Person    | Male  Born 19/12/1861  Died 13/9/1928

Italo Svevo

Categories: Commerce, Literature

Countries: Austria, Hungary, Italy

Businessman and author. Born in Trieste (then part of Austria-Hungary) as Aron Ettore Schmitz. The pseudonym translates as 'Swabian Italian', but as the only definitions of Swabian relate to places in Germany and Sicily, it is hard to understand the connection. He is best known for his novel, 'La Coscienza de Zeno', (Confessions of Zeno). He was befriended by James Joyce who taught him English and helped to publicise his book. He was supposedly the model for the character of Leopold Bloom in Joyce's 'Ulysses'. Died Motta di Livenza, Italy.

2019: At Greenwich Industrial History we read that "South East London Mercury ran a piece on 22nd September on the unveiling of a plaque to authoor, Italo Svevo, in Charlton Church Lane. It describes how in 1897 he had become a partner in his father-in-laws Triest based paint company. He negotiated a contract for anti-corrosive paint with the Admmiralty and came to Chatlton to set up a factory in Anchor and Hope Lane - hence the plaque. Further information and a picture can be found at http://www.veneziani.it/azienda/primati.html - which is actually the web site of the Italian paint company. This describes how ‘Veneziani fonda la prima fabbrica di antivegetativa all’estera Charlton in Inghilterra. A lavori vengono diretti dal genero del fondatore, Ettore Schmitzm, in arte Italo Svevo’. {We've not corrected typos, etc.}

Our Italian consultant, John Hartley, clarifies that the paint company was Veneziani and the Charlton factory was the first one set up overseas, making industrial paint used on naval ships. We note that Anchor and Hope Lane (contrary to its charming name) for most of its length is lost to modern sheds and car-parks.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Italo Svevo

Commemorated ati

Italo Svevo

Ettore Schmitz alias Italo Svevo, 1861-1928, writer, lived here 1903-1913. En...

Read More

Other Subjects

Jack Israel Ltd

Jack Israel Ltd

Trader at Covent Garden Market at its original site.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Thomas O. Arnold

Thomas O. Arnold

Worked for the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. Was Assistant Secretary to a building committee in 1900 and Secretary in June 1912.

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration

2 memorials
Osram

Osram

Lamps and light bulb manufacturers. Founded by the merger of the lighting businesses of Auergesellschaft, Siemens & Halske and Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG). The name is derived f...

Group, Commerce, Germany

1 memorial
Moxhay's Hall of Commerce in Threadneedle Street

Moxhay's Hall of Commerce in Threadneedle Street

From British History: The Hall of Commerce, existing some years ago in Threadneedle Street, was begun in 1830 by Mr. Edward Moxhay, a speculative biscuit-baker, on the site of the old French church...

Building, Commerce, Property

1 memorial
Bazaar, Kings Road

Bazaar, Kings Road

The first Bazaar boutique was opened by Mary Quant at 138a Kings Road, in 1955. More information and photos at our Image Source, the magnificent Another Nickel in the Machine. Quant opened a second...

Group, Commerce, Craft / Design

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Millwall Football Club

Millwall Football Club

Football club. Founded as Millwall Rovers, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the Millwall area in 1910. From then until 1993 the club played at The Den, (a now-demolished...

Group, Sport / Games

2 memorials
Transport for London / London Transport

Transport for London / London Transport

This organisation has been a bit of a political football, often having its name changed, as follows: 1902 - 1933 Underground Electric Railways Company of London 1933 - 1948 London Passenger Transpo...

Group, Industry, Transport

52 memorials
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Founded by Mary Tealby in 1860 as the Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs. She established a place where people could send lost dogs from the streets and where their owners could retrieve th...

Group, Animals

1 memorial