- Noeline Fusco was born on 12th November 1949. Noeline lives in Edinburgh. To date Noeline has never married.
A bit about the Accettola family. Domenico Accettola and Teresa Crolla, his wife, were Italian by birth. Domenico from Sorn and Teresa Crolla from Picinisco. You can below from this 1911 census that their children were all born in England so that will give you a good indication as to when they arrived. Teresa’s Crolla family stretches back to Picinisco c 1750.
Their Accettola family would grow in the following decade. This is a very rare name in Scotland and there are only a few entries in the Scottish Archives.
Giovanni married Jean Stark in 1926 in St. Giles
Rosie married Nicholas Canali in 1930 and they emigrated to America.
Jenny married into the Boni Clan, Joseph Boni in 1929 in Dalry, Edinburgh
Annie married Joe Di Rollo. Children Angela, Gloria and Theresa.
Clara married Sabatino Janetta. Son Dominic and daughter Connie
Donald married Lucia Maria Fortucci in 1950 in Leith, Edinburgh. Their children Anna [now deceased and Paul.
Katherine or Katie married Louis Mignanelli who was a soldier from Plymouth, in 1941 in Dalry in Edinburgh. Children Johnny who married Helen Booker and has a daughter named Maria] all live in Sheffield. Daughter Louise married Michael James and are both now deceased. Michael and Louise’s daughter Claire-Louise lives in York.
Concetta married Albert Vettesse in 1950 at Haymarket, Edinburgh
If you are Edinburgh born and you think of Portobello you would not just remember the Skylark or the Donkey rides on the Beach or even the famous pier which is now but a memory,
but you remember the Demarco Mansion on the Harbour where there would be great gatherings and dances. You would know of the fish and chips and the ice cream parlours which were where the youths of the late 50s and early 60s would meet. These memories would be a part of Portobello for years to come and part of Portobello History.
If any of the Fusco family would like to correct anything, or better still add any content about this branch of our family please just leave a comment and I will get back to you…..Helen
Greetings from sunny Florida,
My name is Robert Gregory Fusco, son of Gregory Joseph Fusco (lost on USS Thresher 1963), son of Libborrio Anthony Fusco (Fusco’s Italian Restaurant) of Endicott, New york. Son of Gregorio Fusco from Scanno Italy. I would enjoy making contact with the Fusco family from other parts of America or Italy. My family doesn’t have any knowledge of the were abouts of my Great Grandfathers 1st cousin Alfonso Fusco, if you or any other family know, please contact me. All of my family, past & present are important to myself & my immediate family. I can be contacted at the below e-mails. Ciao for now & salute’ ROBERT.FUSCO@EGLIN.AF.MIL or RGFRLF2@AOL.COM
I have been dating a FUSCO for nearly two great years. We reside in Winter Park Florida. His parents are from New York.. Maybe we can connect..
The Fusco family were large and cosmopolitan. Their branches are spread throughout the globe. I will be happy to share whatever I have with you. Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment.
hi there, i’m a member of the Fusco family who live in Belfast Northern Ireland. My grandfather was Alberto Fusco who came to live her many years ago. He had a fish and chip shop on the famous Falls Road in Belfast. I think he came with with several members of his family. Indeed, there are many Fusco family connections throughtout Ireland today.
Anita Fusco
Thanks so much for your comments. Really interesting to know about the Fusco family in our own beloved Ireland. As you know they had many branches but the heart and mother of the family was in Picinisco. Interestingly enough our son Jamie has done some website work for the Italian community in the fish and chip shop community in Dublin recently. It is good to know that although we are now Scottish Italians and Irish Italians now we still have the common bond and know what our forefathers left behind to make what was in those days a better way of life for their families. Helen
Does anyone know of any fuscos that married into the copeland family in Belfast? We believe my husband’s grandfather Edward had a mother who was a Fusco?
Poster comment. There has been interest in the Fusco family from Ireland. So lets see what happens now.
Check out linda martins episode of ‘who do you think you are?’ All about the italian ghetto in Belfast in the early 1900’s.
Thanks will try and find this episode…..
http://www.rte.ie/tv/whodoyouthinkyouare/s1/outline_linda-martin.html
Thanks for the link. Will post this to allow other interested folks to view the programme. Thanks again. Helen
Hello,
I noticed Helen has left a comment saying her son has been doing research on Italian Chip Shops in Dublin, in the early 1900’s, and i am in fact trying to find out who had been the owners of which shops, etc.
My Capaldi Family lived in Dublin, between 1902-abt1923 in Chancery lane, just around the corner from the famous Giuseppe Cervi. They also lived in Edinburgh before 1902 and travelled back and forth several times. He was a travelling Musician, but seemed to be a Restaurater in Edinburgh and a Confectioner in Dublin. Family say that he had his own Restaurant/Chippy in Dublin, and i would really like to find out more.
Any help is most appreciated?
