On December 4th 1955, Rocco Annecchini arrived in Freemantle, Western Australia. He sailed into Sydney, NSW on December 10, traveling on the ship Australia. Rocco`s brother Tommaso had arrived three years earlier aboard the Hellenic Prince and he first stayed at the Unanderra Hostel and began working at the Port Kembla Steel Works. Brother Paolo arrived August 3rd, 1960 aboard the Australia, the same ship as his brother Rocco.
Rocco began working at Municipal Pipes in 1956. Once Paolo arrived the three brothers would purchase a business together, a service station/garage in King Street, Warrawong. The service station was built by Shell and they were looking for someone to run it. Brother Paolo was also a mechanic so the garage was a good fit. After approximately two years the brothers had finished up with the garage.
Rocco would become quite the businessman and went out on his own and purchased other businesses. He never worked for anyone else again, right up to retirement. In 1962 Rocco purchased the Capri Restaurant in Port Kembla. Lidia Lebrocchi was the owner and was very well known in the area. Lidia Lebrocchi was also quite the business woman.
The Capri catered for many of the Steel Workers during the day and the nights were busy as well. Often on a Friday and Saturday night they would have a dance band in the restaurant.
The next business he owned, and the one that he became very well known for was his coffee lounge. In 1964 Rocco purchased the coffee lounge from his brother Tommaso and his wife Norina. Tommaso and Norina had been running the coffee lounge since 1960. It was situated out front of the Lakeview shopping centre, King Street, Warrawong. When Rocco`s daughter was born the coffee lounge was given a new name, the Marina Coffee Lounge.
The Marina Coffee Lounge became quite the meeting point for so many Italians. Coffee, conversation and connections made the Marina Coffee Lounge the place to be. It also had a pool table and some pinball machines. I spoke with Mark Ballesi, who’s father ran Photo Roma Studio upstairs in the same building as the Marina Coffee Lounge. Mark said that he remembered when his father was photographing a wedding, members of the bridal party who were waiting to be photographed would often would pop downstairs to Rocco's to get coffee and other treats.
Many a long night was had at the Marina with friends and soccer rivals. A healthy competition between friends and cafes began and many young men frequented the coffee lounge. It would also be the place to play cards before and after soccer games: and Rocco just loved soccer.
Rocco had put a soccer team together from the Marina Coffee Lounge and so did his friend Italo Corradetti. Italo had his own cafe (Italo Coffee Lounge) in Wentworth Street, Port Kembla. Friendly rivals one could say. In 1966 Rocco Annecchini`s team and Italo Corradetti`s team decided to amalgamate their teams and Port Kembla FC was born. Rocco became a huge part of the club with a vested interest for many years.
I spoke to Anna De Peron, who’s father Giuseppe was the president of the soccer club. Anna said that she would make posters for the Port Kembla Soccer Club’s fund raising dances at the Warrawong Community Centre. The club paid for all the stationary to make the posters and Anna made several. The Marina Coffee lounge always had a poster advertising the dances which were held monthly. The dances at the community hall were around 1966 - 1970 and the Latin Beats were the band. After 1970 the dances moved to the Fraternity Bowling Club at Fairy Meadow, where the band also performed and there were no more dances at the Community Hall in Warrawong.
After some years, Rocco sold the Capri to his friend Italo Corradetti. Having had the Capri for almost 15 years. He had also sold the Marina Coffee Lounge and in 1978 Rocco went to Wollongong. He rented out an empty shop in (downtown) Crown Street, Wollongong. Rocco opened a delicatessen with a gelato bar. He stayed for two years before selling and coming back to Warrawong.
He ran another business in King Street for a short while. A Cafe/delicatessen. Rocco was incredibly motivated with his businesses and eased in and out of them. Having been in the food industry he would also supply grocery lines to other small restaurants and cafes on a wholesale basis.
