There was a wave of migration to the UK in the 19th century, from villages in the Sora Valley in Italy.

 

We discovered that three families played a major role in the emigration of people from the region. The Delicata family. The Volantes. And the Tavoliers.
 
These families settled in Digbeth, Birmingham. They provided a support network for other families. They also established Birmingham's Italian Quarter as a place dominated by Nobladans - speakers of the Neapolitan dialect.

 

The Italian community was concentrated on Bartholemew Street – but it's not there anymore. As so many people came from one area in Italy, we wondered what they brought with them when they moved here - in terms of music, songs, stories, dances, and other folk traditions. The Italian community has now dispersed – so has all that cultural heritage been lost?

 

We met Micky Volante, who told us about his memories of his parents and grandparents, and about growing up in Brum.

 

We also met Dorothy Bradbury, who told us about the Arandora tragedy, and her campaign to make sure that people never forget the injustices suffered by the Italian community in the Second World War.