From Australia’s Jewish past

February 4, 2025 by Ruth Lilian
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Signora Rosina Tedeschi – Amazing woman and Italian tutor – extraordinaire – Part 2

Signora Rosina Tedeschi

Soon after Guido’s release from internment, he and Rosina purchased a farm on an acre of land in Bankstown, where they raised ducks, chickens, and goats. At first glance, this was a strange choice given that they had no previous farming or agriculture experience. However, for most of his adult life, Guido wanted to become a poultry farmer, and so was able to follow his dreams. Guido passed away in 1943.

Rosina and Robert would often travel by public transport to visit the ships arriving from Italy because it was the only place in Sydney — indeed in Australia — where one could get a cappuccino!  On one of these visits, Rosina connected with Robert Shaw, who also came to the ships to speak Italian with native-born speakers and savour the Italian food and cappuccino. By now, he was the head of the Italian Department at the University of Sydney.  Rosina told him of the work she had done coaching students in Turin.

Several weeks later, the owner of the local corner store near Rosina’s farm brought her a message on a scrap of paper he had received as Rosina did not have a phone on her farm. This message would completely change her life. The message read: Mrs Tedeski [sic]—Mr Shaw wants you to ring him tonight after 7 PM or tomorrow morning about 9 AM if he has failed to contact you already.

When Rosina rang Robert Shaw, he asked her if she would privately coach a first-year student, Andrew Clayton (later a solicitor), who had failed his Italian conversation exam at the University of Sydney and had been given a second chance in what was known as a ‘post’ — a supplementary exam after the summer holidays.  She agreed to help. She did an excellent job with her student and he passed his post with a distinction — this result was almost unheard of.  She had also commenced tutoring privately in French and Italian at the Bohemian Club.

A few weeks later, Robert Shaw asked Rosina to come to the University of Sydney to teach Italian conversation as a temporary, part-time tutor for just one term. Of course, she immediately agreed. The first term was an unqualified success and quickly turned into a second, a third, and more. Within a few months, the farm had been sold and Rosina and Robert moved to a flat in Anzac Parade, Kensington, to be closer to the university. Rosina was eventually appointed as a temporary lecturer at the University.  From her very first day of taking up her appointment, she spoke to the students in Italian and, by the end of the first year, they were all speaking fluently.  Her attitude to teaching was multi-dimensional and embraced language, literature, and culture, which included cooking: she used to say, ‘In Italy, we do it this way’.  Anything relating to Italy, its culture and traditions, its history, and its way of life, was incorporated into her classes.  On one occasion, she wrote to the Fiat company in Turin for information about the car industry, for use in her lectures.  This began a lifelong relationship and on visits to Italy, the Fiat people looked after her, providing a car and a driver.

Rosina was also a talented actress and helped her students with the productions of Italian plays, sometimes in collaboration with an official from the Italian legation interested in cultural activities, and she kept a close liaison with the Italian embassy.  When the Italian Opera Company came to Sydney in 1948, she invited the cast to the university to meet her students.  As a group, her students attended Italian lectures and social functions, including the Italian Ball.

Robert had said that his parent’s lives had metamorphosed.  From displaced immigrant farmers they had been transformed into members of Sydney’s academic society.  Although Robert was not formally part of the university, he joined many extracurricular activities that university life offered. In 1948, he met his wife Ruth, a student in the German Department at the University and coincidentally one of Rosina’s students.  Ruth and her family fled Germany before the war, and she and Robert were married in 1949.  They had a wonderful marriage for fifty-three years until Ruth passed away in 2003 and Robert at age ninety in 2013.

Twenty-five years after that life-defining telephone message, Rosina was still working as an academic at the University of Sydney — now as a ‘temporary’ senior lecturer — having taught Italian conversation to several generations of students.  At the end of her career in 1971, just several months before she died, Rosina was conferred a Master of Arts (honoris causa) degree by Vice-Chancellor Professor Bruce Williams, who spoke of her ‘conspicuous service to the University’, recognising also ‘her wider contribution to the furtherance of the Italian language and culture in Australia.  She brought with her an enthusiasm and love for Italian literature and art.  This enthusiasm was so infectious that it was transmitted to everyone she came into contact with.’  ‘We are delighted to express our gratitude to her in this public fashion.’  Her degree was presented to her by Chancellor Sir Hermann Black on 5 June 1971.  This was the only tertiary qualification she ever had.  Rosina had also established the Circolo Culturale Italiano before the Dante Alighieri Society existed and she used to give lectures for the society.  In 1962 the Italian Government conferred on her the rank of Cavaliere dell ‘Ordine della Stella della Solidarita Italiana in recognition of her services to Italy.  This recognition is celebrated as the Italian title of knighthood.

Rosina was a woman who kept a youthful outlook.  She had a great rapport with young people and often tried to arrange jobs for her students.  She gave free Italian lessons to artist Brett Whiteley after he won a scholarship to study in Florence, and from overseas, he used to write to her, illustrating her letters.  He also gave her several of his early paintings.  A former student from the mid-1950s said: ‘She used to involve the students on a social basis and arrange parties at her flat.  She exuded interest in her students, and they respected her.  She made everyone feel special.’  She did, however, insist on proper behaviour in the classroom.  If she saw students eating or yawning, she would cease her lecture and harangue them: ‘Are you hungry? Are you sleepy? Are you bored with my lecture?’

Robert endowed through the University of Sydney Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – School of Languages and Cultures – an annual Prize for Italian Conversation in memory of his mother.

Rosina died in Sydney on 3 August 1971 and is buried in Rookwood Cemetery.  The Tedeschi family name continues through her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including well-known Mark QC, author and photographer and Simon classical concert pianist and author.  Rosina certainly left a wonderful legacy.

The AJHS acknowledges the following references in the preparation of this story:

Beginning with Esther – Lysbeth Cohen; Mark Tedeschi AM QC – Inside History; Traces – Uncovering the Past

The Australian Jewish Historical Society is the keeper of archives from the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 right up to today. Whether you are searching for an academic resource, an event, a picture or an article, AJHS can help you find that piece of historical material. The AJHS welcomes your contributions to the archives. If you are a descendant of someone of interest with a story to tell, or you have memorabilia that might be of significance for the archives, please make contact via www.ajhs.com.au or [email protected].

 

 

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