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b.1844-d.1902
The spelling of Pietro’s name changes between Zanone, Zanoni and Zanori in the few records we have. Including the images below will demonstrate this.
When the author searched for his name only one hit came up, but it was for a man born in 1649 in Udine in north-eastern Italy. Was this perhaps an ancestor of Pietro?
Pietro’s death certificate records that he was a 52 year old labourer from Strand Union Workhouse. The records show that he was a Roman Catholic. There may be an inaccuracy in the age given on the death certificate, if an earlier workhouse record (as shown below) is accepted as evidence that he was indeed born in 1844.
Finding Pietro
There is a Pietro Zanoni renting a room at 20 Laystall St, Holborn in 1888. This could be our man.
London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1972 – Ancestry.co.uk
The same man, here again written as Pietro Zanoni appears in the 1891 census in the same area, 31 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell. He is listed as a shoemaker, is single and was born in Faenza, Italy. He is living alone. The record says that he is 60 years old, giving a date of birth of 1831.
This would suggest that he is too old to be our man but who knows. The correlation of him being a shoemaker here and later a bootmaker makes it tempting to conclude that this might be the same man who died in Horton Asylum. He is listed as being ‘neither employed or employer’.
Entering The Workhouse
A Peter Zanone appeared in the Westminster Workhouse, admitted on March 4th 1899. He is listed as a bootmaker and was born in 1844, hence 55 years old.
This workhouse was one in the Strand Union group. We therefore conclude that this was the same man who was transferred to Horton Asylum in 1902.
Peter discharged himself on March 8th 1899, so just a short stay, for whatever reason.
Entry to Horton Asylum
Pietro Zanoni was admitted to Horton on April 10th 1902.
If his date of birth as given to the workhouse in 1899 was correct, then he would 62 years old at this time.
Pietro died on May 16th 1902 and following a postmortem, we know that he had died from phthisis and heart disease. Here his name appears to be written as Zanori.
Pietro was buried in grave 11 on 20th May 1902.
Another Pietro?
There is another potential match for our man with a family tree suggested on Ancestry but details do not dovetail well enough for the author to be convinced. This man was born in 1844.
The 1881 census gives this man’s family as living in 95, Porter Street, Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was living as married to Mary, with a [step]daughter Eugene and a son Edgar. Occupation: Traveller.
Having located the children’s birth certificates Pietro’s occupation was given as
- 1886 – a fret saw maker
- 1889 – a Master Saw Maker
Could it be he took his saws around the country to sell, hence ‘Traveller’ as stated on the 1881 Census. Either way, he is not a bootmaker at this stage.
If our Horton Pietro was married to the above Mary, then she says she is a widow on the census return in 1901, with Pietro not dying until 1902.
Perhaps he moved to London.
So, for now, we conclude that saw maker Pietro is likely not our man. However, recording these details will help if more information emerges over time.
