The Spinaze Line

Linda's Name-Line

THIS PAGE HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY MORE SPECIFIC PAGES


Antonio Spinaze (1820?-<1880?) [G3F]
Antonio was b. in Orsago, 10km NE of Conegliano and 60km N of Venice
m. Lucia Federigo (1822?-1881) [G3M]
Lucia was b. in or near Orsago
m. in 1842?
Antonio d. (or possibly separated from Lucia) before 1880.
Lucia emigrated with two of her sons in 1880-81.
Lucia d. in Port Breton, New Ireland, 14 Feb 1881, aged 58

  1. Lorenzo Spinaze (1844-1893) [G2F]
    Lorenzo was b. 23 Jul 1844, Codogne
    Codogne is 8km E of Conegliano and 40km N of Venice
    m. Maria Gabriel-Zanette (1845-1934) [G2M]
    Maria was b. 17 Jun 1845, Codogne, Veneto
    m. in 1870?
    By 1880, they had 5 children in Italy, all of whom survived childhood
    They were living at Orsago, when child 5 was born in February 1880.
    In Jul 1880, they travelled on the 3rd of the Marquis del Ray's 4 ill-fated migrations to New Ireland, on the 885-ton India, arriving 14 Oct 1880.
    The c. 250 survivors (of the original c. 320) sailed on the India in 20 Feb 1881 to New Caledonia/Noumea,
    They arrived in a no-longer-seaworthy vessel, without any water or food, on 12 Mar.
    The c. 30 French staying in Noumea
    On 2-7 Apr 1881 the 200 remaining Italians sailed on the 340-ton James Paterson to Sydney.
    There were c. 40 families, comprising 130 adults, 60 children and 10 infants .
    They were housed in the Agricultural Hall of the Garden Palace, then in The Domain.
    The N.S.W. Government of Henry Parkes provided considerable funding to assist in the re-settlement, and his name was remembered very positively by the families.
    By 20 April, the N.S.W. Government had made clear that the families needed to disperse.
    Despite their preference to remain together, the immigrants began accepting contracts for work.
    On 22 April, Lucia / Lucietta (aged 10) was engaged by F. Vogel of Newtown as a 'nurse girl'.
    Lorenzo signed her contract with an X. (So he couldn't have read it even if it had been in Italian).
    But with girls 8 and 6, and boys 3 and 1, Lorenzo and Maria were the very last family to be taken up in the lottery for cheap labour.
    They were eventually hired on 27 May, for 6 months as 'generally useful labourers' by George Byerly of Botany Bay (Harrigan p. 110), leaving The Domain on 31 May.
    Lorenzo worked in Sydney during 1882 principally in gardening and factory work.
    In early 1883, they reached La Cella Venezia / New Italy.
    This was a stretch of very poor country 30km north of Maclean and 8km south of Woodburn.
    An associate of the immigrant families had discovered it was available.
    The 3 Spinaze families and 2 Nardi families took up selections ranging from 40 to 80 acres.
    The Spinaze family began by building a bark hut, but gradually improved it.
    Is this the remnants of the hall? the hotel? – shot in 1962. Georgie?
    They had three further children nos 6-8 born in Australia.
    Lorenzo farmed, but also had a contract to clear the school playground in 1891.
    Some time 1883-1893?
    Lorenzo d. at New Italy on 2 Jan 1893, aged 48.
    (1893 was the midst of the drought and recession, and there was a fire in New Italy as well).
    Lucia remembered 7-8 mile walks to Woodburn along a bush-track (which is now the Pacific Highway), including having to negotiate Oaky Flat swamp.
    Faded school shot
    from 1887
    New Italy Community
    Photo of 1899
    Legend - 1899 Photo
    (Joe's writing?
    c.1900-1910?)
    New Italy Scholars
    Photo of 1901
    Legend - 1901 Photo
    (Kate Capelin's writing?)
    Maria joined her 4th son Tony in 1903, at Gundurimba, 30km north of New Italy.
    In Maria Capelin's report of Joe's wedding in 1907, widow Maria Spinaze is referred to as "of Coraki".
    Coraki is 10km south of Gundurimba (and 20 km north of New Italy).
    (The New Italy school closed in 1933, and the settlement was all-but deserted by 1940.
    The sole remaining resident died in 1955. The soil is so poor that the area has remained empty).
    Maria was naturalised in 1911, aged 66.
    Maria later moved to Tullera (20km north of Gundurimba, north of Lismore).
    All of the children remained in the Richmond River area, generally between New Italy and Lismore.
    Maria Spinaze in 1926, aged 80,
    with her dau. 1.Lucia aged 55, Mary Wakeley and Isabel
    Maria Spinaze on the left, with Maria Capelin, in perhaps 1928, aged 82 (also on p. 217 of the Stud Book)
    Maria d. 23 Feb 1934, at Tullera, aged 88.
    1. Lucia / Lucy Spinaze (1871-1964)
      Lucy missed out on the New Italy school, because at 14 she was too old when it was opened.
      So she remained unable to read or write.
      m. Angelo NARDI (1866-1945) – also an 1880 Expeditioner, on 1 Jun 1889, in New Italy.
      Angelo worked on the Tuckombil Canal nearby, and cut cane for the Broadwater Mill.
      They left New Italy in 1902, and later had their own property at Tuntable and then Nimbin.
      12 children, 2 of whom died in their early twenties. See the Stud Book pp. 146-151.
      They retired to Goonellabah (just east of Lismore) in 1930.
      Their son, d. of wounds
      in France 22 Aug 1917
      Just above, in 1926, aged 55
      Here c. 1941, aged 70?
      Angelo d. 1945.
      Photos of Lucy from 1961 are on pp. xiii and 147 of the Stud Book.
      Lucy d. 1964, aged 93
    2. T(h)eresa / Jane Spinaze (1873-1938)
      m. Candido RODER (1854/64?-1939)
      Candido was 9 or 19 years older

