The Quilietti Family

Mary Arpino was the Daughter of  Angelina Quilietti and Giovanni Arpino grandaughter of Augusto Quilietti and Francesca Arpino. Mary was born in the year 1912 and sadly died in the year 2007 age 96.

Mary, the eldest 1912, Gaetano or Charles 1913, Emilia, 1916, Nicola 1917 all Linlithgow. Then Angelina 1921 Uphall and Giovanni Battista in 1922 Uphall

Mary would never  have know her grandfather Augusto Quilietti, as he died in 1904. Mary was born in 302 High Street, Linlithgow on 20th March 1912, the eldest of the children of Angelina Quilietti and Giovanni Battista Arpino

When we met up with Mary in 1998 although she was in her 80s she had good recollections of her past.  She was able to share with  us a few of the  memories  she had of her family.

MARY’S children

Palma Curran Arpino. 1929-2011

Her eldest daughter Palma Curran was born on 31st December 1929 when Mary was still a tender age.   Being unmarried, things were not as they are now and Palma was legally adopted by natural grandparents Angelina Quilietti and John Arpino, and brought up as Mary’s youngest sister. When Palma was 17 she met a handsome Italian Carmelo Accolla who was a POW in Scotland. They met whilst both working on the farms during the War. Their romance blossomed and she had a baby Pricilla Anne Arpino who was born in 1946.

In 1949 Palma married the love of her life Alexander Slater 1927-2015. Their children came along Tamara, Trudy and Palma. – Please see separate pages for their family photos

Palma always referred to John and Angelina as her natural parents. This is their marriage certificate from 1949.

Mary married James Joyce Hunter on 28th September 1934 in Edinburgh.   James was a coal miner as was his father before him. He resided at Moffat House in Ormiston at the time.   Mary lived in the flat adjoining the family business, Fordel Cafe, Pathhead, Ford, Midlothian.   She describes herself as a Confectioners’ Shop Assistant at the time of their marriage.

Children of James Joyce Hunter and Mary Arpino

Angelina Hunter [twin] 1935

Angelina Hunter [twin] was born on 5th January 1935 at Moffat House in Ormiston. Now this is her story as far as I have worked out to date – any help will be most appreciated. She married two times. First to John Reid with children James, Lorraine and Craig. They had married in 1955 and divorced in February 1964. She then married Thomas Debono and moved to Malta.

It was in the March of 1964 she married a Maltese National called Thomas Debono who was 25 years her senior. They in turn had one son Charles . Angelina lived in Malta for many years and Mary Arpino recalled many years later how she enjoyed visiting her there. Charles was brought up in Malta and died there in 2016. Charles had half siblings – Georgina, Antoinette and Alfredo Debono. Perhaps more. It was Thomas’s second marriage.

is now with John Moffat photographed below with her

Angelina’s son Craig – 1960

‘My personal life story started in Edinburgh until I was 3 when our mother Angelina took us to Malta and we were put in a home run by nuns until me and James were old enough to be sent to a boys only school. I returned to Edinburgh when I was 13 where I lived with my auto Joyce and Uncle John Mackay.

Moving on a few years, I married a girl called Heather Lloyd and we had 1 child. That was Glenn Reid.

After my first divorce I met Davina Lee and we had a girl called Kelly Lee.

Then I married for the second time to Annette Doran and we had Kyle Reid.

After a turmoil life I met and married Amy Hickling and we had our son Archie Reid. He is now about to turn 14. Such a handsome lad.

My marriage ended with Amy and I now concentrate on work and Archie.”

Malta

Back in Scotland

Craig now focusing on bringing up his son and working.

Angelina’s son JOHN JAMES or JJ Reid 1955

JJ is an Artist who now lives in London. He married in 1976 in Finland to Eira Isonimi. They have one son Jan Reid who was born in 1978

ISSIE REID 1957

Joyce Elizabeth Hunter twin 1935

Joyce Elizabeth Hunter [twin] was born on 5th January 1935 in Moffat House in Ormiston. As far as I can see Joyce married three times. Her first husband was Craig Duncan Slater who was the brother of Alexander Slater who had married her sister Palma. They married in 1954 and divorced in 1969. Later in 1969 she married John Mackay but he sadly passed away in 1980. Her last marriage was in 1997 to her sister’s x husband James John Reid. Joyce has one daughter Joyce Marie Slater

Joyce’s daughter Marie 1954

Marie has also been in touch with her story. Thank you for getting in touch and sorting out some of the family lines.

Marie in three stages of her life.

“It is a daunting task trying to make sense of family connections.  My husband Alex did family trees for a few people so I understand 🙈 Not sure what info I can give other than I was born 26th November 1954 lived in Pathhead up the hill from my Granny Mary Hunter

This family heirloom is now with Marie. A cherished photograph of her ancestors. Granny Mary the little girl standing at the left. Then her brother Charlie and sister Angelina. With them mother Angelina Quilietti standing at the back. Her mum Francesca Arpino Quilietti seated centre. The older lady is old Benedetta Cascarino or Arpino who was Francesca’s mother.

Quoting Marie – “I married in 1973 to Alexander Stuart McKinnon. We stayed at first in Woodburn, Dalkeith where our first son Jamie was born 5th June 1979.”

We then moved to Abu Dhabi in 1980 . I had Mark my second son out there on 24th January 1983 .

We moved back to Scotland in 1987 and settled in Ratho on outskirts of Edinburgh. Jamie who lives in Ratho too has wife Ailsa son Zac and daughter Isla . Mark lives in Dunbar with wife Joanne and son Jamie and daughter Abby .

Sadly my husband Alex passed away 19th November 2018 . Hope this helps but please get in touch if anything else you need to know about family and I will try to help .

Janet Maria Hunter 1945

Mary’s youngest daughter was Janet Maria Hunter and she was born in Pathhead on 31st January 1945 at the end of the War Years. The photograph below was sent to me by Pricilla. At the right is Janet.

Janet worked for a time at Lloyds at the Orchard Brae at West End and also at Morrissey. She married William Hugh Graham in 1970 and they divorced in 1975. In-between Alastair Stuart Graham was born 1970 and Lyndsey Graham 1972. Taday Ali works with the Fire Service