Family of Emmanuelle AZARO and Ursula MAY

Husband:	Emmanuelle AZARO (1840-1916)
Wife:	Ursula MAY (1849-1921)
Children:	Theresa AZZARO (1871-1957)
	Ersler AZZARO (1872- )
	Maria AZZARO (1874- )
	Norah AZZARO (1874-1874)
	Emmanuel AZZARO (1875-1876)
	Antonio AZZARO (1877-1943)
	Andrew AZZARO (1878-1953)
	Emmanuel AZZARO (1880-1880)
	Josephine Emily AZZARO (1881-1909)
	Rose AZZARO (1884-1954)
	Francis AZZARO (1886-1887)
	Catherine AZZARO (1887-1887)
	Matilda AZZARO (1888-1889)
	Clara AZZARO (1889-1973)
Marriage	27 Jan 1874	Holy Trinity Church, Windsor

Husband: Emmanuelle AZARO

Wife: Ursula MAY

Child 1: Theresa AZZARO

Child 2: Ersler AZZARO

Name:	Ersler AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Birth	2 Dec 1872	Windsor

Child 3: Maria AZZARO

Name:	Maria AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Spouse 1:	Dominic PODESTA (1861- )
Spouse 2:	Joseph Patrick DONEGAN (1868-1945)
Birth	1874	Windsor

Child 4: Norah AZZARO

Name:	Norah AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Birth	Dec 1874	Windsor
Death	1874 (age 0)	Windsor

Child 5: Emmanuel AZZARO

Name:	Emmanuel AZZARO
Sex:	Male
Birth	Dec 1875	Windsor
Death	1876 (age 0-1)	Windsor

Child 6: Antonio AZZARO

Child 7: Andrew AZZARO

Child 8: Emmanuel AZZARO

Name:	Emmanuel AZZARO
Sex:	Male
Birth	29 Aug 1880	20 West Street, Portsea
Death	1880 (age 0)	Portsea

Child 9: Josephine Emily AZZARO

Name:	Josephine Emily AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Birth	18 Nov 1881	20 West Street, Portsea
Death	12 Dec 1909 (age 28)	Brighton
Burial		Shared tombstone with parents in Brighton Cemetery

Child 10: Rose AZZARO

Child 11: Francis AZZARO

Name:	Francis AZZARO
Sex:	Male
Birth	1886	Brighton
Death	1887 (age 0-1)	Brighton

Child 12: Catherine AZZARO

Name:	Catherine AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Birth	1887	Brighton
Death	1887 (age 0)	Brighton

Child 13: Matilda AZZARO

Name:	Matilda AZZARO
Sex:	Female
Birth	1888	Brighton
Death	1889 (age 0-1)	Brighton

Child 14: Clara AZZARO

Note on Husband: Emmanuelle AZARO - shared note

My father knew very little about where the family came from except for the fact that his grandfather had been born in Italy. The evidence that has enabled me to pin down a possible date of birth in Casarza Ligure is described in the file www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Misc_002.htm.

See also the file www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Misc_007.htm which lists some DNA evidence which supports the theory that he had close links with Casarza Ligure.

 

Note that the spelling of his surname took a while to settle down when the births of his various children were recorded. It is known that he couldn't read or write, so prsumably he had no means of knowing if his name had been spelled correctly. His first child, Theresa, was given the surname Assar. The next 6 were all recorded with tha surname Azzar. It was only from 1880 onwards that the surname was consistently recorded as Azzaro.

 

The earliest evidence of Emanuele being in England appears to be the birth of his 'acknowledged daughter' Theresa who was born in Windsor in 1871. Her birth certificate gives his profession as 'Itinerant musician' and the address of Emanuel and Ersler as 5 Beer Lane, Windsor. The mother's name is given as Ersler Azzar although they weren't yet married.

 

Emanuel and Ursula had a total of 14 children of whom only 6 survived to marry and raise families. One more, Josephine, lived to the age of 28, but never married. All the remaining 7 died in early infancy. The resulting births marriages and deaths are listed below to summarise the places where the family lived together with Emanuel's profession as stated on the certificates.