      7 children, c. 1895-1905, incl. 5.Teresa (b. 1902?) and 7.Arthur (b. 1905?)
      Family line on pp. 198-201 of the Stud Book

      The two photos are difficult to interpret.
      1. is maybe 1912? And T(h)eresa/Jane and Arthur? But who is the older woman?
      2. is which Teresa? 1913 falls between mother and daughter. So maybe the daughter's 21st in 1923?

      1. "From Jane Trease and Arthur"
      2. "To Granny (Maria S. the elder)
      From Theresa 12th June", followed
      by "1913" but was it added later?
      Theresa d. 23 Oct 1938, aged 65
      Candido d. 13 Oct 1939, aged 75?/85
    3. Regina Spinaze (1875-1961)
      m. William FLYNN (1870-1946)
      4 children, details on p. 244 of the Stud Book
    4. Antonio / Tony Spinaze (1877-1956)
      b. 6 Oct 1877, Orsago?
      Antonio moved to Gundurimba in 1903, aged 26.
      m. Fiorina Bazzo (1881-1948)
      m. in 1911?, aged 34?, where?
      Was she 30 when she married Tony?
      The two known children's birthdates are 1914 and 1916.
      TEXT
      Fiorina was of an Expedition Family, and was born in 26 Jan 1881, probably on New Ireland.
      7 children, incl. Mary and Teresa / Tess, details on pp. 245-6 of the Stud Book
      1. Maria and 7. Tess came to Ray Spinaze's 80th in 1993
      4. Albert begat Andrew Spinaze (Chief Winemaker at Tyrrells, from c.1987 onwards?)
      6. Francis begat Patricia Spinaze, a Physiotherapist in Lismore
      There's a probable photo of Fiorina, in the 1930s, in a large group, on p. 185 of the Stud Book
      Picture c. 1950 aged c. 70 on p. 34 of the Stud Book
      Fiorina d. 4 Oct 1948, aged 67
      Tony d. 30 Jul 1956, aged 79
    5. Guiseppe / Joseph / Pop Spinaze (1880-1971) [Linda's GF]
      Guiseppe was b. 7 Feb 1880 in Orsago (6km north of Cordogne).
      He was on the Expedition, aged 5 months to 1-1/4 years, but survived.
      Tess Spinaze remembered the story about someone wanting to buy him in Singapore,
      in Aug 1880 (Harrigan p. 61).
      Guiseppe was an early student of the school in New Italy, which ran 1885-1933.
      Guiseppe mat have moved to Gundurimba with his elder brother Antonio in 1903?
      A postcard dated 18 July 1906, to his future mother-in-law in Leichhardt Sydney, says
      "Leaving today. When writing please address SS Eon (?) c/0 C.S.R. Co.".
      He spent some years as an 'engineer'/mechanic on the mill tugs, maintaining and
      operating the the machinery.
      Photo c. 1907?
      m. Maria / Nan Capelin (1886-1979) [Linda's GM]
      m. 9 Oct 1907, St Peters, New Italy,
      and then at Nardi''s Hall.
      Maria was from a family of Expeditioners.
      Her early years and photos are on the Capelin page.
      The Wedding Invitation
      Copy of Maria's mother's ...
      ... written account of the day
      Joe and Maria made their first home at Swan Bay, 6km north on the Richmond River. A postcard dated 19 Jan 1909 suggests they were there at least 2 years, but they moved further north to Gundurimba at some stage