Things were changing and as the Warrawong shopping precinct was expanding, Port Kembla was decreasing. Port Kembla had been a hub of activity for so long but with the opening of King Street, from Warrawong through to Primbee and further south, Warrawong had everything. The Lake Market Shopping Centre on King Street was sold in the mid eighties and getting ready for a major refurbishment and Rocco was planning a new project.
On the 27th of January, 1981, Rocco Annecchini had plans approved for a building at Lot 2, Cowper Street. The plans were approved for a two story brick building that consisted of two shops and three offices. The building would have offices above and shops below.
Rocco had put in a small deli downstairs at the back of his new building in Cowper Street. The deli was a tiny shop. He sold Italian small goods, grocery lines and coffee. By now his friend Italo, who had been running the Capri was ill and passed away June 1st, 1985. Rocco then took over the Capri for a second time. Rocco`s wife June was running the restaurant during the day whilst Rocco was running the deli. At night, Rocco would run the Capri after coming from his day job at the Cowper Street Deli.
After a short while the Capri was sold on and Rocco then was able to focus on the Cowper Street, Deli. The shop next to the Deli had been a bike shop and a Doctors surgery at different times. After a few years the Doctor left, and Rocco created an entry way between the two shops creating a bigger Deli that incorporated a Cafe as well.
His cafe was well frequented with many patrons who also attended his Marina Coffee lounge. They would enjoy coffee, a chat and a game of cards, of course. In 2004 Rocco sold the building, but kept the deli. At 71 years of age Rocco finally retired in 2006.
The building in Cowper Street has had several owners since Rocco retired. The Deli is still there and is run by Santo La Rosa. I spoke to Santo and some of his customers and so many of them remember Rocco and his Marina Coffee Lounge. They in turn came to the Cowper Street, Deli/Cafe and still visit. On the daily you will find many retired men who get together to play cards and have a coffee and a chat. Such was the legacy that Rocco left behind.
Rocco passed away on the 29th of April, 2008. He was 73 years old. Rocco Annecchini was well known for the Marina Coffee Lounge and his Deli/Cafe in Cowper Street and for his contribution to the Port Kembla Soccer Club. He was well known in the Italian community, was well liked and for over 45 years he served the Italian community.
Rocco began working at Municipal Pipes in 1956. Once Paolo arrived the three brothers would purchase a business together, a service station/garage in King Street, Warrawong. The service station was built by Shell and they were looking for someone to run it. Brother Paolo was also a mechanic so the garage was a good fit. After approximately two years the brothers had finished up with the garage.
Rocco would become quite the businessman and went out on his own and purchased other businesses. He never worked for anyone else again, right up to retirement. In 1962 Rocco purchased the Capri Restaurant in Port Kembla. Lidia Lebrocchi was the owner and was very well known in the area. Lidia Lebrocchi was also quite the business woman.
The Capri catered for many of the Steel Workers during the day and the nights were busy as well. Often on a Friday and Saturday night they would have a dance band in the restaurant.
The next business he owned, and the one that he became very well known for was his coffee lounge. In 1964 Rocco purchased the coffee lounge from his brother Tommaso and his wife Norina. Tommaso and Norina had been running the coffee lounge since 1960. It was situated out front of the Lakeview shopping centre, King Street, Warrawong. When Rocco`s daughter was born the coffee lounge was given a new name, the Marina Coffee Lounge.
The Marina Coffee Lounge became quite the meeting point for so many Italians. Coffee, conversation and connections made the Marina Coffee Lounge the place to be. It also had a pool table and some pinball machines. I spoke with Mark Ballesi, who’s father ran Photo Roma Studio upstairs in the same building as the Marina Coffee Lounge. Mark said that he remembered when his father was photographing a wedding, members of the bridal party who were waiting to be photographed would often would pop downstairs to Rocco's to get coffee and other treats.
Many a long night was had at the Marina with friends and soccer rivals. A healthy competition between friends and cafes began and many young men frequented the coffee lounge. It would also be the place to play cards before and after soccer games: and Rocco just loved soccer.