Jamie Capaldi
Hi Jamie, have sent you an e.mail directly to your address.
Hello Helen
I am John Fusco, the son of the late Noel Fusco & nephew of Francis Fusco, listed on your website connecting the Brattisani & Fusco families. I thought it might be helpful to provide you with a few further items of family tree detail:
Philomena Fusco (Minnie), was never a nun! She moved to England for a short period having eloped to Gretna Green with Alec Donnelly, a soldier, but soon returned to Edinburgh. They had no children. Her only link with religious life of which I am aware is that she and my aunt Kathleen acted for some years as housekeepers for a catholic priest (the late Fr Walter Glancy) at St Peter’s RC Church in Morningside, Edinburgh.
Mary Fusco has a surviving son, Bobby Connor, who lives in Australia. She also had a daughter who became a nun, Sr Margaret Connor, who died in 2010.
Anthony Fusco & Dorothy Malcolm had a daughter Katherine (Kate) Fusco (now Kate Anderson – married to William Anderson and living in Edinburgh) with two sons of her own
Noel Fusco (my late father who died on 16 February 2010) married Theresa (known as Tessa) Waddie (nee Accettola – born 18 September 1923 & died 24 January1998) and moved to Sheffield where they ran a very successful fish & chip business known as Queenie’s Fisheries. The shop was named after the ‘nickname’ of Tessa’s mother – please see the comments below about her line. Noel & Tessa had three children; Constance Maria (now Connie Federici born 19 June 1946 – married Giuseppe Federici (a Fossombrone family) who between them have three unmarried children, Marco, Leo and Carina), Noeline Fusco (born 12 November 1949) and me, John Gerard Fusco (born 4 February 1964). Noeline lives in Edinburgh and I live in York. Neither of us have married.
My mother’s line is into that of the Accettola family, her mother being Concetta Accettola (born 24 September 1900 / died shortly after her 80th birthday in September1980) who was married to John Waddie (died when my mother was just a young girl). Concetta, or ‘Queenie’ as my grandmother was better known, had a number of siblings, some of whom I can’t fully recall or never met. The Accettola family included:
Rose (Rosie) – emigrated to the US – unsure of the descendents here
Jenny ( married name Boni – husband Joe Boni) – children Olivia ‘Olive’ (now D’Annunzio) and Laurence. In turn Olive had three daughters by her husband Romano (Elvira, Norma and Romana) and Laurence had three sons by his wife Anita ( nee Tuzzi?); Stefano, Josef and Ricardo
Annie (married name DiRollo – husband Joe Di Rollo) – children Angela, Gloria & Theresa
Clara (married name Janetta) – had a son called Dominic and a daughter Connie
Donald (marrried to Lucia – surname unknown) – children Anna (now deceased) and Paul
Katherine (Katie) (married name Mignanelli – husband Louis, a soldier from Plymouth) – children Johnny (married Helen Booker and has a daughter named Maria, all of whom live in Sheffield) & Louise (married Michael James – both now deceased). Michael & Louise James had a daughter, Claire-Louise who I believe lives here in York , quite close to me!
I hope you can make use of this additional detail. If you’d like some further photographs of Fusco family members, please do let me know and I will e-mail them to you.
Best regards
John Fusco
THANK YOU very much John for supplying all this information. I will read over, digest the information and then sort out the webpages in that order. I am so happy that you have found the website and hope that I can sort out your lines to your complete satisfaction. I will e.mail you directly and thanks again. Helen Quilietti Stanton
hello,my name is Noel Leonard, grandson of Anna fusco, who is sister of Phillip and rose Fusco. both of Belfast, N,Ireland. Would like to find out any other Fusco relations still in Belfast? Please reply…
gentili amici, mi chiamo lucia fusco Рmi ha fatto piacere trovare la vostra lucia. la mia familglia proviene dalla provincia di latina, italia. ho dei parenti fusco in canada. ̬ bello che ci siano tanti fusco nel mondo.
Hi My name is raffaello fusco. Born in London 1930. I am the son of Antonio and
filomena fusco.My mother was born in cerasuolo in Italy. She came to England after
the 2nd world war when my father.Also my grandarents were born in cerasuolo.
Iam not sure if any of the irish families are related. I would like to hear from them.
