Comments on: So Long, Olive Besagni

By: Pete Dwyer

Pete Dwyer — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:30:09 +0000

This is such a lovely find for me. My mother’s Italian heritage family were from Clerkenwell/Finsbury and they all knew Olive and Bruno. In fact my mother’s own name was Olive too. I last saw Bruno at my aunt’s funeral at SS Peter & Paul’s in Amwell Street. He said to me “Remember son, we come from the mountains!” Referring to the fact that both our families originated and farmed and lived in the mountains of Northern Italy. I was very fond of both of them and used to see them at the parade every year and I am sad to hear that they have since passed. We come from the mountains! RIP Olive and Bruno xx

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 09:30:05 +0000

absolutely wonderful story

By: Ronald McKenzie

Ronald McKenzie — Tue, 16 May 2017 23:58:43 +0000

What a beautiful woman!

By: Achim

Achim — Tue, 16 May 2017 13:08:53 +0000

Olive & Bruno Besagni — R.I.P.

Love & Peace
ACHIM

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Tue, 16 May 2017 11:14:07 +0000

Greetings from Boston,

What a delightful story of Olive and Bruno, weathering so many years together with joy. That description of “Back Hill in Clerkenwell” sounds like the old North End in Boston. Settled by Italians “right off the boat” around 1900, it is now gentrified with sky high real estate values while still retaining great restaurants and observing Italian feast days every Sunday in summer.

GA, thanks for yet another great story…

By: John Barrett

John Barrett — Tue, 16 May 2017 07:37:14 +0000

This is a true love story two hearts that were one – united in life and now in death just perfect. They bounced though life lots of happiness & energy, more importantly Olive & Bruno were ‘best mates’ a perfect combo. Happiness may pass your way only once this team took advantage of that with passion and love. Poet John – PS Thanks GA for a perfect run down. Its Bruno’s turn now. I hope the family reads this I am sure they will be so proud of this dream team. I have been off line for a while.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 16 May 2017 07:32:58 +0000

I keep coming back to look at the photographs..beautiful.

By: Phil Maxwell

Phil Maxwell — Tue, 16 May 2017 07:28:07 +0000

A wonderful life.

By: Barbara Elsmore

Barbara Elsmore — Tue, 16 May 2017 07:17:49 +0000

Thank you for sharing the story of this heartwarming and talented life. I have sent immediately for a copy of Olive’s book as she will help my family understand more about what it might have been like for our penniless Italian grandfather arriving in Holborn in the late 1890s.

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Tue, 16 May 2017 05:41:52 +0000

She was a fantastic lady! Valerie