X Personalities
Moved to People test page – Distinguished Business Leaders – Clergy – Esteemed individuals. Divided according to highlighted bars after each section below |
Personaggi di Torricella
Personalities of Torricella
![]() This portrait was inside the old nursery school (kindergarten) building. When the building was being rebuilt, the portrait was removed from the wall and taken away. Now it is to be found in the office of the town’s municipal guard. |
Camillo Porreca Un benefattore torricellano vissuto a cavallo fra l’800 e il 900. Era anche chiamato con un soprannome “Calzone”. Aveva un grande negozio in cui vendeva di tutto sia al dettaglio e sia all’ingrosso per gli altri negozi dei paesi vicini. Suo era il palazzetto dove attualmente c’è “il Caffè del Corso”. Secondo qualcuno lui l’aveva costruito per farci un ospedale e donarlo alla popolazione di Torricella. Suo era anche il palazzetto dell’asilo infantile fatto apposta per le suore e per educare i bambini torricellani. Fino una decina di anni fa, sulla porta di entrata dell’asilo c’era scritto ancora “Dono di Camillo e Francesco Porreca”. E’ stato tolto, forse da chi aveva dimenticato o non conosceva il motivo di quella scritta. Nel 1919 c’è stata la famosa rivolta in cui alcuni torricellani guidati da un capopopolo fecero una sommossa per contestare i cari prezzi, saccheggiando alcuni negozi. Uno di questi negozi fu quello di Camillo Porreca e poi quello di Antonio Aspromonte “paparascianne” (vedi nel bolettino Amici di Torricella l’articolo “Il merlo del paese – La rivoluzione” pubblicato sul n° 0 dell’agosto 1988, pagina 5, e articolo “L’asilo delle suore” pubblicato sul n° 17 del dicembre 1996, pagina 4). Si racconta che dopo Camillo Porreca ci rimase molto male perché secondo lui, che aveva fatto molto per Torricella e i torricellani, non meritava questa irriconoscenza. Così non riaprì più il negozio e si trasferì a Roma.A Torricellan benefactor, who lived in the latter part of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s. His nickname was “Calzone”. It shows He had a large shop where he sold a bit of everything, both retail and also wholesale, to the other shops in the neighboring villages. He owned the building that now is the “Caffè del Corso”. According to some he had built it to make it into a hospital and give it to the people of Torricella. He also owned the small nursery school building that had been built specifically so that the nuns could teach the young children of Torricella. Until about ten years ago there was still an inscription on the door saying “Gift from Camillo and Francesco Porreca”. It has been removed, perhaps by someone who had forgotten or who never knew the reason for that inscription. In 1919 there was the famous revolution in which some Torricellans, led by a mob-leader, carried out an uprising against high prices and sacked several shops, the first of which was that of Camillo Porreca, then that of Antonio Aspromonte “paparascianne” (see in the Amici di Torricella newsletter the articles “The Village Blackbird – The Revolution”, Issue Number 0, August 1988, Page 5, and “The Nuns’ Nursery School”, Issue Number 17, December 1996, Page 4). It is told that Camillo Porreca felt really badly because according to him he had done so much for Torricella and the Torricellans that he did not deserve this ingratitude. Therefore, he never reopened his shop, and he moved to Rome. |
Fedele Porreca
Fabbro, “lu ferrare”, del paese per tantissimi anni. Capostipite della famiglia di ciufielle. Anche i suoi figli ed alcuni dei suoi nipoti hanno proseguito l’arte del lavorare il ferro e l’arte del maniscalco.
The blacksmith of the town for many years, in dialect “lu ferrare”. The ancestral head of the family nicknamed ciufielle. His sons and some of his nephews continued in the art of ironworking and blacksmithing.
Album: Elena Paterra
![]() Album: Casa (Family) Mancini Horse trader and a craftsman of saddles for horses, donkeys and mules.
