Open Café The Cut Lambeth

Pietro Barbuti was born on the 5th September 1905 in Bardi (Parma) Italy.  He had married Kathleen Louvain Berlin Donoghue from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales in Holborn, London in 1935.

In 1939, Pietro and Kathleen were living at 38 The Cut (Open Café), Lambeth, London, England.  Pietro was listed as a café proprietor and the 1940 Post Office Directory has a listing for him under ‘Refreshment Bars’.

Pietro was arrested on the 13th June 1940; his British internment card has his place of arrest as Abergavenny, Wales but this could have been an error as there was two Pietro Barbutti/Barbuti who were interned, both from Bardi, Parma. Researcher Alfonso Pacitti has Pietro Barbuti as having been arrested in London and being taken to Bury Camp.

The only reference found for Pietro was made by Luigi Beschizza. Luigi had been given clothing from the pile of clothes on the deck of the Dunera by a guard who was incensed that Luigi was wearing a British military coat given to him in Greenock, Scotland. Pietro wanted to purchase the coat on the premise that it might have money sewn into the seams.  Luigi and Pietro sealed the deal at 40 cigarettes and one shilling. The one shilling was used to pay for two bars of black-market chocolate from the kitchen for Luigi’s friend Pietro Beschizza, who did not smoke. Unbeknown to the young Luigi £5 had indeed been concealed in the coat.

In the 1941 London Post Office Directory Mrs P. Barbuti is advertised as operating a refreshment bar at 38 The Cut, Lambeth. During WW2, Lambeth was heavily bombed with 1560 recorded civilians killed in air raids.

Pietro had two and half years in Australia before he was released to the UK to appear before the Advisory Committee. He departed Tatura Camp on the 30th November 1943 and boarded the SS Themistocles which sailed via Wellington NZ, Panama, Jamaica and New York, arriving in Cardiff, Wales on the 14th February 1944. Pietro sailed with 12 other Dunera Italians. His proposed address listed on the ship’s register was 35 Aberfan Crescent, Aberfan, Glam and his occupation was listed as shopkeeper. Pietro was re-interned until the 12th April 1944.

Pietro and Kathleen continued to live in the Lambeth district in Murphy Street during the 1950s. Pietro Barbuti died in London in 1970.

Tatura, Australia. 13 February 1943. Group of Italian internees from overseas now interned at Tatura Internment Camp. Back row, left to right: V. Corinti; Gio. Moruzzi; M. Gazzi. B. Rabaiotti; Gio. Lusardi; G. Barovero. Front row: L. Fulgoni; G. Rossi; P. Barbuti; M. Rabaiotti. (AWM Image 030188/09 Photographer Colin Halmarick)