      Two shots by Joe (c.1910?).
      "SS Dyraaba picking up another loaded punt of cane"
      (Dryaaba is a place-name 60km NW, north of Piora).
      "Cane-cutters in a good crop of Dupont cane".

      Plus Vera (left) and Laurie (right), c. 1914?

      Allan remembers Pop talking of the Richmond River flats being blocked by water hyacinth; and how it was possible to “walk on water” by tying palings onto your feet; and you could cross to the bank from the tugs and barges hauling the cut sugar cane from the fields to the Coracki Sugar Mill. [One of scores of small mills in NNSW 1875-85. See McKillop R.F. (2007).]
      Pop certainly considered the Italians much above the 'Indians' who were cutting cane [mostly 'Kanakas', i.e. South Sea Islanders? At least they were in Queensland]. I remember him laughing about how they (the Italians on the tugs) used to wave pieces of beef on their dinner forks at the Indians to “watch them run”. He though it a great joke!
      Joe with Vera, c. 1925?
      Gundurimba, 1929
      Lismore, 1940
      Lismore, 1942, Nan, with
      Allan on left, and other gchn
      Lismore, 1951
      Joe, with Giacomo
      Piccoli, Apr 1953
      A photo of Guiseppe from 1961 is on p. xiii of the Stud Book.
      Images from their later lives:
      60th Anniversary, 1967 ...
      ... detail, with Kate
      Pop, 1971
      Nan, 1979
      Guiseppe d. in Lismore 9 Jan 1971, aged 90.
      Maria d. in Lismore 17 Mar 1979, aged 92.
      1. Lauria May Spinaze ()
        m. Gregory BARNES
        Family Line here
      2. Ray Spinaze (1914-2006)
        m. Georgina Cochrane (1913-2001)
        5 children, pp. 247-8 of the Stud Book
        Linda's Line ­ details elsewhere
      3. Veronica Adelaide Spinaze (1910-?)
        m. Allan Geoffrey SOMMERLAD
        Family Line here
      4. Spencer Spinaze ()
        m. Doris Margaret Clarke
        Family Line here
    6. Pietro Spinaze (1882-1955)
      Peter was b. 7 Jun 1882, in Parramatta,
      soon after the family arrived in N.S.W.
      c. 1906?
      c. 1911?, on the left,
      at 8.Louisa's wedding
      m. Jessie Smith (1898-1940)
      Jessie was b. 1898, so 16 yrs younger
      dau. Josie m. McConnell
      Jessie d. 27 May 1940, aged 42
      Pietro d. 1955, aged 73
    7. Maria Spinaze (1885-1969)
      b. 8 Sep 1885
      m. Albert SHEATHER (1877-1964)
      m. 1903?
      Albert was b. 11 Feb 1877
      4 children, 1903-1910
      "Love from Sister Mary
      23-4-18", so aged 33?
      "To Dear Joe and
      Mary from Mary"
      (c. 1924, aged 39?)
      Photo c. 1930? on p. 252 of the Stud Book
      Albert d. 27 Aug 1964, aged 87
      Maria d. 2 May 1969, aged 83
    8. Louisa Spinaze (1882-)
      b. 9 Nov 1888
      m. James ROSS, c. 1911?, aged 29?
      3 children
      Louisa d. 21 Oct 1972, aged 84
  2. Angelo Spinaze (1849->1897?)