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![]() La foto ritrae Domenico Di Marino detto Mingo di marcone o anche chiamato semplicemente Marcone. Ha avuto per tanti anni il bar e l’albergo Italia. Da un concorso fotografico del 1988. Domenico Di Marino, known as Mingo di marcone or simply Marcone. He had the Italia Hotel and Bar for many years. From a 1988 photo contest. |
![]() Foto scattata da Don Francesco Di Pasqua |
Anni 70 (1970s) Nicola Porreca dell’orefice Il soprannome era dell’orefice perchè lui era un orefice. Fra le varie collane e anelli d’oro che vendeva, aveva quasi un’esclusiva su quei ciondoli d’oro in filigrana, tipicamente abruzzesi, “La presuntuosa”, fatta come una stella a otto punte, che si regalava alla fidanzata. Andava in tutte le gite che organizzavano i preti, mentre a Torricella era “casa e bottega”, cioè stava sempre dentro alla sua bottega d’orefice. Gli mancava anche la vista e quindi lo vedevi sempre con il monocoletto appoggiato all’occhio. His nickname was orefice because he was a jeweler, “orefice” in Italian. Along with all the necklaces and rings of gold he sold, he had almost an exclusive on the traditional pendant from Abruzzo, “La Presuntuosa”, an 8-pointed star made with fine gold strands, which was given as an engagement present. He used to go on all the excursions organized by the priests, but in Torricella it was always “home and work”, meaning he was always in his jewelry workshop. He also had poor vision, and so he was always seen with a single eyepiece hanging over his eye. Photo taken by Father Francesco Di Pasqua. Album: Nicola Di Pasqua, Domenico Di Pasqua, Sandra DI Pasqua, nipoti del ex-parroco di Torricella, Don Francesco Di Pasqua (nephews and niece of the former parish priest of Torricella, Father Francesco Di Pasqua) |
Album di Salvatore Copertino
Giovanni De Simeonibus a cavallo Medico condotto a Torricella dal 1935 al 1955. Giovanni De Simeonibus riding a horse Doctor of Torricella from 1935 to 1955. |
End Business |
Don (Father) Francesco Porreca ![]() Prete e fratello di Camillo Porreca. Anche lui grande benefattore dei poveri di Torricella. Fino a poco tempo fa il suo nome, insieme a quello del fratello Camillo, faceva parte di una scritta sul portale dell’asilo.Priest and Camillo Porreca’s brother. He too was an important benefactor to the poor in Torricella. Until recently his name, together with that of his brother Camillo, was to be seen on an inscription on the School’s door. Il quadro è ancora all’interno dell’edificio del vecchio asilo. The portrait is still inside the old nursery school building. |
Zi Antonio Album: Salvatore Copertino ![]() |
Il sacrestano della Madonna delle Rose. Ha vissuto sino agli anni 70.
Zi Antonio (“Zi” in dialect is “zio”, uncle; it is a term of respect used to refer to elderly men who become “uncles” of the entire community). The sacristan of the church Madonna delle Rose. He lived into the 1970s. |
Zi Antonio e la moglie, l’ultimo sagrestano della Madonna delle Rose Album di Salvatore Copertino the last sexton of the church of the Madonna delle Rose. |
End Clergy |
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Domenico (Mingo) Croce
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End Sports ?? |
Album: Antonio Piccoli Nicola Piccoli (1918- 1982) Soldato nella guerra di Grecia e di Albania negli anni 1939-1942. Sarto a Torricella dal dopoguerra sino al 1970. Soldier in the war in Greece and Albania from 1939 to 1942. A tailor in Torricella from after the war until 1970.
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![]() Antonio Teti Before going off to the First World War. Photo taken around 1915. Album: Federico Teti |
Soldiers |
Segretario Sabatini
Ritratto fatto da Don Roberto Porreca, farmacista dagli anni 20 agli anni 50, in cui è scritta anche una dedica ironica.
Sabatini è stato per molti anni, 1915-1930 circa, segretario comunale e si racconta fosse molto potente. Anche per merito suo fu acquistato il terreno su cui poi fu piantumata la pineta.
Portrait by Don Roberto Porreca, pharmacist from the 1920s through to the 1950s, with a sarcastic hand-written dedication. For many years (about 1915 – 1930) Sabatini was Secretary at the Town Hall and it is told that he was very powerful. Thanks to him, land was purchased which then was used to plant the Pineta, the Pinewood Park.
Album: Elena Paterra
Verse handwritten underneath the sketch of Sabatini drawn by Don Roberto Porreca.
