Angela Toneguzzo Bianchini

Angela Bianchini nee Toneguzzo

On June 23, 1958, my mother, Angela (Toneguzzo) Bianchini boarded the Queen Frederica in Genoa, Italy to join her husband in Canada. Not knowing when she would see them again, saying good-bye to her sister, brother and mother was extremely difficult. Her father had died when she was 3 years old leaving my Nonna solely responsible for supporting their household and raising their children.

Italy's poor economy and Canada's demand for bricklayers prompted my father, Angelo Bianchini, to move to Canada in September 1954 in search of better opportunities. My father's brother, Rinaldo, who had made the move 2 years prior, agreed to sponsor my father. Once settled and employed in Canada, my father returned to Italy in December 1957 and married his hometown sweetheart on February 15, 1958. My father returned to Canada on March 11,1958 without his bride.

The Captain of the ship showed great concern for my mother - she was four months pregnant expecting her first child at the time of the journey. My mother recollects a stormy evening on the ship...Entering the almost empty Dining Room, she wondered whether she was too early for her seating. The Captain informed her that most of the passengers were not feeling well and therefore had chosen to skip supper. He advised her that she should not be wandering around the ship alone in her condition and invited her to join him for supper. My mother politely declined, explaining to the captain that she would not feel comfortable having him see how much she eats. The captain suggested to her that she might be eating for three, not two.

The ship docked in Halifax, Pier 21 on July 1st, 1958. Before boarding the train, my mother went to a nearby convenience store to purchase some food. Everything was written in English, which made identifying items very difficult. My mother decided on a loaf of white sliced bread, a can of sardines and a jar of strawberry jam. Being accustomed to the Italian crusty bread, my mother did not like the food she had purchased and decided to go to the Dining Car for pasta. The dish of spaghetti with ketchup she was served was less than appealing to her palate.

After a two-day train trip via Montreal, my mother finally arrived in Sudbury, Ontario on July 3rd. Craving ice cream, my mother insisted on going to the store the next day to purchase bread, milk and ice cream "three colours". My mother had learned a few words of English from reading the ingredients listed on a box of chocolates brought home by her cousin who had been a prisoner of war.

For the first two years, my parents lived with Zio Rinaldo and his family.Their first child, Jack, was born on October 16, 1958 - my brother was made in Italy, but born in Canada. My father sponsored his sister's, Adelaide, move to Canada in 1959. Eventually my parents were able to build their first home in 1960. Zio Rinaldo's wife was very homesick so they returned to Italy in 1964, followed by Zia Adelaide's family in 1970. This meant that my parents no longer had any immediate family living in Canada. My father became a Canadian citizen in 1963 and my mother in 1971.

My mother's mother, Olga, first visited us in 1966 and then again in 1974. Both my mother's brother, Franco, and sister, Lidia, also made visits to Canada. I went to Italy for the first time when I was 3 years old and have returned on a number of occasions since then. In the summer of 2005, we made my mother's wish come true - she returned to Italy for a visit accompanied by both her children and grandchildren.

April 2006
Cathy (Bianchini) Kulos