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b.1879-d.1912

This story was written by Barb Monteath about a family member, Theresa Cervi, (née Persico)

“I am bound to them, though I cannot look into their eyes or hear their voices. I honour their history. I cherish their lives. I will tell their story. I will remember them” (Author unknown) 

Theresa was the daughter of an Italian travelling organ-grinder, Angelo Persico, from Frosione, Lazio, Italy and Catherine Ridge from Ireland. 

Here is her story: 

The name Persico 

Her first name was sometimes spelt Teresa and her surname sometimes spelt Persigo or Pursigo. The Italian word “persica”  means “peach tree”.

Early life and family

Theresa’s parents Angelo and Catherine, both Roman Catholics, married in Greenwich on 24 May 1872 at the Church of the Redemption, Deptford, Kent. 

Marriage record.jpg

Her mother Catherine was born circa 1852 in Ireland. Catherine’s birth family were Mark Joseph Ridge, a licensed Hawker, and Catherine Connelly. She had a brother Patrick Aloysius Ridge, a musician, born in Deptford who married Ellen Obres and had a daughter Charlotte. He died aged 26, of tuberculosis in Sussex in 1885. She also had a sister Winifred but there is no trace of her in the UK after 1871. I haven’t been able to trace or verify any more siblings. 

Theresa’s father Angelo’s family has been even harder to trace, but most of the ancestors on my brother-in-law’s family tree (where Theresa can be found ), came from the picturesque, small medieval village of Casalveri, Frosinone, Italy which is nestled in the beautiful “Valle di Comino”. Many Italians who migrated to England were travelling musicians, street performers and gelato ice-cream makers. Children often followed in their father’s footsteps.

https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/italian-immigration-to-britain

(Photo circa 1900 London Metropolitan Archive)

Angelo was a travelling organ grinder. The instrument he would have used – a barrel organ – was a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated. It had a handle at the side which was turned to make tunes. Sometimes, for novelty and to attract more interest, organ grinders had a monkey with them which sat holding a pot for people to put the money into. 

Angelo and Catherine had three daughters born in various parts of the country. They would have moved around to find work. The eldest child WinifredMarriage record.jpg Louisa was born on 23 January 1875 in Liverpool. She sadly died aged two of bronchitis on 10 March 1877 at 67 Lees Yard, Nottingham. 

The next child, Sarah Ann, was born on 26 July 1873 at 16 Lionel St Southampton. She went on to marry Angelo Vozza, an ice cream maker, and was living in Ramsgate, Kent at the time. They had 11 children. They lived at 4 Whittaker St, Chatham, Kent for most of their lives. Sarah died aged 83 on 11 February 1943. 

Theresa was the youngest daughter. She was born on 16 December 1877 at 8 Mill Lane, Deptford, Kent. She was baptised on 20 January 1878 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Surrey. 

Birth record.jpg
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Sadly their mother Catherine died, aged 27, in Greenwich Union infirmary on 29 November 1879 of phthisis (pulmonary consumption). Theresa was only two and her sister Sarah Ann was 6 years old. There is a gap in the census during this time and I cannot find what happened to the two girls and their father until both girls were married. It must have been a hard time for the family. 

Working life and married life 

What I do know is that Theresa was a musician in her earlier years and also worked as an artists’ model later with Orazio. I am sure she was out working to help make ends meet at an early age and in censuses can be found working when she married and right up until she died. 

Theresa married Orazio Cervi, also a musician and later artists’ model, at St Pancras Catholic Church, Ipswich, on 30 October 1900. She was 22 years old and he was 43 years old. Witnesses to their marriage were Orazio’s sister Caterina’s husband John Balletto and his brother Giuseppe’s future wife, Mary Pompei. Orazio’s name is anglicised as Horace on this record. 

Orazio’s family came from the village of Picinisco from the same region of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy that Theresa’s father’s family had come from. Orazio was one of six children of parents Giocchino and Palma Cervi. His father was an ice-cream seller and his sisters were singers and musicians. The family were living in Brighton, Sussex in 1891.

I am not 100% sure but Orazio may have been involved in some criminal activities prior to marriage as there are several newspaper articles from around the country which fit his age and occupation. It is hard to know for sure but one article from 1882 does say he had recently come from Terra di Lavoro  and Paris and was with a sister Teresa Cervi and a cousin, who he had been sending out to dance for money. The 1891 Census does show he had a sister of this name.

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Working life as an Artists’ model in London in the 1900’s

There was a renowned artists’ model called Orazio Cervi from the same region who also lived in London. D.H Lawrence was invited to stay at  Orazio’s home in Picinisco in 1919 and inspired by his stay there he wrote his book ‘The Lost Girl’. The last chapters were set in the village and at Orzo’s villa, which is now called ‘Casa Lawrence’.

https://www.facebook.com/casa.lawrence/about

I  thought at first he might have been Theresa’s husband as there were so many similarities, but the other Orazio was born in1854 and his parents were different. However, I did discover both Orazios were related via their great grandparents. They were, in fact, third cousins. 

In 1901 Orazio and Theresa were living at 56 Winchester St, Clerkenwell, London. Both were working as artists’ models. The Census states that they were working at home on their own account. This means they were self-employed. 

There appear to be a lot of Italian families sharing this house and I looked it up to find it was a four storey mid-terrace house. 

Theresa as a mother 

In 1906 Teresa became a mother to a baby girl Clorinda. Her time with her precious daughter was short lived as Clorinda died of complications oScreen Shot 2024-09-08 at 10.52.22 am.pngf measles on 16 October 1907. I hope this time for her, although short, was filled with love and happiness. I know myself what it is like to lose a baby, so I know Theresa must have been wracked with grief. It is not surprising her physical and mental health would have suffered. The family were living at 45 Whittaker St, Chatham. This was near her sister Sarah Ann’s house. I am sure her sister gave her support during this difficult time. Clorinda was buried at Chatham Maidstone Rd Cemetery on 23 October 1907. 

On 2 April 1911 Theresa and Orazio were living at 69 Draycott Ave, Chelsea and he was an artists’ model. It shows she was born in Deptford, Kent and had one child no longer living.  This year was not a good one for the couple as Theresa’s health must have deteriorated as she was soon to be admitted to the infirmary at Horton Asylum. Death of baby.jpg

Years at Horton Asylum 1911-1912

Admission dates:

Admission 15 Apr 1911, Discharge 18 Apr 1811

Admission 15 May 1911, Death 21 May 1912

Death record.jpg

Her death record shows she died of Tuberculosis and also gives her address  which is the same as in the 1911 Census. It didn’t have her husband’s full name and occupation but had hers as an artists’ model. I have pondered on where he was when she died, as I can find no trace of him after her death in the UK. My belief is he may have gone back to Italy. Theresa was buried on 25 May 1912. I have made virtual memorials for her family and her baby daughter on Find A Grave. 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167645008/theresa-cervi

Even though her life was cut short, she suffered ill health and financially it was hard for her, I like to think she had times of happiness with Orazio when they were artists’ models, enjoying her creative gifts as a singer and musician and her greatest gift of all – her baby daughter Clorinda. 

RIP Theresa

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