Advice on researching the Bari region

[mahart]

Hi everyone it has been awhile since I last posted on this website but for those who might remember me I have establlished that my family originated from Molfetta in the Bari Region, so I'mjust looking for some guidance on best approach for researching this region.

I am researching two brothers: Saverio and Maurangelo Palombella who left Molfetta for Liverpool during the 1870's

Regards Mark

[ricbru]

Mark,
the only thing you can try to research is their birth record to

Comune
Ufficio di Stato Civile
Via Carnicella, 6
CAP 70056
Molfetta (BA)
Italy

or you can rent Molfetta civil record microfilm to FHL (mormon church)

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library ... ato+civile++

or you can write to Archivio di Stato di Bari

http://www.teseo.it/archiviodistato/

I hope it helps, bye Riccardo

[MauroMags]

hi Mark,

my entire family originates from molfetta and i've been able to trace much of it back into the late 1700s using LDS microfilm. So i suggest that your find a family history center and rent the films. Some of the films were dark and hard to read but the copies from the 1870s were in really good shape.

Are there many molfetesse in Liverpool? Are your researching any other surnames from Molfetta besides Polombella?

[mahart]

Thanks Riccardo and MauroMags for the advice. I kind of figured that a trip to the local LDS centre would be first thing on the agenda but hoped that there had been some extensive research already done in the US that I could tap into because I recalled reading that a high percentage of Molfetesse emigrated to the states during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The biggest problem for me is finding the time to get to the LDS centre because its opening times clash with the time I work.
Mauro, no I don't know of any other family here that originated from Molfetta, it is said that the old Italian community here originated mainly from a small village called Picinisco somewhere between Rome and Naples. I have only recently found out that my family originated from Molfetta from an older relative who had seen my postings here and contacted me. The story goes that my Great Great grandfather (Saverio) stowed away on a ship at the age of 12 to follow his older brother Maurangelo to Liverpool who was a sailor. Funny thing is on Saverio 's wedding certificate his father Lazzaro Palombella is also listed as a seaman, and this relative thought there was a family story of him being a fisherman. So maybe I need to familiarise myself with Molfetta industry past and present. What do you think? Any ideas where to start?

Thsnks again Mark

[MauroMags]

Hi Mark,

Your ancestors could definitely have been fishermen. Molfetta is a port city always known for its fishing industry and for several generations (even to this day to some extent) young Molfettese men work aboard merchant vessels and cruise ships as sailors. When they weren't working exactly on boats, they usually worked nearby. For example, most of the Molfettesi that came to the US, first settled in Hoboken, NJ because they found work on the docks as longshoremen. If you've ever seen the movie "on the watefront," with Marlon Brando, you can get a sense of what life was like for those early immigrants (of course it still is the hollywood version of the story).

You story is very interesting because your ancestors settled away from the usually Molfettese enclaves (usa, australia & argentina). Did they ever return to Italy?

Can you read Italian? Most of the best historical sources about Molfetta are in Italian. Although a few years ago, the city's commerce department put out an interactive CDrom in both Italian & English that gives a good background about the city.

I'll get back to you with the exact name of the cd and see if its still available.

[mahart]

Hi Mauro,
Yes it does seem that Liverpool was not a common destination for the Molfettese but during the 19th century Liverpool was one of the largest port's in the world, and ships docked continously from all over the world. And as I have found through research many Italian ships. Also during the 1870's Liverpool was still Europe main gateway to the America's. So I would suspect that many Molfetteese seamen would have sailed into Liverpool at some point. This may possibly be the answer for me, why they came to Liverpool. Both Saverio and Angelo married English sisters. Angelo diied a retired seaman and Saverio a retired docker. I do not know whether either of them went back to Italy. They have both been hard enough to trace here in the civil records but both did carry on going away to sea in the early years. My Italian was nether good and i've gotten rusty so need to get some practice in. The Marlon Brando film does ring a bell but need to check up on it and yes that would be great if you could find out about the CD.

Many thanks Mark

[MauroMags]

Hi Mark,

i sent you a private message regarding the Molfetta CD Rom

~Mauro

[mahart]

Thanks for the info Mauro.

Regards Mark

[sawdoc]

Hi

Sorry to hijack this post but just to put a twist on things Im from Liverpool too and Im trying to research all things Molfetta. My dad was stationed there during world war 2 he was in the RASC motorboats Im interested to know where they may have been billeted etc

Any snippets of info would be appreciated


Mark where in liverpool are you? Im from bootle originally, dads family were all connected to the docks in one way or another.

Cheers

Kevin

[mahart]

Hi Kevin,
Funny thing is my cpu has be down for a bit so had not been viewing this site for a bit. I'm from the southend of Liverpool and now live in the Hunts Cross area. I have always thought that my family came from Verona untill recently but now know they are from Molfetta. MauroMags is the knowledge base on Molfetta. What does RASC stand for?

Regards Mark

[jcsm400]

Hiya Mark!

Had any good margaritas lately?

Joyce

[mahart]

Hi Joyce,
Good to hear from you.
I'm off to Venice again in a couple of weeks so yes margarita time again.
Glad to see you are still doing great work here.

Regards Mark

[sawdoc]

Mark

RASC stands for Royal army service corps there were many divisions of this. I know dads company was involved in working with the special forces, often gun running to yugoslavia dressed in civvies which would of meant execution if caught. a lot of work was done up and down the east coast i.e Bari molfetta ancona and venice on motor launches. very much bitter, sweet the horrors of war mixed with the adventure of sailing up n down the italian coast.

Anyway good luck with your search keep me posted if you come across anything interesting.

Im also hoping to visit Bari/ molfetta this year if theres anything i can do for you whilst im there let me know

cheers

Kevin

[jcsm400]

Venice again?.....Should see the sights in the States!

How is the research going?

Joyce

[mahart]

Hi Joyce,

It is that April and Venice thing it has become a bit of a habit. I have never been to the States and yes I need to remedy it soon.

The research has been going well been working on the nitty gritty stuff of writing up ad linkng loose ends and stuff.

How is your research going?. Has their been any epics like Janecrow's lately?

Mark