Cafe Culture
This rare gathering of Swansea’s Italian cafe owners is just one of the many tasty pictorial delights to be discovered on leafing through Swansea – This was your life, the most recent book to result from the prolific picture gathering of David Roberts. The gathering took place at the wedding of two of them, Augusto Demarco and Assunta Melerangi, in December 1937. They are, from the left: Dom and Ada Pelosi of the Empire Cafe, Nelson Street; Leonard Demarco of Danygraig, St Thomas; Raphael Demarco, father of the groom, Cwmbwrla Cafe; Elfina Demarco, who later married Eric Valerio of Valerio’s Cafe, St Helen’s Road; the bride and groom of Gus’s Cafe in Cwmbwrla; Arnold Demarco, who had a cafe at Carmarthen Road, Waun Wen; Emily Demarco, who ran a cafe at Eversley Road, Sketty; Reggie Demarco, of the cafe at Brynhyfryd Square and Eric Valerio, of St Helen’s Road. David is currently appealing for pictures for this year’s edition of his fascinating annual albums of Swansea in the past. To buy his current book or contribute to the next contact publishers Bryngold Books on 01639 643961.