 

1871 Birth of Theresa / 5 Beer Lane, Windsor./ Itinerant Musician

See birth certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthTA_01.htm

1872 Birth of Ersler / 6 Beer Lane./ Coalmerchants labourer

See birth certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthEA_01.htm

1874 Birth of Maria (Birth certificate not found)

1874 Marriage of Emanuel and Ursula / Garden Court, Beer Lane, Windsor./ Coal Porter

See marriage certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/MarAM_01.htm

1874 Birth of Norah / Windsor

1875 Birth if Emanuel / Windsor

See birth certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthEA_02.htm

1877 Birth of Antonio / Brighton

1879 Birth of Andrew / 6 Red Lion Row, Beer Lane / Coalmerchants Labourer

See birth certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthAA_01.htm

1880 Birth of Emanuel / 20 West Street, Portsea./ Street Musician

1880 Death of Emanuel / Portsea

1881 Birth of Josepine Emily / 20 West Street, Portsea / Street Musician

See birth certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthJA_01.htm

1884 Birth of Rose / Brighton

1886 Birth of Francis,/ Brighton 1887 Death of Francis / Brighton

1887 Birth of Catherine,/ Brighton 1887 Death of Catherine / Brighton

1888 Birth of Matilda / Brighton

1888 Marriage of Theresa / (8 Chesterfield Street, Brighton) / Profession Illegible

See marriage certificate at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/MarHA_01.htm

1889 Birth of Clara / 8 Chesterfield Street, Brighton / Lodging House Keeper

1889 Marriage of Maria / (8 Chesterfield Street) / Lodging House keeper

1903 2nd marriage of Theresa / (17 John Street) / Of Independant means

1905 Marriage of Rose / (John Street) / Confectioner

1909 Marriage of Clara / (John Street) / Of Independant means

1912 Marriage of Andrew / (Not living with Emanuel) / Boarding House keeper (Retired)

1919 2nd Marriage of Clara / (17 John Street) / Independant

 

In 1880/81 he appeared to be living at 20 West Street, Portsea where the 5th and 6th children Emmanuel (2nd) and Josephine Emily were born. So he ought to be in Portsea at the time of the 1881 census, but I really can't find any trace of him in the LDS transcript of the census on CD. (Garry Gascoigne has also done a thorough search of every house in West Street in the census with no more success.)

 

The 1891 census shows Emanuel living at Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 Chesterfield Street, Brighton. These formed a Licensed Lodging House and his profession is given as 'Lodging House Keeper'. Note that in 1886 he bought Nos. 6 and 7 Chesterfield Street for £140 (of which £90 was borrowed from the vendor by way of a mortgage). He appears to have kept them until 1894 when he sold them to Brighton Borough Council (possibly because they were included in a slum clearance programme?). The plot containing these two properties together only measured 24 ft by 25ft 6in. The 1891 census shows a total of 18 lodgers in Nos.6/7/8/9 plus Emanuel and Ursula Azzaro with their daughter Clara. There is an unrelated couple living alone in No.6. Curiously, Emanuel's 4 other children - Anthony, Andrew, Emily and Rose - are living with a servant at No. 83 Chesterfield Street. The East Sussex Record Office has a large amount of correspondence (which came from Brundrett's solicitors) regarding Emanuel's purchase of this property. It shows that complications arose because the vendor's title to the property was distinctly dodgy. At the time Emanuel was living at 53 Chesterfield Street and gave his profession as Hawker. A transcription of the 1891 census entry can be seen at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen91_001.htm

 

The family story is that he came to England after the unification of Italy in 1861, having served with Garibaldi. A discussion of the, rather vague, evidence for this is given at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Misc_003.htm

 

An elaboration of this story is that he first came to England somewhat before 1860 but then returned to join Garibaldi's cause. Reputedly he "walked all the way there and all the way back". This story comes from Uncle Tony via his daughter Rosie, but I think that Aunt Madge had a similar story.

 

He shares a tombstone with his wife Ursula and daughter Emily (nb. christened Josephine Emily) in Brighton extra-mural cemetery. The plot was purchased for the burial of Emily in 1909. [ June says that there is also a Bridget Casey who died in 1868 on the edge of the same plot. Surely there can't be any connection ? ]

 

He made a will on 22nd August 1900, at which time he lived at 17 John Street, Brighton. His estate was valued at £1535 6s 5d when he died in 1916. Note that in the will he describes himself as a 'Confectioner' which probably relates to his ice cream business. One family story is that he was the first ice cream seller in Brighton. The will in full can be found at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/WillEA_01.htm. The most interesting feature is that his eldest son Antonio receives no mention at all.

