The Perin / Capelin Family Meeting

San Vendemiano (Conegliano)

Sunday 7 June 2015

The complexities of the Australian Capelin family are explained here.

This page records a meeting of the Perin family, including the Australian Capelin sub-family.

The Perin family stems from the Veneto province of Italy north of Venice, centred on Conegliano. The family is large. In the early 21st century it naturally extends across the province of Friuli to the east (towards Slovenia, including Udine), with fingers out to major population centres elsewhere in Italy. Added to that, there have been migrations to at least the USA, Canada, Brazil and Australia.

There have been two separate migrations to Australia:

The Perin Family has previously held meetings in Veneto in 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Australian participation in the past has been limited. Of the Capelins, I understand that Barry Sommerlad broke the ice at the 2005 event.

The event in 2015 was the 5th. It attracted about 500 participants, mostly from Italy of course, but with perhaps 80 from overseas, including:

The event was held at the Chiesa Parrocchile di San Vendemiale Vescovo, on the eastern outskirts of Conegliano. (Vescovo means Bishop, so presumably the 'Parish Church of the San Vendemiano Bishopric'). The parish clearly has considerable linkages with the Perin clan, including the priest who officiated.

The Capelin forebears of the mid-19th century all came from within about 5-10km of the church (although of course all had churches far closer to them than this one).

Click on any image to display a larger version.

The morning was used by Steve Capelin to cold-call Tome relations in Orsago.
Steve with Amalia Tome ...
... explaining to one another
that neither speaks
the other's language ...
... and joined by Mick
And then with
other Tome relatives
A longstanding Tome house
And the view from the street

The event commenced at 11:00 with registration, and people generally milling around the church grounds, bathed in strong, almost-Australian-quality sunshine.
Initial meet-up
under the flag
Steve and Barry Capelin
and Linda Spinaze
Steve getting
into the spirit
Joined by Mick
The Capelin Clan,
sporting two different
commemorative shirt-designs
Barry Sommerlad
Carolyn Sommerlad
And together
Mick and Linda
Steve and Mick
Mick and Barry
NEEDS NAMES!

This was followed by Mass from 12:00. Remarkably, the opening processional was 'Land of Hope and Glory' (sung, as far as I could tell, in Italian), and the closing recessional was the Hallelujah Chorus (sung in English).
The packed church
The very decent choir
(in a Catholic church!?)
Banners and a
resting banner-holder
Yvette delivering
one of the Readings

And then group photos back out in the sun.
Many of the
Australian Perins ...
... plus Australian Capelins
Capelins-only

And then a 6-course lunch for 500 was served from 13:30 – in a non-air-conditioned hall, at 37 degrees. A lot more water was drunk than wine.
The Throng
The Australian Table ...
... at the top of the room
The compéres, in Italian,
and in English
Posters for each year's
event – 1997 and 2000 ...
... 2005 and 2010 ...
... and 2015
The special poster
for Australia 2013,
prepared by the organisers
from material Steve had sent
Steve inspecting a
copy of his poster
for New Italy
The leader of the
Brazilian contingent
Australian ring-leaders
Steve and Yvette
The 4ft x 3ft cake

This a page within Linda Spinaze 's Family Web-Site
Contact: Roger Clarke and Linda Spinaze
Created: 28 June 2015; Last Amended: 29 June 2015