Golden Dreams
Monument to the fallen (Cav. 1) – Soon
Monument to Bellini (Comm. 2); and to the father
Of him (Grand’ Uff .3 ), and to the father of his father
Our fellow citizen (Gran Gordone 4)!
To obscure Trevi 5, a huge fountain
All in columns, plaster and little cupids!
Equestrian statue of Victory, and – bad as it goes –
The same for Carlo Alberto 6 …. Sabatini!7
After that, if there’s any money left,
Who knows but maybe they’ll mend a few roads ….
TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:
1 Cav. = Cavaliere = Knight
2 Comm. = Commendatore = a lower honorific title
3 Grand’ Uff. = Great Officer (I think)
4 Gran Gordone (Great Gordon) = Can’t think of a reference to a Gordon relevant to Italy – it may simply be an expletive – or else a reference to the great British Major-General Charles George Gordon (1833-1885) of Khartoum, who is probably the most famous Gordon. He became a national hero for his exploits in China and his ill-fated defence of Khartoum against Sudanese rebels. The British public reacted to his death by acclaiming ‘Gordon of Khartoum’ a martyred warrior-saint and blamed the government, particularly Gladstone, for failing to relieve the siege.
5 Trevi = The Trevi fountain in Rome, one of the world’s most famous fountains – inspiration for the “Three Coins in a Fountain” song/film – it is more or less how he describes it in the next two lines… Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
6 Carlo Alberto = Carlo Alberto = Charles Albert of Savoia, King of Sardinia, father of Vittorio Emmanuel, King of Italy; famous historically for many reasons… for further details see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Albert_of_Sardinia
7 Sabatini = Sabatini = the powerful Secretary of Torricella Town Hall – object of derision in this “dedication”!!.
Antonio Porreca (1880-1953) ![]() Ideatore e progettista della pineta. Dedicò molte delle sue energie per la piantumazione e attecchimento delle piante. Creator and designer of the Pineta, the Pinewood Park. He dedicated much energy to the planting process and to the trees establishing roots.
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Album: Germana Piccone ‘Ndonio (Antonio) di barile An unforgettable person. He lived from 1920s to the 1970s. He was very good at doing jobs that required physical strength. He was a good-natured man that had a little difficulty speaking. Camillo Fantini di paparabelle and he were porters, and they had memorable clashes struggling to grab the bags of passengers getting off the bus. Album: Germana Piccone ‘Ndonio (Antonio) di barilePersonaggio indimenticabile. Vissuto nel periodo anni 20-anni 70. Si adattava a fare i lavori in cui occorreva la forza fisica. Aveva un pò di difficoltà nel parlare ed era un bonaccione. Memorabili gli scontri contro Camillo Fantini di paparabelle quando facevano i facchini e lottavano per accaparrarsi le valige dei viaggiatori che scendevano dalla corriera. |
Salvatore Di Toto (Lu muparielle)![]() Il suo amico fidato era Vincenzo Peschi, il barbiere, con cui riusciva a farsi capire e a capire lui. Nella foto è a cavallo della sua inseparabile motocicletta, alla Madonna delle Rose.Salvatore Di Toto ‘lu muparielle’ (born 1912) died at the hospital in Casoli in 1974; he was 62 years old. He was a deaf mute and that is why he was called “Lu muparielle” (dialect for “mute”; in Italian “muto”). They say that his parents emigrated in the 1940s. When they were examined in Naples to determine if they were fit to leave for America, their son was rejected and not allowed to leave because he was deaf mute. His parents departed, and he returned to Torricella where he lived together with an elderly couple. Then, when they died, he remained on his own. He made a living as a very respected house painter. Many houses still have their rooms painted by “Lu muparielle”. He had a mind of his own, both in the colors he chose and in the creative ways he used them. His specialty was painting walls to look like veined marble. His faithful friend was Vincenzo Peschi, the barber, who he managed to communicate with and who managed to communicate back. In the photo he is on his inseparable motorcycle at the Madonna delle Rose.
Album: Pietro D’Ippolito di carrare |
End Esteemed Individuals |
![]() Album: Francine Piccoli |
Antonio Piccoli (1852-1934) Ancestral head of the family nicknamed maone. |
Album di Salvatore Copertino – 1920 circa Luigi Di Iorio ( seduto) e Luigi Copertino ( in piedi). Luigi Di Iorio (seated) and Luigi Copertino(standing).
