Verrechia/Russia

[seasickken]

Anybody got any ideas about this one,
Antonio Verrechia on the 1911 census is living in Croydon, Father is Pasquale, Mother is Maria, all the family (11) are either born in Italy or England apart from him.
It says he was born in Russia, D.O.B must've been about 1894 but why Russia?
We think it may have been Riga which was in Russia at that time also it's not very far from Italy.
Why would Italian people be going to Russia though? Was it a stop off for a Ship?

Help needed Ken

[Browneyes]

Hmm. Interesting.

If no-one has posted an answer by tomorrow I'll see what was going on in Russia/Italy around 1894. My first thought was perhaps he was adopted but that still leaves unanswered questions. No idea if it's relevant but there were anti-semitic issues under Alexander III.

[AdeleE]

1901 UK census

Bennords Verrindin, head, widowed, 66, organ grinder, born Italy
Paquale Verrindin, son, married, 36, ditto, born Italy
Maria Verrindin, dau in law, married, 25, ditto, born Italy
Antonio Verrindin, grandson, 6, born Italy
Dominio Verrindin, grandson, 5, born Italy
Antonia Verrindin, granddaughter, 1, born Italy

4 Wilford Road, Croyden, Surrey
Class: RG13; Piece: 643; Folio: 174; Page: 29.

Perhaps on 1911 the enumerator was interpreting towns of birth & replacing them with countries on the census sheet?

Adele

[Barnzzz]

I don't know this helps but there used to be ice cream vendors here called Verrechia and they were definately Italian.
Sue

[Astoria]

This is a useful site - provided by Colin Moretti

https://www.
gens.info/italia/en/surnames

[Thomasin]

As well as the 'Verrindin' family found by AdeleE in 1901, there is also a Gaidan Verrechia, married, aged 30, born in 'Italy F S', visiting another house of Italian organ grinders at 1 Princess Road, Croydon (RG13; 643; 193; 67).

Thomasin

[Thomasin]

In case this is of any use, there were still four Verrachias/Verrechias living at different addresses in Croydon in 1937, according to Ward's Croydon Directory.

Thomasin

[seasickken]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the info, Adele are you sure it says verrindin?
The reason I ask is, on the 1911 census this is how it reads..

Pasquale Verrechia 46 head of household
Maria Verrechia 39 Wife
Antonio Verrechia 17 Son
Dominico Verrechia 15 Son
Antonia Verrechia 12 Daughter
Other children are on aswell but they where not born in 1901, however Pasquale's Father is on.
Bennardo Verrechia 75 Living with the head of household, all born in Italy (Cardito we think, N/East of Rome) apart from Antonio who is down as born in Russia.
If you knock 10 years of the ages of the above, it matches up with ages on the 1901 census, depending on when birthdays fell.
Address 17 Wilford road Croydon.
My Wife's Grandfather was Antonio, however I have put the magnifying glass on the names and the surname is spelt Verrecchia, somewhere along the years a C has gone missing, my wife and all her cousins are not aware of that YET.
VERRECCHIA'S ice cream was in Brislington near Bath, We lived in Bath for a while.
I await any replys eagerly.
Cheers all Ken

[AdeleE]

Hi Everyone,
Adele are you sure it says verrindin?

I'm not sure what it says, as the letters in the enumerator's script are not well defined, so I left the surname as Anc* had indexed it, I think.

Adele

[Browneyes]

There's a record on Ellis Island (ellisisland.org) that gives:

Antonio Verrechia. Ethnicity: Italy. Last Place of Residence: (blank)
Date of Arrival: Mar 14, 1896
Age at Arrival: 1m
Ship of Travel: Fulda
Port of Departure: Naples
Ship was called 'Fulda'

The text version of the ship's manifest gives:
Verrechia, Giamb. M 38y M Italy
Verrechia, Florinda F 35y M Italy
Verrechia, Antonio M 1m S Italy
Verrechia, Alessandro M 42y M Italy

I did try to find them on the original image but it means looking through every page and I kept accidentally clicking 'back to original page' which meant I had to start all over again as you have to click through each page! Sorry I gave up then.

Wonder if this is your Antonio?