I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank David Borrett for writing about my grandfather Alphonso Mattia.

I have read the Andover Advertiser for many years and always read his column Back Through The Pages and have always hoped there would be something about my colourful family and now there has been.

READ MORE: The building work and tribute paid to Alphonso Mattia following his death

Unfortunately I never got to meet my grandfather but I can assure readers the rest of the family that I did meet were quite colourful my mum Rose was a typical Italian mother who loved her family above anything else and cared for all her brothers all her life. To an Italian family is everything.

I did visit Calabritto some years ago it had been hit by mud slides some years previously so wasn’t quite what I expected.

I hope your readers enjoyed reading some of our history an Italian immigrant who arrived with nothing and made good. Thank you once again.

Sandra Town

Blendon Drive

Andover

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