The Olivia Family
Giuseppe and Carmela Oliva
Children: Philip, Domenic, Josephine, John, Frank, Tony, Steve, Ross, Nicolina
Arriving in Canada in 1951, eldest brother Philip began the family’s immigration to Canada. Slowly, every few years, another family member joined him making the trek from being grocers and bakers in Italy to their new home and a better life in Canada.
Philip became a father-figure to the family as the Oliva family’s biological father passed away in 1944, leaving their mother, Carmela, a widow with eight children and pregnant with the youngest, Nicolina. Brother Domenic arrived approximately eight months later.
Upon his arrival in Canada, Philip earned a living by farming, then shovelling clay on a construction job, learning the English language from his co-workers. Two years after Philip’s arrival, brother, Frank and sister, Josephine, came to Canada settling in Toronto where Frank worked several jobs while learning to speak and write English. Prior to coming to Canada, Frank who had enrolled in hairdressing school in Italy while brother, Tony, arrived and began school in the morning and becoming a barber after classes.
The brothers pooled their savings to bring their mother to Canada from Italy. The boys bought Mrs. Oliva a house in Toronto. Having difficulty finding work in Toronto, Philip suggested moving to London as a city to begin their business. Leaving brother, Dominic, in Toronto, the remainder of the family moved to London to open their first hair salon, in fact, London Ontario’s first salon owned by Italians. Brother Ross, began hairdressing school at night classes. Approximately 18 months later, he began working as a hairdresser in the family’s second hair salon.
In 1964, brothers John and Steve both arrived in Canada; John settling in London while Steve moved to Toronto.
Brother Philip then pursued his hairdressing license as did, brother-in-law John Oliva, married to Josephine and, coincidentally, sharing the same last name. The family opened seven salons in total; locations of Roma’s Beauty Salons in many areas of London.
Oliva success continued as Frank, brother-in-law John and Ross competed in provincial and national Hairdressing competitions. Ross placed second in the Canadian championships and first in the Ontario Competition. Ross married Maria, also a hair dresser, and U. S. competition winner. In 2012, after 55 years of cutting hair together, the remaining brothers, Frank, Tony and Ross decided to retire.
Predeceased by her son Philip, the family matriarch passed away in 2000, leaving the remaining family members to carry on traditions of annual family reunions to share the memories of a growing family as well as traditional Italian foods, dances, laughs and stories. The annual reunions invite 150 family members, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren from the original Carmela and Giuseppe Oliva.