 

In the 1901 census he is living at 17 John Street and described as a Lodging House Keeper, working on his own account. The household consists of himself and his wife, three children (Andrew, Rose and Clara), plus four lodgers. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen01_008.htm

 

In the 1911 census he is still at 17 John Street and describes himself as of 'Private Means' but he still has 4 lodgers. As regards his family there is his wife, one son Andrew, and one grandson Harry Fudger, aged 10. (But curiously, Harry Fudger is also listed as living with his mother, Theresa, in Fulham.) They say that they had 15 children born alive, of whom 7 are still living! Have they lost count, or have I missed someone (Josephine died in 1909)? See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen11_003.htm

 

I ought to record a problem in the church registers in Casarza Ligure which include a record that on 14/11/1904 a guy named Emanuele Azaro, the son of Emanuele Azaro and Teresa Stagnaro died aged 61 in Riva Trigoso. Obviously the age isn't quite right, but apart from that, surely this is proof that I'm on the wrong track ? Fortunately the same death is recorded in the civil registry, but there it is listed as Antonio Azaro. The age of 61 corresponds to that of Emanuele's younger brother Antonio, and I know that Antonio died 'fairly young leaving a young family', so his death was quite possibly about this time. All in all, I'm quite happy to assume that this record of the death of Emanuele is a red herring, and is really the death of Antonio. It seems reasonable to assume Antonio also had the 'sopranome' of Emanuele - given that both his father and grandfather bore that name. More recently, when I met Maria Adele, she confirmed that the church record was wrong.

 

Cousin June always had a theory (which must have come from Aunt Madge) that Emanuele had a brother who had emigrated to Argentina. At least this one has been substantiated - See the records for Antonio and Giuseppe. June also believed that Emanuele had first emigrated to Argentina before coming to England. (No supporting evidence yet found).

 

The notes above suggest that Emanuele considered himself fairly prosperous by the later years of his life. With this in mind it seems surprising that all the places where he ever lived were demolished in slum clearance programs. There are two books which give more detail:

(1) The Streets of Windsor and Eton

(2) Back Street Brighton.

I have copies of both but unfortunately can't find either right now.

Note on Wife: Ursula MAY - shared note

1. There is a possible record of her birth in Leicester in 1849 with parents shown as Thomas and Ellen May. Here her first name seems to be written as Estler. The entry was registered by the mother, who could not write, so this was the best that the registrar could make of her pronunciation. A transcription of this birth certificate can be seen at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/BthUM_01.htm

 

2. Garry Gascoigne has finally tracked down a possible entry for her in the 1851 census in Bedford Street, parish of St Margaret, Leicester. Here she is shown as Harsulah aged 11 months, the daughter of Thomas and Ellen May. (If you imagine Ursula pronounced with a broad Irish accent, then maybe you get something like Harsulah.) See the transcript of the 1851 census entry at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen51_003.htm

 

3. In the 1861 census Ellen May (her mother) and Esler May, aged 12, are living in Much Park St, parish of St Michael, Coventry. With them Is Mary Ann Marsh, age 22, who could well be a sister of Ersler. They are all listed as lodgers in a large lodging house. See census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen61_004.htm

 

4. Her name appears on her marriage certificate (1874) as Ersler May, but was Ursula on her tombstone. She shares a tombstone with her husband Emanuele and daughter Emily in Brighton Cemetery.

 

5. In the 1891 census she gives her age as 46 and place of birth as Leicester. Her name is down as Urslor in this case.

 

6. Ursula is aged 57 in the 1901 census, and her place of birth is again given as Leicester. In the 1911 census her age is given as 68; place of birth still Leicester.

 

8. Just to summarise the state of play. We are looking for someone variously called Ursula or Ersler, the daughter of a Thomas May, and born (ideally) around 1845 in Leicester. We have found someone who fits most of that, except that the date of birth is a few years later than we would really like. The difference between her name in the 1851 census and all the other references suggests that she really was known as both Ursula and Ersler, depending who you listened to. Unfortunately, as yet there is nothing to provide a definitive link between the Estler born in Leicester and the Ersler who turns up in Windsor.

 

9. I have searched the parish of Clewer for her (and for that matter for Emanuel Azzaro) in the 1871 census - but no sign of either.

 

10. In the 1921 census she is living with the household of her daughter Clara in Caterham, Surrey. See the census transcript at www.familychest.co.uk/History/Data/Cen21_005.htm

Sources

1