The Italians of West Fife

Guest speaker was retired Dunfermline nurse Norma Alari talking about her book which explores the history of Italians, including her own family, who settled and established businesses in West Fife.

Read more at https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/fife/2323279/they-worked-so-hard-history-of-italian-immigrants-to-west-fife-celebrated-in-new-book/

Norma Alari is the granddaughter of the above mentioned Amos and she has written a book entitled “Italians of West Fife”.  She explained how Italians made such a big impact in Scotland.

Her parents, Donald and Nora Alari’s ran the chip shop business and then her elder brother, Amos, until it was sold in 2016.

Norma, a former pupil of St Margaret’s RC Primary and St Columba’s RC High School now lives in Cupar, embarked upon researching her family history and in the process came across many other Italian families many of whom are still remembered for their fish and chip and ice cream businesses. Names like Vernoloni, Cascarino, Maloco, Corrieri, Divito, Ferrari, Taddei, Tazioli and Berturelli only some of the many that became well known to West Fifers.

Norma explained that main occupations of the Italian migrants were not just cafe related, there were figurine and statue makers, organgrinders, confectioners, mosaic tile layers, bakers and hairdressers.

It became inevitable that Norma would have to document all the information that she was discovering while researching census, valuation registers, town council records, libraries across Central Scotland and in Fife Council archives. What started as a hobby grew into the 160 page book that was published this year.

The book “Italians of West Fife” is available from the gift shop at Abbot House, price £9.99.