Family Histories
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The Family of Researched, compiled & updated by Gordon Freegard February 2023 Antonio (Tony) is a son of Luigi and Angela Altinier, Codogne, in
the Province of Treviso, Venice. He is one of ten living children from a total
of eighteen births in the family. Three babies were born in one year. In the
January of 1913 twins were born, who unfortunately died, and on 10th
December 1913, Tony was born. Luigi was a wheelwright and carpenter, and he also made coffins.
One day Tony’s cousin put him in a coffin and began nailing down the lid.
Luckily, his father came into the workshop, just in time, but Tony has had
claustrophobia ever since. Tony had to leave school at the age of eleven to
work with his father. All the children had to find work at an early age, even
the eight year old sisters found jobs as baby sitters. There was meat to eat only if a neighbour’s cow or horse broke a
leg, or some other disaster befell one of the farm animals, then, as there was
no refrigeration, the meat was sold cheaply. Tony never drank alcoholic drinks due to an experience he had when
young. The family made their own wine in huge vats – Tony fell into one when he
was five years old and was found floating in the wine, but not before he had
tasted enough to last him a lifetime. |
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At the age of 17 in 1930, Tony
arrived by ship at Fremantle, Western Australia. His first job was at a market
garden owned by Pietro Formiatti in Wanneroo, where he worked hard for two
years. Tony was employed to cook for five or six men and to load tomatoes onto
the trucks for market. He then moved and joined his brother-in-law Vincent
Mazzardis (Senior) at Sunny Valley, Lake Gnangara, Wanneroo, where they leased
land from Antonio Crisafulli, for three years. Whilst living in Wanneroo Tony caught young brumbies and trained
them to the cart. Tony and Vincent heard that land was being sold in 1934 through
the Agricultural Bank (now Bankwest) in Bracken Road, Pickering Brook. A friend
from Pickering Brook, Dominic Marchetti, took Tony and Vincent to an interview
with the Department of Agriculture, there, along with twelve others they gave
their reasons for wanting to own the land. The land in question had been a
Soldier’s Settlement block that the original owners had walked off in Bracken
Road. They were both able to purchase land next door to each other. |
TONY & REGINA ALTINIER #1 |
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With Vincent driving an old Chevrolet and Tony, the horse and
cart, they moved their belongings to Pickering Brook. Both were still bush
blocks and they worked hard to clear this land, mainly by hand and with a
horse. Fruit trees were planted as the main producer for income, but before the
crops could bear fruit, vegetables were planted on the two properties. In 1937 Tony’s 17 year old brother, Peter came out on a ship from
Italy and joined them working on the properties. Two years later in 1939, with
the orchard now established, Tony decided that it was probably time to find a wife
and so wrote to his mother asking her to find him a bride from his village of
Codogne. The girl she asked, Regina Codognotto, who was born on 30th
August 1911, and was now 26 years old. Tony already knew her but when he left
Italy she was already courting, however, she was not yet married. When she was
asked to consider Tony she said a very definite No! She was very happy working
in a shop and did not think she could cope with the hard life in Australia.
Tony wrote her some nice letters and sent a photograph of himself and finally
managed to persuade her to come to Western Australia. Regina accepted his
proposal and they were married by proxy in 1939. Tony's brother-in-law and
Regina's father stood as proxies. They renewed their vows on Rina's arrival in
Western Australia in 1940 |
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LOUIS & REGINA ALTINIER PICKING FRUIT #2 |
Regina arrived in Fremantle on the
Romolo on what was to be her last voyage before being scuttled by her Master,
Captain Ettore Gavino, in the Pacific off the coast of Queensland. The Romolo
arrived in Fremantle on April 26th 1939 and as everyone knew war was
not far off, the crew were expecting to be prevented from leaving Australia
waters. She was allowed to leave her final port, Brisbane. On June 5th
with orders to make for the nearest Japanese held island. However she was
apprehended by the armed merchantman Manoora. When stopped, she was scuttled
and her crew taken prisoner. Regina (Rina), which she preferred, on arriving at Pickering Brook
found life was hard, but worked tirelessly on the orchard, alongside her
husband. Rina's jobs consisted of milking their cow and making butter and
cheese. Rina also helped with growing and picking of vegetables. Washing was
done at the creek with homemade soap. There was tap water in their house but
Rina preferred the creek as she felt that it cleaned the clothes better. |
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REGINA & LOUIS ALTINIER ON STEPS OF THE OLD HOUSE. #3 A year later,
in 1941, saw the arrival of their first son Louis and then
another son, Robert was born six years later in 1947. |
ROBERT & LOUIS ALTINIER WITH SNAKE #4 |
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ROBERT ALTINIER # |
WOMEN OF PICKERING BROOK 1950c #6 |
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REGINA ALTINIER PICKING FRUIT #7 |
Tony sponsored Emilio and Giovanna
Fantuz with their children Corrado (Peter) and Angela (Gina) in 1952, to come
to Western Australia to start a new life. The Fantuz family eventually
purchased a property in Merrivale Road, Pickering Brook.
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Tony loved his game of bocce and Sunday
afternoons would find him with other locals in the bushy area on Charlie Della
Franca's property playing bocce. Tony's love of bocce transferred to lawn
bowls at the local Pickering Brook Sports Club, where he was a champion player.
While Rina’s love was cooking at which she excelled and shared with their
family and friends.
REGINA, LOUIS, ROBERT & TONY ALTINIER #8 |
THE ALTINIER FAMILY #9 |
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SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OLD BOCCE PITCH 1987 #10 |
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OLD BOCCE PITCH 1987 #11 |
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Tony's brother Peter (Pietro) eventually bought his own property in Piesse Brook and developed his own orchard. In 1950 he married Nora M. Di Giulio and they had four children; Enrico (Eric) on 8th September 1951 at K.E.M.Hospital, Angela on 31st July 1954 at St. Annes Hospital, Dianna and Maree. Peter was born on the 17th November 1920 and sadly passed away on the 12th October 1984 aged 64 years.
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TONY, REGINA, NORA & PETER ALTINIER #16 |
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In 1964 the first son, Louis
married Angela (Gina) Fantuz at Lourdes Monastery, Lesmurdie and they have
three children, Sylvia, Danny and Adrian. Sylvia married Terry Van Froningen
and they have two children, Brett and Jodi. Adrian married Danielle Jenkins and
they have four children, Jade, Jordon, Tyson and Brooke. Tony passed away on 8th
November 1968 aged 55 years. It
was a sad year for Gina and Louis in 1980 when Gina's mother Giovanna passed
away. Eight years
later, in 1988 both sides of the Altinier family
suffered a loss with the death of Gina's father Emilio and Louis's father Tony.
It is ironical that the two men who helped each other many years before, should
pass away in the same year. Rina died on 3rd August 1997. To this day, Louis, Robert and Danny
still run the original family property in Pickering Brook. |
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ALTINIER'S PROPERTY ON BRACKEN ROAD #17 |
TONY & REGINA ALTINIER #18 |
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Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.
References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: Altinier Family Collection 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 18
Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008-2023 |