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Luigi Di Iorio, ( Torricella 1904 – 1985 ) la guardia comunale, chiamato anche “Zi Luiggie de la brasilese” mentre annaffia le giovani piantine nella zona della pineta vicina all’attuale chiosco, dietro alla fontanella. A quel tempo quella era una zona da lui ritenuta “off limits”, guai se trovava qualcuno di noi bambini a giocare li dentro, le urla e “le sberle” si sprecavano, nello stesso tempo se vedeva che ci comportavamo bene aveva sempre una caramella in tasca . La sua passione e l’amore per la pineta era tantissima e dopo tanto tempo che ci ha lasciati tutti noi lo ricordiamo con rispetto e come esempio di rettitudine e amore per il proprio paese.Luigi Di Iorio, (Torricella 1904 – 1985) the village guard, known also as “Zi Luiggie de la brasilese” – shown watering the young plants in the zone of the Pinewood near to where the present-day kiosk stands, behind the little fountain.In those days this zone was considered by him to be “off limits”, there would have been trouble for any of us children had he found us playing there, the shouts and the “slaps” were a waste of his energy, on the other hand, if he saw that we were behaving ourselves nicely, he always had a toffee in his pocket. He had an enormous passion and love for the Pinewood and even now, so long after he left us, we all remember him with respect and as an example of rectitude and love for his own village. |
Peppino Manzi Carpenter. Antonio Manzi’s father and Marietta Manzi’s grandfather. Photo taken in 1944 just after returning from the evacuation caused by the war.
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Album: Marietta Manzi ![]() |
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Camillo Fantini di paparabelle Album: Germana Piccone
Era di una famiglia poverissima, suo fratello, Giuseppe Fantini, all’età di 18 anni fu il primo caduto della Brigata Maiella durante la battaglia di Pizzoferrato nel febbraio del 44. He came from a very poor family and his brother, Giuseppe Fantini, was the first to die in the Brigata Maiella during the battle of Pizzoferrato in February 1944.
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Album di Flavia Piccone – 1928 Don Michele Di Valerio di Fallascoso che manda una cartolina personale, con la sua foto a ricordo del suo ottantesimo compleanno, a Ottorino Piccone. All’epoca Ottorino Piccone era il Podestà ( sindaco) di Torricella e Di Valerio da poco non era più il Podestà di Fallascoso in quanto con regio decreto nel maggio 1928 Fallascoso era stato annesso al comune di Torricella. |
Don Michele Di Valerio of Fallascoso sending a personal postcard, with a photo of his eightieth birthday, to Ottorino Piccone. At that time, Ottorino Piccone was the Podestà (Mayor) of Torricella and Di Valerio had just recently stopped being the Podestà of Fallascoso, since by the Royal Decree of May 1928 Fallascoso had been annexed to the Comune of Torricella.
Il barbiere Nicola Copertino
Foto degli anni 30 davanti alla “puteche” del barbiere di Copertino che d’estate faceva la barba fuori dal negozio.
Barber Nicola Copertino
Photo taken in 1930s in front of the Copertino barber “puteche” (dialect for “shop; in Italian “bottega”). In the summer he used to shave customers outside the shop.
Album: Salvatore Copertino
Pietro D’Ulisse detto (known as) Pitruccio di manelle |
Sta pigiando l’uva con il torchio. Abitava a contrada Madonna delle Rose.
He is crushing grapes with a press. He lived in the Madonna delle Rose hamlet.
Album: Gabriella Porreca
Il ricordo di Peppinuccio Cionna (Joe Cionni):
Marianna Teti di zampacorta, moglie di Concezio D’Orazio, era una bravissima donna. |
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Recollections of Peppinuccio Cionna (Joe Cionni):
Marianna Teti di zampacorta, wife of Concezio D’Orazio, was a wonderful woman. |
Za Marianna Teti di zampacorta
Album: Casa (Family) Mancini |
Camillo Fantini di paperabelle
Negli ultimi anni della sua vita. Towards the last years of his life. Album: Enzo Di Martino |
English translation courtesy of Dan (Donato) Aspromonte and Dr. Marion Apley Porreca |