Collections Online

Oral history recording with Paolo Cavarra.His wife Marisa was also interviewed, see AV 11373-11375. Recorded as part of the Italian Memories in Wales project (2008-10), delivered by ACLI-ENAIP and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Part 1 of 3 (AV 11376-11378)

00:00:30 Paolo was born in Priolo, Siracusa, Sicily in 1931 and came to Wales in 1951. He got a contract with a steel company before moving to Wales, when companies were recruiting workers in Italy. There were various terms of the contract; payment for trips home etc. He remembers the first two years as very difficult; he didn’t go home as he wanted to save his holiday for a long trip home. Initial language difficulties caused great problems with Welsh workers. Paolo describes the work in the tinplate factory and his four year contract. The work was hard, as was acclimatising; he lost a lot of weight and recalls missing his family, though he sent money to Sicily every month, and bought his sister a wedding dress from Wales.

00:10:23 After 10 years he left work in the tinplate factory though returned after six months. The job paid well and bought him and his wife tickets back to Italy for their honeymoon. He remembers returning fondly and describes his hometown in Sicily in detail. He has worked hard during his life but is happy, and particularly thanks his wife for that who helped him with English when he first arrived. He is very proud of his family and also keeps in contact with the Italian community through ACLI.