Meet the Author: Laura Di Martino, Cremona House

Scoops of History: How Italian Migrants Sweetened SA

Based on the true stories of Adelaide’s early Italian immigrants (1900-1950), local author, Laura Di Martino joins us to share the story of the inspiration behind her debut Historical Fiction novel Cremona House.

Discover the story of an enterprising Italian immigrant who leaves his home in Cremona in 1905, at the tender age of 14. Follow him as he eventually settles in Adelaide where he meets the love of his life and establishes a very successful Ice Cream Factory.

Through hard-work and perseverance, he becomes a household name in 1920s and 30s Adelaide, surviving a downturn in the global economy and a tragic personal loss. But when Italy enters the war in 1941, he becomes a hunted man. Now he stands to lose everything, including his beloved Cremona House. How will he survive this new threat and the years of isolation at Loveday Internment camp?

About the Author

Laura was born in Belgium, but parents were both of Italian descent. She migrated to Adelaide in 1967 at the age of five, with parents and younger sister. Two other sisters were born here. They were welcomed into the Italian community by her mother’s great-uncle and his wife’s 5 siblings and many other relatives who were already living here.

Her debut novel, Cremona House is based on research conducted over three years using academic sources, newspaper archives, police files, photos from the State Library of South Australia archives and resources from the descendants of the protagonist as well as extensive interviews of older Italians who remember their relatives’ early years in Adelaide, and sadly, the internment of their fathers and grandfathers.