Elisabetta Marcantonio (ca 1869 - 1954) was probably born in Picinisco, Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. She was the eldest child of Gesidio Marcantonio (ca 1840 - 1886) and Maria Mancini (ca 1847 - 1905).
When Elisabetta was seven, she travelled on foot from Italy to Calais and from Dover to London, with her father and a group of about 12 children. Their guide was the 'master' for whom they would work in England. The journey took three months and they were only given bread to eat. They slept outdoors or in a barn. The master paid the boat fares from Calais to Dover and when they had arrived in London they were sent out onto the streets as musicians, even though they couldn't play the accordion. However, in time Elisabetta became a good accordionist.
After a short while the Marcantonios moved to Norwich, still working for the master, and in the mid 1880s Elisabetta and her father were joined by her mother and siblings.
The Norwich artist Catherine Maud Nichols (1847 - 1923) saw Elisabetta playing her accordion one day in Brigg Street, when she was about nine years old. Elisabetta was pretty and she became Miss Nichols' model and protégée.
Elisabetta's father died on 2 November 1886 in Ipswich, on his way back from a visit to Italy, and Elisabetta had to take charge of the family at the age of 17.
In Italy a promise of marriage had been made between Elisabetta and the son of a noble family, Luigi Capaldi. He followed Elisabetta to Norwich - she lived at 3 Boarded Entry Yard, Ber Street - and they were married on 10 October 1889 at St John Maddermarket Catholic chapel. Thanks to her friend Catherine Maud Nichols, it was a fashionable marriage, that was even reported on in the local newspapers. From then onward Elisabetta was known as 'Lovely Liz'.
Elisabetta and Luigi had two daughters, Maria Christina (1890 - 1979) and Maria Josephina (1892 - 1970). In 1891 the family lived at 33 Crawfoot Yard, Ber Street, and Elisabetta and Luigi were street musicians. However, they had moved to 42 St Stephens Road, Lakenham, by 1901, when Luigi was an organ grinder.
On 27 August 1902 Luigi Capaldi died of Phthisis at Lakenham. He left Elisabetta £218 4s 7d.
Elisabetta returned to Ber Street and at the time of her second marriage she was living at 14 Black Swan Yard. She married with Leonello Carrara, a plaster image merchant from Lucca, Tuscany, on 21 April 1903 at St John Baptist Catholic church. They had four children: Carmine Frank (1904 - 1961), Antonetta (1905 - 1976), Florindo (1908 - 1979), named after Leonello's father, and Maria Georgina (1911 - 1911).
At the time of Carmine and Antonetta's births the family lived at 151 Ber Street, but by 1908 they had moved to Brooks Yard. 2 Brooks Yard was also their address on the 1911 census. Elisabetta was a street musician and Leonello an ice cream vendor.
On 17 February 1912 Leonello Carrara arrived in New York. His destination was Providence. It is unknown why he was there, but the story goes that Elisabetta was supposed to have travelled on the Titanic, which sailed from Liverpool on 10 April 1912. However, she was told in a dream not to go on the Titanic and she took the advice.
From 1924 onwards the Carraras lived at 123 Ber Street. Leonello died of Carcinoma of liver on 30 August 1944 in Norwich. He was an ice cream vendor.
Between 1950 and 1954 Elisabetta Carrara was an ice cream maker.
Elisabetta was mentioned in the following trade directories
Elisabetta died on 8 June 1954 of Myocardial failure and Arterial hypertension.
Her daughter Antonetta was 'Black Anna', who ran The Jolly Butchers pub at 123 Ber Street. Several photographs of The Jolly Butchers and Antoinette Carrara can be found on Picture Norfolk http://norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_001_Search.aspx?searchType=97.
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