WEST GREEN ROAD MURDER - 1913
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WEST GREEN ROAD MURDER - 1913 |
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INTRODUCTION |
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The relative peace and tranquillity of this bustling yet neighbourly road in South Tottenham was suddenly shattered on the early evening of Monday 21st July 1913, when a family feud went terribly wrong resulting in the death and Murder of one of the family members and injuries sustained by two others. The Murder made national headlines as the Police tried to apprehend the murderer. |
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The feuding family members were Italian who had originated from the town
of Lucca in Tuscany. Following the wedding in 1896, that united two of
the most prominent families in Lucca, Serrafino Fezzani and his bride
Gesuina Ferrari decided a few years later to emigrate to England in
search of a better life. It was in 1901 thar Serrafino and his wife
Gesuina moved to England and in 1906 the family settled at 53 West Green
Road, Tottenham. There were 5 children born to their marriage. Gina
Maria – Eno – Ida – Aldo – Modesto Alberto. |
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 LUCCA - TUSCANY |
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| FAMILY
BACKGROUND |
We had been contacted by the Great, Great Granddaughter of Serrafino Fezzani who first informed us of the tragic shooting in West Green Road. She also informed us that in the early part of the 20th century, her family had set up a Confectionaries and Ice Cream shop in West Green Road, Tottenham. Later, further members of the Fazzani and Ferrari family were also to establish similar shops around North London. She also informs me that this event had been written about in a book titled 'Murder Houses of Greater London' by Jan Bondeson and she had sourced newspaper coverage of the event from around the time. |
 In this photograph dating from 1911, number 53 West Green Road can be located on the left-hand side just beyond the man you can see pictured alongside some stepladders |
 In this copy of the 1911 Census, completed and signed by Serrafino Fazzani, you will note that, in addition to his own family, there are the names of his brother-in-law, Gino Ferrari and his wife Alaide. All the people living in the house were involved with the Confectionary business. |
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VIOLENT DISTURBANCE AND INCIDENT |
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Several shops were operated by the family members but in the years that followed, tensions between Serrafino and his brother-in-law Gino Ferrari increased and their partnership became fractured, and disagreements were often rife. Matters eventually came to head on the morning of Monday 21st July 1913 when Serrafino had a summons of Libel issued against his brother-in law Gino Ferrari. Apparently, Gino became violently incensed and lingered outside the shop in West Green Road waiting for Serrafino to return. From newspaper accounts a violent argument ensued until Gino Ferrari suddenly produced a gun and shot Serrafino Fazzani and injured two others. All the victims were rushed to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Tottenham where Serrafino was later to die from his injuries. The other two victims, Celeste Ostrachini and Frank Canale survived.
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 THE MURDER VICTIM |
 CELESTE OSTRACHINI INJURED |
 FRANK CANALI INJURED |
 THE SHOP AT 53 WEST GREEN ROAD – EXTRACT FROM NEWSPAPER REPORT |
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| NEWSPAPER
ACCOUNTS OF THE TIME |
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 GINO FERRARI |
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 SERRAFINO FAZZANI |
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PROBATE RECORD SERAFINO FAZZANI –
ESTATE TO HIS WIDOW
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 WEST GREEN ROAD – NUMBER 53 WAS JUST BEYOND THE BRIDGE ON LEFT HAND SIDE |
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THE ESCAPE AND LATER EVASION FROM CAPTURE |
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It would appear from the newspaper reports at the
time that Gino Ferrari made his escape through the back of the shop
where he climbed the wall into Brunswick Road. He then proceeded to
cross the nearby railway line and apparently sought refuge in the
Italian community in Saffron Hill, London. This area of Camden was known locally as ‘Little Italy’ and was featured as settings in the books of both Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. |
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 GINO FERRARI MAKES HIS ESCAPE OVER BACK WALL OF SHOP INTO BRUNSWICK ROAD AND THEN ACROSS RAILWAY LINE |
 ALTHOIUGH ORIGINALLY PART OF CAMDEN - SAFFRON HILL WAS LATER ASSIGNED TO THE HOLBORN WARD |
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Despite warnings issued
at major ports and railway stations, somehow Gino Ferrari managed to
escape back to his home town in Italy.
It was in
1914 that Gino joins the Army to lose himself amidst the chaos of WW1.
However, towards the end of the war his true identity was revealed, and
he was arrested and returned to Italy to face trial. Unfortunately, at
that time, there was no extradition treaty with Italy and the verdict
from his trial in Italy was that he had committed a ‘Crime of Passion’
and was released. Our contact writes;
“So far it
looks as though Gino (the murderer) managed to return to Italy, remarry
and lived on to become an old man”.
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For anyone wishing to discover a little more about the history surrounding the Murder in West Green Road in 1913, we would recommend you look at the splendid video that was created by Kimberley Winter Sullivan of the ‘Tottenham’s Hidden History’ Facebook Group under the title ‘BITTERSWEET’ Click on BOX below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLu-13F3Wi0 |
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We acknowledge the help of Sadie Catt for sharing her family
information. We also acknowledge the help and research support provided by Kimberley Winter Sullivan of 'Tottenham's Hidden History' Article written and prepared by Alan Swain - April 2023 |