Iam building a family tree of the fusco and the pacitti,s that was my mothers maiden
name. ciao raffaello
Hi Helen, I spoke with you many years ago. I am Helen Miller(Fusco) from Edinburgh. My family came from the cowgate. Great Grandfather Antonio Fusco married Sarah Cairns 1880 had 3 kids Agnes(died age 13, Dominic born April 11th 1884,and my grandfather Antonio 25 jan 1887. GG Antonio died 1887 after his last child was born, sarah remarried and became Greenan and had girl called sarah greenan. I have all the info on my grandfather and have been to Villa Latina and Picinisco it was amazing, standing in the same register house that my GGGrandfather stood in and signed birth certificates, its the same one since 1793 etc. but I have been searching for Dominic since birth, he is in no cencus. 1891 sarah is a widow staying with her mum and no kids, 1893 she has daughter with Samuel greenan, 1901 Antonio shows up with his gran aged 14 under name Fisco, no Dominic but he is the informant on his mothers death certificate in 1900 and his signature has Aldershot next to it. never heard of again. My Grandfather was in Army under James Ramsay(Because of Italian name or under age) he was in army till 1920, so I presume Dominic was also under an alias name, but I don’t know what, I have tried war graves, visited Edinburgh castle everything I can think of. but he may have remained under his alias. Antonio was in Scots Guards surely he would have been dominic’s next to kin and vice versa at the time, with mum and dad being dead. but my gran would have ended up being Antonio’s. the only way I see me finding out anything about Dominic or his alias would be if he was Antonio’s next to kin on early army records. I cant search army for Dominic as I don’t know what his alias was, rumour is that they were in same regiment and in the same area in France when Dominic died and its supposed to be France, so this is before my gran came on the scene so surely the Kin was there, or were alias’s both separate and not known as brothers. I have been looking for 15 years and don’t know where else to go. did he marry was there kids in England at Barracks etc.no death record. please see if anyone out there has the answer. Love Helen.
Will post this Helen and I will be happy to help if I find out any more.
I wonder if you can help me, my mother passed away a few years ago unfortunately suffering from Alzheimer’s. I tried to get some information about our family history a few years before she passed but unfortunately I cannot be sure that anything she said was completely accurate. We come to dead end with a gentleman known as Tony Fusco who was involved with a dance hall in Edinburgh in 1930s, she also said he had a brother who was a priest. Can you tell me if this sounds like credible memories.
Kind Regards
Stuart
this was the right family of Fusco’s. Reverend Father John Fusco was the son of Maria Brattesani and John Fusco. Tony Fusco was also their son, but I am not 100% sure if he had the dance hall. It was definitely Tony Fusco but might have been another cousin. I will send you an e.mail direct and perhaps you can let me know more about who your mother was. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment
Thought some of the irish rellies may find this of interest on the Fusco’s of Belfast;
Sorry about the long URL;
My father is supposedly Antiono Fusco who was aged 4 at the time of this census. Long story.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/results.jsp?searchMoreVisible=false&census_year=1911&surname=fusco&firstname=&county19011911=Antrim&county1821=&county1831=&county1841=&county1851=&parish=&ward=&barony=&townland=&houseNumber=&ded=duncairn&age=&sex=&search=Search&ageInMonths=&relationToHead=&religion=&education=&occupation=&marriageStatus=&yearsMarried=&birthplace=&nativeCountry=&language=&deafdumb=&causeOfDeath=&yearOfDeath=&familiesNumber=&malesNumber=&femalesNumber=&maleServNumber=&femaleServNumber=&estChurchNumber=&romanCatNumber=&presbNumber=&protNumber=&marriageYears=&childrenBorn=&childrenLiving=
Thanks Carol for taking the time to send on this information. We will post this. The Fusco were originally from Picinisco and districts
Hello Helen,
What a fantastic website.My grandmother Maria Franco was the sister of Angelina Franco.My mother remembers her mother staying with her sister when there first child was born.
I believe my great grandparents Carlos Franco and Andreana Fallone had an ice cream parlour on Easter Road.
Good morning everyone,
I just happened to fall on this website while doing some web searches. My great grandfather Philip Fusco settled in Dublin with his family from Italy and from there, his son, my grandfather Albert settled in Belfast where he ran a fish and chip shop.
He and my mother and her siblings eventually settled in Andersonstown and where I visited for many years. I grew up in Canada and now live in the States, but wanted to see if there is anyone else out there that could give me more insight into the Fusco side, especially in Ireland. Sounds like the lineage goes back many years and even countries!
Thanks again for your most interesting letter. I am most interested of course to see any of your family photos and to sort out the information you have given to me. I will e.mail you under separate cover. Brilliant
Hi Helen,
I am looking to trace my wife and mother-in-law’s relatives. My wife’s great great grandmother is Maria Madelena Arpino (Fusco) (b.1879-1880 Villa Latina) and great great grandfather is Marco Gargaro (who i believe may also have been born in Italy?). Are you able to help with this at all?
Kind regards,
Jake.
I HAVE posted your comment. Is it ancestors or descendants you look for Jake
Jake – I am related to Maria Madelena Arpino (Fusco), later Gargaro, who was the sister of my great-grandfather, Salvatore (Samuel) Fusco. Please feel free to email me.
In my research I have discovered Fusco DNA matches. I know my Mother had an Italian Uncle Tony. I have a photograph of him and some memories from my late Mother which may be of interest to those researching Belfast Fusco’s.
Would be great to see these photos Sharon. Thank you for sharing