Ancestral Chimes | Anglo Italian Family History Society

I haven‟t eaten a Garibaldi biscuit for years and I‟m sure that, like me, you used to refer to them in your childhood as 'squashed (or dead) fly' biscuits? I certainly had no idea they had been named after a famous Italian general or that people had been enjoying them for over 100 years. They were just one of a variety of biscuits that my father stocked in his grocer‟s shop in Bedford, the town where I was born and brought up. It is now many years since I lived in the town, but my mother regularly sends me cuttings from the local newspaper that she thinks may be of interest.

Knowing of my "Italian‟ interest she recently sent me a cutting about a celebration which took place in Bedford in June of this year; the opening of the new Britannia Bridge. What has that to do with Garibaldi biscuits I hear you ask? The great-great-grand daughter of Giuseppe Garibaldi, Anita Garibaldi and the great-great-grandson of John Howard visited the site of the old Britannia Iron works in Bedford for the opening of a the new footbridge over the River Ouse.

^{Guiseppe Garibaldi, July 4, 1807 - June 2, 1882.}

Why them? John Howard was an ironmonger and smith, the founder of the Britannia Iron Works which in the c19th became the largest exporter of agricultural implements in the world. He had established his business in the High Street, Bedford in 1813 and then opened a shop in 1835. Ploughs and steam engines were built in the yard behind the shop. When John retired from the business in 1851 his two sons, James and Frederick, expanded the business and built the new Iron Works. It was to these Iron Works that General Giuseppe Garibaldi, Anita’s great-great grandfather came during his three week visit to England in 1864. He toured the site and then, having expressed a wish to see steam ploughing, he was taken to the farm of James Howard (John's son) for a demonstration. It is said that in the High Street, Bedford flags were flying in his honour and he made slow progress through the crowds on his way to Clapham!

During the bridge opening ceremony on 26th June 2014 Anita Garibaldi planted a Sequoia tree accompanied by Guy Moliterno, the Honorary Consul of Italy and Domenic Pini, President of the Mazzini-Garibaldi Club. Not only was it 150 years since her great-great grandfather‟s visit but he too had planted a sequoia tree which died in 1944. And what of the Iron Works? The economic slump of 1929/30 resulted in the works being purchased from the receiver by another company engaged in steel & iron works which continued business until the early 1990‟s. As a child, out and about with Dad in his van, I remember passing the great Iron Gates of the factory. Today the gates are still there but the works were razed to the ground and in their place is a modern housing development.

Many Italians worked at Britannia over the years despite the real fear amongst workers of 'foreign' labour during the 1950‟s. In 1955, shop stewards only agreed to the company employing Italians to work in the foundry and upgrading them if no 'British' labour was available.

Philippa McCray, Italian Roots, October 2014

For additional information: Garibaldi takes the biscuit