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Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Attracted by the industrial boom and the promise of steady work, approximately 1,000 Italians had found a new home in Wales by the end of the 19th century. In 1890, Giacomo Bracchi opened the first Italian café in Wales and by the Second World War, there were more than 300. Although their numbers have since declined, Italian-run establishments remain at the heart of many communities across the south Wales valleys. In 1980, photographer Mo Wilson documented these institutions and the people behind them. This image, despite the empty tables, is imbued with nostalgia and the warmth of Wales’ Italian cafés.
