Leaving his wife and three children behind, Pasquale (Peter) Rossi came to Dundee from Atina in 1914. He opened his first Fish and Chip Shop in Forest Park Road.
Once established, he sent for his sons Donato Oreste (Harry) Rossi and Giovanni (John) Antonio Rossi to help in the thriving business, patronised particularly by women from the local jute mills.
His son ‘Harry’ opened up a shop nearby in Blackness Road – across the road from the Old Logie School (near the present Scottish Fire and Rescue Services base).
The whole area has been totally redeveloped and nothing remains that would be recognisable to the founder of the line, Pasquale Rossi.
In 1936 Pasquale bought an old sweet shop in Downfield in anticipation of houses being built on the berry fields along Strathmartine Road. His son, ‘John’ took over the business from his father and established a Draper and Hardware store, run by his wife, Alicia (Lucibello), in adjacent premises.
John’s son Ron (Renaldo Vittori Rossi) became the third generation to run the family business
Today the Strathdown in Strathmartine Road is the New Sun Chinese Restaurant.
The above details and images were taken from Ron Rossi’s account of his life in an Italian Immigrant family living in Dundee, “Ye Wee Italian Bastird” (2011).
Sadly, Ron passed away in 2017.