Rocco had put a soccer team together from the Marina Coffee Lounge and so did his friend Italo Corradetti. Italo had his own cafe (Italo Coffee Lounge) in Wentworth Street, Port Kembla. Friendly rivals one could say. In 1966 Rocco Annecchini`s team and Italo Corradetti`s team decided to amalgamate their teams and Port Kembla FC was born. Rocco became a huge part of the club with a vested interest for many years.
I spoke to Anna De Peron, who’s father Giuseppe was the president of the soccer club. Anna said that she would make posters for the Port Kembla Soccer Club’s fund raising dances at the Warrawong Community Centre. The club paid for all the stationary to make the posters and Anna made several. The Marina Coffee lounge always had a poster advertising the dances which were held monthly. The dances at the community hall were around 1966 - 1970 and the Latin Beats were the band. After 1970 the dances moved to the Fraternity Bowling Club at Fairy Meadow, where the band also performed and there were no more dances at the Community Hall in Warrawong.
After some years, Rocco sold the Capri to his friend Italo Corradetti. Having had the Capri for almost 15 years. He had also sold the Marina Coffee Lounge and in 1978 Rocco went to Wollongong. He rented out an empty shop in (downtown) Crown Street, Wollongong. Rocco opened a delicatessen with a gelato bar. He stayed for two years before selling and coming back to Warrawong.
He ran another business in King Street for a short while. A Cafe/delicatessen. Rocco was incredibly motivated with his businesses and eased in and out of them. Having been in the food industry he would also supply grocery lines to other small restaurants and cafes on a wholesale basis.
Things were changing and as the Warrawong shopping precinct was expanding, Port Kembla was decreasing. Port Kembla had been a hub of activity for so long but with the opening of King Street, from Warrawong through to Primbee and further south, Warrawong had everything. The Lake Market Shopping Centre on King Street was sold in the mid eighties and getting ready for a major refurbishment and Rocco was planning a new project.
On the 27th of January, 1981, Rocco Annecchini had plans approved for a building at Lot 2, Cowper Street. The plans were approved for a two story brick building that consisted of two shops and three offices. The building would have offices above and shops below.
Rocco had put in a small deli downstairs at the back of his new building in Cowper Street. The deli was a tiny shop. He sold Italian small goods, grocery lines and coffee. By now his friend Italo, who had been running the Capri was ill and passed away June 1st, 1985. Rocco then took over the Capri for a second time. Rocco`s wife June was running the restaurant during the day whilst Rocco was running the deli. At night, Rocco would run the Capri after coming from his day job at the Cowper Street Deli.
After a short while the Capri was sold on and Rocco then was able to focus on the Cowper Street, Deli. The shop next to the Deli had been a bike shop and a Doctors surgery at different times. After a few years the Doctor left, and Rocco created an entry way between the two shops creating a bigger Deli that incorporated a Cafe as well.
His cafe was well frequented with many patrons who also attended his Marina Coffee lounge. They would enjoy coffee, a chat and a game of cards, of course. In 2004 Rocco sold the building, but kept the deli. At 71 years of age Rocco finally retired in 2006.
The building in Cowper Street has had several owners since Rocco retired. The Deli is still there and is run by Santo La Rosa. I spoke to Santo and some of his customers and so many of them remember Rocco and his Marina Coffee Lounge. They in turn came to the Cowper Street, Deli/Cafe and still visit. On the daily you will find many retired men who get together to play cards and have a coffee and a chat. Such was the legacy that Rocco left behind.
Rocco passed away on the 29th of April, 2008. He was 73 years old. Rocco Annecchini was well known for the Marina Coffee Lounge and his Deli/Cafe in Cowper Street and for his contribution to the Port Kembla Soccer Club. He was well known in the Italian community, was well liked and for over 45 years he served the Italian community.
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A young Rocco heading for Australia
Rocco serving his customers at the Marina Coffee Lounge
All images from the collection belonging to Marina Potter (Annecchini)
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