    m. Caterina Da Ros (1850?->1897?)
    5 children, born 1881-1897
    The family stayed in Italy
  3. Giovanni Spinaze (1851-1932)
    Giovanni was a soldier in the war between Italy and Austria (presumably in 1870, in the very last phase of the Wars of Italian Independence)
    m1. ?
    Migrated on the Marquis de Ray's expedition 1880-81, aged 29-30, as vedovo, a widower.
    He worked for Mr and Mrs A.J. /A .G. Smyth of Parramatta 1881-84, and accompanied them on a world trip.
    In 1884, he selected about 60 acres in New Italy
    m2. Maria Capelin (1868-1954), in 1885, in New Italy
    Giovanni was then 34, and Maria 17.
    He was a cane-cutter for some time until 1898, aged 47. (It was a back-breaking occupation).
    After that he worked in the newfangled business of dairy-farming, for Tom Boland at Coraki
    – which is tough, but so was everything else ...
    There's a good photo of them c. 1900, with their first 6 children, on p. 226 of the Stud Book.
    Giovanni was naturalised in 1904, aged 53.
    By 1908, he was a farmer on the 'Garden of Eden' in (far lusher) South Lismore.
    In c. 1912, aged 61, he moved to Pomona in Queensland (W. of Noosa).
    11 children, 8 sons and 3 daughters, who were resident in Queensland.
    Their very large issue is in the Stud Book, pp. 224-241.
    Giovanni d. 1932, aged 82.
    A photo of Maria in about 1953 (and eldest dau. Catterina) is on p. 237 of the Stud Book.
    Maria d. 3 Apr 1954, aged 86.
    There appear to be 10-20 Spinazes in Australia in this line, roughly half-2nd and 3rd cousins.
    In mid-2011, the White Pages shows about 10 in each of the Qld and NSW White Pages.

Acknowledgements

For the information about the Spinaze line's origins and early years in Australia, this page draws heavily on the following four publications, which in turn draw heavily on Guiseppe's memories as captured by the next generation, especially Spencer Spinaze or Piora:

Harrigan R. (2006) 'They Were Expeditioners: The Chronicle of Northern Italian Farmers – Pioneer Settlers of New Italy' Rosemary Harrigan, Werribee VIC 3030, April 2006, 188 pp.

Spinaze S. (2009) 'The Spinaze Family' New Italy Museum, Woodburn NSW 2472, November 2009, at http://new-italy.com/your-stories/the-spinaze-family/, mirrored here

De Stefani H.T. & Craven S.M. Eds. (1980) 'Our Italian Heritage' Centennial Celebration Committee, 1980, 263 pp. (popularly referred to as 'The Stud Book')

Thompson A.-G. (1980) 'Turmoil – Tragedy to Triumph: The Story of New Italy' International Colour Productions, Stanthorpe Qld 4380, 1980, ISBN 0 86774 000 0, 56 pp.

See also:

'New Italy Settlement', Heritage Council of NSW, version of Aug 2011 mirrored here


This a page within Linda Spinaze's Family Web-Site
Contact: Roger Clarke and Linda Spinaze
Created: 26 April 2011; Last Amended: 7 August 2011