CHEVERINI Fusco connections

The Cheverini or Chiaverini surname is an Italian surname originating from the Abruzzo region of Italy. There are families here that go back to towns called Palena and Paglieta in Chieti, Abruzzo. Italy to the 1700s.

Our JACOPO BASQUALE we know arrived in Ireland before 1856 as it was here he married Elizabeth Maginness. His profession was Organ Grinder and later Musician and Stucco Maker.

We take ourselves to Dublin, Ireland in the year 1856. Here we find an Italian who has travelled we believe from Italy, through Dover and onto Ireland from there.
**Jacopo or Iacopo Basquale Chevereni** or **Chavrini**
1830–1877
**BIRTH** 1830 Italy
**DEATH** 12 JAN 1877 • Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
he marries an Irish lass

**Elizabeth Magennis** OR Magennis
**BIRTH** ABT. 1840 • Dublin, IRELAND
**DEATH** Unknown

At first Jacopo or Jacob or Joseph was an Organ Grinder and had his own Monkey. Below are extracts from the local Belfast Press. Interesting and funny reading

Example of an Organ Grinder. The records show that Jacopo was performing in the middle 1850s in Dublin, much earlier than many examples in other cities and countries. We know that they lived in an extremely poor area in Dublin at the time.

Children of Jacopo or Jacob Cheverini and Elizabeth Maginness.

Eldest daughter
Joanna Chaverini OR Chaivrini b 1858 in either Cork or Dublin in Ireland. Joanna married Laurentius Josephus Bonini or Lawrence Joseph Bonini later Bannon. 1857-1898. Laurentius was born on 1st December 1857 and baptised on the 5th December in St. Nicholas in Dublin City, which apparently at the time was a very poor suburb of the City.

Marriage of **Johanna Cheverini** and **Lawrence Bannon** [Bonini]
19th June 1876 in St. Patrick’s Belfast.
Laurence an Upholsterer, his father Dominick a Moulder.
Johanna’s father Jacob a Musician.
Most Interesting to see **Luigi Fusco** here as one of the Witnesses. 1876
**Their children came along soon thereafter**
**Dominick Bannon Bonini**
**1877–1949**
**BIRTH** 07 APR 1877 • Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
**DEATH** 3 DEC 1949 • Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
**Louis Bannon Bonini**
**1879–1920**
**BIRTH** 15 MAY 1879 • Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
**DEATH** 13 APR 1920 • Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
**Ann Jane Bonini**
**1881–1961**
**BIRTH** 05 NOV 1881 • Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
**DEATH** 24 FEB 1961 • Summer Hill, NSW Australia

2nd Daughter – Elizabeth Cheverini was born on 14th March 1864 in Cork in Ireland but baptised in Dublin on 27th May of the same year. She died in Edinburgh in Scotland on 28th March 1915.

Elizabeth married John Waddie who was also a Stucco Figure Maker like her father Jacob. The marriage was performed in BELFAST and their son Angelo was born there in 1888. They moved to Edinburgh and here Elizabeth had a relationship with John Balgarnie resulting in the birth of a son in 1895. The couple allegedly would marry some time later.

Angelo Waddie was in The Scots Guards during the First World War. His address given at the time as 75 Grassmarket, Edinburgh. He developed TB during the War Years and was discharged in 1915. He was called up the following year and served again till 1919 and was given the Silver Star.

On his discharge in 1920 Angelo Waddie was residing in the South Side of Edinburgh at 39 Drummond Street, Edinburgh.

You can see he was short in stature but nevertheless left the Army with great honours.

When Anglo died in 1922 age only 34. It was the Tuberculosis of the Lungs which killed him. You can see he was now in Glasgow and although an Army Pensioner was still working. His half brother John Waddie was informant to his death. Both his parents deceased.

WHEN ELIZABETH CHEVERINI died in Mach 1915 she was residing at 23 Dickson’s Close, Edinburgh. Her husband only given as John Waddie and he was still alive then. There is no acknowledgement of her other ‘husband’ John Balgarnie.

3rd Daughter MARY CHAVERINI 1866-1928. Mary was the first of the family to be born in Belfast on 19th June 1866. On 21st April 1889 she married in Belfast to another Italian Antonio Da Prato 1867-1930 [ I believe is a Tuscan surname.] Antonio became a Confectioner by Trade in later years.

Shortly after they wed they also moved to Edinburgh. It was here their son Luigi was born. There may have been another son Antonio born in Belfast but unsure if he died prematurely as there is no sign of him in the Scottish archives.

Luigi Da PRATO was born on 31st July 1891 in the Canongate in Edinburgh’s old Town. He died on 10th February 1952 in Glasgow with profession of Mosaic Worker. He had married Wilhelmina Dryden and they had at least one son Anthony. Also a daughter Wilhelmina Da Prato.

Son JACOPO BASQUALE CHEVERINI was born on 26th Feb. 1871. He died on 30th March the same year

John Cheverini FUSCO was born in Belfast on 23rd June 1875 in Belfast, Antrim in Ireland. He died in Portobello, Edinburgh on 14th June 1942. He married Maria Brattesani and links the families together. There is some doubt as to the parentage of John and his younger brother Joseph. The story goes that his mother Elizabeth was running a Boarding House on the outskirts of Belfast and it was here that she let a room to Luigi Fusco who was working in Belfast at this time. So when her husband Jacopo died in 1877 she took up with the young Luigi. They married and brought up the two boys with the surname FUSCO. We shall never know the true story however it is good to have the story documented for future generations.