 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Jeanete Zanotto's Family History
 Me, aged 4 months |
The story of my family involves Italian and English immigration, wine-making and sugar cane farming, |
|
My Father
|
Giuseppe (Joe) Zanotto, born in Italy 7/7/1934. Emigrated to Australia in the 1950s. Place of birth: The village of Negrisia, on the Piave River near Treviso, Veneto region, northern Italy (half way between Venice and the Alps). Siblings - Bruno, Elio, Mario, Pia, Rita (all still in Italy living in and around the family vineyard)
Favourite memories from my childhood: He had a good sense of humour. He was a hard worker and a "people person". Now retired, he is a volunteer with a number of community organisations. He was savvy, but generous, with his time and money. He inspired my interest in real estate. He stopped smoking when we kids started experimenting. He plays the harmonica.
Click here to read about the Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre in Victoria, where he was assigned on his arrival in Australia. Migrants were required to remain in their assigned employment for two years, but the lure of better prospects in the sugar industry had my dad and a mate on a train headed north long before his time was up. |
We also make Prosecco (champagne style), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Verduzzo Friulano |
| My Mother |
Betty Jean Zanotto (nee Shinn) born 19/12/1943 at Mackay, Australia. Married in North Mackay 6/1/63 Siblings - George (1924-1985), Dorothy (b. 1936), Arthur (b.1945) Favourite memories of my childhood: She made great cakes, from angel cakes for afternoon tea to my 21st birthday and wedding cakes. She liked taking us for Sunday drives. She taught me to sew. She plays the piano accordion. |
|
| The business |  My dad had a Golden Fleece service station in the main street of Mackay. My first job, at 14, was working in the servo the old-fashioned way - pumping gas, putting air in tyres, cleaning windscreens and checking oil. |
|
| My brothers |
He works in the building industry and owns a property in the Daintree region in North Queensland. He has a daughter, Joanne. |
He works as a researcher for Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and shares a terrace house in Surry Hills, Sydney with his partner. |
| My Grandfather |
Siblings - unnamed twins, Ernest (1891), Olive, Rupert, Fred, George (my grandfather), Silvery, Evelyn, Isabel, Lilian, William, Jack, Cecil (1914) Favourite memories of my Grandad: He had an apple-shaped lolly jar that was always filled with licorice allsorts. He grew strawberries and corn, which we ate fresh from the garden. We played the card game "cribbage" together at fixtures during the school holidays. He still had a driver's licence at 88 years of age.
|
The house on the Shinn family cane farm at Beaconsfield, North Mackay. Pictured are my Grandma, Aunt Dorothy and Grandad
|
| My Grandmother |
Elsie Mary Shinn (nee Smith), born 14/5/1906 at Mount Victoria, Mount Morgan, died 10/7/1992 Siblings - William, Annie, Charles, Alfred, George, Herbert, Alice, Elsie (my grandmother) and Violet (adopted) Favourite memories of my Grandma: We made pikelets together on Sunday mornings. She read a lot about natural health and insisted I eat cashews before taking exams. She grew snow peas and nasturtiums. She had the travel bug. She wrote her own Scrabble dictionary and taught me to play. |
|
| My Great Grandparents (Grandma's side) |
Emily Jane Ashlin born 19/3/1863 in Winterton, north-east Lincolnshire, England Charles William Smith born 11/3/1859 in East Halton, north-east Lincolnshire, England Married 23/3/1883 in the district of Sculcoates, Yorkshire, England Click here to read about the Lincolnshire connection Click here to read about the Salvation Army connection Click here to read about life
|
"Truth" newspaper article marking their 70th wedding anniversary with a party attended by Brisbane Lord Mayor Frank Roberts at Nundah Hall, Brisbane in 1953
Smith family home in William Street, Mackay |
| My Great Grandparents (Grandad's side) | Alice Maud Mary Matthews, born 10/8/1872 in Sidmouth, Devonshire, England, died 11/1957 George Shinn, born 6/4/1867 in Tilney cum Islington, Norfolk, died 21/6/1941 Married 28/11/1889 in Mackay, Australia Click here to read about the Norfolk connection Click here to read about the Devonshire connection |
|
| My Great Great Grandparents |
Granny Matthews, my grandfather's grandmother |
|
| My Father's Family | ||
| Other Relatives |
Ada & Nellie Shinn in Salvation Army attire |
1967
