My mother and I have been trying to gather as much as possible, because our family on her side at least is kinda remarkable. This is the body of an email we got from my aunt, who's been working on trying to get the facts in order. Nan is my great grandmother, Pop my great grandfather…
This is what history I know.
During the first world war, Nan Michalidis father was a a postman, and they lived in Gorizia, which country changed borders, and was once part of Yugoslavia, then part of Northern Italy. I understand it was part of Austria as well. Nan spoke 7 languages – Slav being her first language when she was young.
The Italians conquered her village. Her father was a partisan, and was captured. He was tied to the back of a jeep with a rope, and dragged around the village until he died in front of the whole family.
Nan’s mother (Maria Questo – nee Marinich, she was married twice) ,caught typhoid fever and was taken to hospital. The villagers were in desperate condition. Great grandmother Questo lost all her hair before she eventually died. She was nursed in the hospital by Nan Michalidis, who also caught typoid.
In Nan’s family, there were six brothers. Nan was the only darker one. One of her brothers had red hair. The brothers fought with the Austrian army against the Italians. She never saw them again, and was an orphan at a young age. She thought one of her brothers at least, ended up migrating to America, but lost track of him.
The Red Cross sent her to Egypt as a refugee, and found her work with a wealthy family as a servant.
Pop( Jean Michalidis) was a profession singer, (born in Limassol, Cyprus) trained in Italy as an opera singer, and adopted the name of Signor Michelli.
He had older sisters, and could not marry until his older sisters were married. He ran away and married Nan (Stefania Questo).
Your mother briefly remembers meeting her fathers family, but they were not receptive to Nan M and your mother and brother Jim (whose name is Dimitri Michalidis).
Uncle Jim, your mother and parents lived prosperous, well educated lives. Nan and Pop had servants, and they looked after the children while they travelled extensively with an opera company around the Mediterranean and Northern Africa.
Nan and Pop came with the company Pop formed to Australia with a partner. The partner stole the company’s money and your grandparents were stranded here. Because Pop was competent in bookbinding, and singing, he maintained the family who lived in Queens Park. In the meantime Mary (listed on her passport as a Romanian- this is a bit of an unsolved mystery. Some members of the family thought Nan had a fair bit of gypsy in her)) and Amelia (Australia)were born. Nan had a son born here as well, who she called Constantine. The neighbour who registered the baby boy thought Constantine was too foreign, and so he was registered Douglas.
Mum and Jim were left behind in Egypt. A friend looked after your mother, and she was educated in a French Convent where she learned fluent French, as well as speaking Greek, English, Italian, and Egyption. She learned English in Australia.
The house where she stayed had very strange arrangements – not what Mum was used to. Different doors, different house areas where she was not allowed, and the “friend” was very strict and not very nice to Mum.
Later, mum found out the “house” was a brothel.
The ship was steam and sail. The captain defended her at one time in his cabin against a rebellious crew.
After a fire at sea, and repairs at Colombo, they arrived in Australia bringing with them the family jewels which had been entrusted to them.
At the excitement of greeting the family, the jewels were left in the taxi, which took off and the jewels were never regained.
Signor De Micheli found your father who was looking for a singing teacher, (You may remember Dad had a very good voice), and brought your dad to his house in Queens Park where he subsequently met Mum. You know the rest of the story.
Pop Michalidis (or Signor De Micheli) was king of the castle. He was spoilt by his wife, and he was not interested in promoting a singing career for any of Mum’s sisters or herself – you know Mum has a good voice(she still sings in tune). Mum did want to sing on stage, but was not allowed.
The Michalidis family also had a dairy of sorts in Queens Park, and Michael says pop introduced Feta cheese into the community here.
