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Archiver > ANGLO-ITALIAN > 2002-04 > 1018684386


From: Elaine Collins <>
Subject: Re: [Anglo-Italian] Ice Cream
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 09:47:29 +0100
In-Reply-To: <a3.26aa6ebf.29e85ba9@aol.com>


The work was seasonal - unless they had fixed premises (which very few if
any did in 19th century) - they travelled around with carts selling ice
cream. They were known as 'Hokey Pokey' men. But for obvious reasons the
work was only really viable in the summer months. Some people went back to
Italy for the Winter if they had saved enough money and hadn't yet settled
here, otherwise they took jobs, very often in construction and particularly
as asphalters and paviours as these were easier lines for Italians to break
into. There are a number of good articles about this, as well as coverage in
the following books:

Terri Colpi, The Italian Factor. The Italian Community in Great Britain
(London: Mainstream, 1991). ISBN: 1851583343

Lucio Sponza, Italian Immigrants in Nineteenth-Century Britain: Realities
and Images (Leicester: Leicester University Press, 1988 0718512871

I will try to post the details of the articles early next week, when I'm
back at home.

Elaine


> Does anyone have knowledge about Ice Cream? I have some info that my
> great-grandfather was calling himself an Ice Cream vendor in 1880, but in the
> 1881 census, he is a builders labourer. Did many Italians run two
> jobs/careers, or was it just a case of giving up one to take on the other.
> Did Ice Cream vendors usually make the stuff at home, or were they agents for
> larger firms usually? Lastly, did most Ice Cream vendors come from one
> particular area of Italy (hopefully Naples?).
> Thanks for any help/advice
> A Williams
>
>
>
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