Barbieri the barber
- Joanne Tapiolas
- Jan 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 12
Luigi Barbieri was born on the 17th September 1900. His place of birth in Italy is listed on his Australian records as Borgotaro (Parma) and Valdena (Parma) on his British internment records.
On the 11th June 1940, Luigi was arrested in Dundee, Scotland. According to his Australian records Luigi was employed as a shop hand with his brother and cousin in a café and confectionary business and it was also mentioned that he worked at a Fish Restaurant.
His cousin D (Dante?) Barbieri from Pitlockry, was listed as his next of kin. His brother Andrea had been interned on the Isle of Man but was released in 1942.
Luigi had arrived in the UK in 1915 and then served with the 67 Infantry Regiment in the Italian army during WW1, being discharged in 1919. He then returned to Scotland and continued working in the same business as he did pre-war.
Gino Guarnieri remembered that Luigi Barbieri was one of the barbers in camp. He was considered by Intelligence Office to be a quiet and inoffensive type with no fascist sympathies.
Classified as 'infirm' Luigi was unsuitable for work in forestry with the Civil Aliens Corps. He was was released to industry on the 10th August 1944 to be employed by Mr T Farrell, Kingsley Flats, Finchley Court, Hawthorne as a kitchen hand/waiter. Six Dunera Italians were given employment at Kingsley Flats.
On the 28th February 1946, Luigi arrived in Southampton on board the Althone Castle as a ‘released internee’. The ship’s manifest recorded his intended address as 74 Ann Street Dundee, Scotland, his brother’s address and his occupation as cook.
On the 25th July 1957, Luigi died at the Royal Infirmary, Dundee. He had been living with this brother Andrea at 74 Anne Street Dundee, Scotland and his occupation was ‘fish fryer’. He never married.
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