A button dyer

Giuseppe Giovanni Consoli was born in Palazzolo Sull’Oglio (Brescia) Italy on the 5th June 1907.  At the time of his arrest on the 10th June 1940, he was living with his wife Desolina and daughter at 64 Cherry Street Walk, Bechingham, London. Giuseppe was a button dyer.

He had arrived in England in 1933 and worked for four years at Barcombe Mills Button Factory then worked at a button factory at Ightham, most likely Bertuccioli (Buttons) Limited where Santo Corna also worked. Giuseppe and Desolina lived at Fen Pond Cottage next door to Fen Pond Farm House where Santo and Luigina Corna lived. Their connection goes back to their hometown in Italy, Palazzolo Sull’Oglio (Brescia), which was a centre for button manufacturing.

Giuseppe worked as a kitchen hand in Tatura Camp and was a friend of Rando Bertoia and Arturo Nazzari. One report noted that he was well behaved and had never given any trouble to camp staff.

He returned to South Australia and was transferred to Loveday Camp 14D with 27 other UK Italians on the 9th March 1944 but was returned to Tatura Camp by 2nd August 1944.

On the 26th September 1944, Giuseppe was ‘released on parole’ for employment with Mr T Farrell Kingsley Flats, Finchley Court Hawthorne.

Giuseppe arrived at Liverpool, England as a ‘released internee’ on the 29th March 1945 onboard the Athlone Castle.  His address on the ship’s register was 74 Croydon Road, Anerley, London, the same address which Santo Corna used a month later.

Tatura, Australia. 13 February 1943. Group of Italian internees from overseas now interned at Tatura Internment Camp. Back row, left to right: G. Tome; S. Corna; U. Ugolini; E. Sampietro; G. Costan; A. Cima. Front row: L. Strola; O. Tome; G. Consoli; N. Bertoia; R. Chiocconi.