Greco Brothers Middlesborough

Antonio Greco was born in Arpino (Frosinone) Italy on the 17th July 1901.  He was a biscuit manufacturer and lived with his wife Ida at 10 Cambridge Road, Linthorpe, Middlesborough, England.  Antonio was arrested in the Middlesborough Police District on the 10th June 1940.

The Greco Brothers, Liberato, Tullio and Antonio had arrived in Middlesbrough, England in 1907.  They sold ice cream from a hand barrow, then graduated to using a horse and cart before selling ice cream from a motor bike and sidecar. They then set up their own ice cream business before changing to manufacturing wafers and cones.

Italy’s entry into the war affected Antonio and his brothers Liberato and Tullio.  The three brothers boarded the Arandora Star bound for Canada. Tullio perished at sea when the Arandora Star was torpedoed on the 2nd July 1940 while Antonio was rescued and sent to Australia on the Dunera. Liberato was also rescued and sent to hospital then interned on the Isle of Man.

Ancestry.com. UK, World War II Alien Internees, 1939-1945 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019.

Antonio’s time in Australia was brief. On the 5th October 1941, he departed Tatura Camp 4B for Liverpool Camp NSW.  Antonio embarked the Stirling Castle on the 13th October 1941.  The voyage was to take the ten UK Italian internees onboard to Auckland, New Zealand, Cristobal, Panama and Liverpool, England. He would arrive on the 28th November 1941.

Upon arrival in England, Antonio was re-interned on the Isle of Man.  On the 25th February 1942, Antonio was released without restrictions under Category 22 of the White Paper: Category 22. Any person as to whom the Tribunal, appointed by the Secretary of State, reported that he had, since childhood or for at least 20 years, lived continuously or almost continuously in Great Britain; had long severed connections with his country of nationality; that his associations and interests were British; and that he was friendly towards this country. (White Paper, Civilian Internees of Enemy Nationality, Home Office)

Greco Brothers Manufacturers of Biscuits