Mr Luigi Finoli was born in Atessa, Chieti, Italy on 25 March 1870 1 and was the son of Vincenzo Finoli and the former Catherine Di Paolo. Little is known about his early life but it is understood he had several brothers and sisters.
He was married in Naples on 7 August 1897 to Beatrice Fedele (b. circa 1873) and apparently raised a family but little is known about his married life.
Luigi emigrated in 1899, leaving Naples aboard SS Neustria and arriving in New York in March that year. He lived at different times in Brooklyn and New Haven, Connecticut where he worked as a merchant, becoming a naturalised US citizen on 19 January 1906 in New Haven. In August that year he applied for a passport and he was described as standing at 5' 5½" with a dark complexion, brown eyes, chestnut hair and with a round face, small mouth and pointed nose. He returned to Italy for a visit shortly after and appears to have returned to the USA on 22 March 1908 aboard La Touraine. Back in the USA, he made his home in Philadelphia but in late 1911/early 1912 he returned to Italy for another visit.
For his return to the USA Finoli boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a third-class passenger (ticket number SOTON/O.Q. 3101308 which cost £7, 1s). He was rescued, possibly in lifeboat 15, and reportedly conducted himself very poorly during and after the sinking. Arriving in New York and applying for assistance from the American Red Cross he claimed to have lost $800 in cash and jewels in the sinking. Given necessary clothing and temporary shelter, he was refused any further assistance on account of his behaviour.
In years after the disaster, Finoli was once again naturalised as a US citizen on 29 September 1914, again in New Haven. He would return to Italy at the behest of his father in June 1921 to settle property in Aversa, Caserta with his siblings and applied for a US passport in March 1922, declaring his wish to remain a US citizen and his intention to return within six months. His wife was, at the time, residing at 2713 Somerset Street in Philadelphia and she and Luigi were reunited in May 1922.
Luigi would continue to travel back and forth to Italy and made another such voyage just two years later in 1924. He eventually returned to Italy permanently in 1935 to the place of his birth, Atessa. He died on 21 November 1938 aged 68.
Comment and discuss
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Can anyone tell me what became of Luigi Finoli after the disaster, and what his real age was in 1912. I have two ages for him -- 36 and 41. Anybody who can clarify this this contact me. Thanks Cameron Bell
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According to the Carpathia's written Passenger List of Titanic Survivors (which I have copies of), it lists his age as 29 years old. It also said he was a citizen of the US and his destination in the US was home to his wife Rosa in Philadelphia (the addy given was 706 Christian or Catherine St.)...I am assuming he went home. Probably someone in Philly will be able to provide more info on him.
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Can anybody out there tell me or, indeed, drop me a hint as to the final whereabouts of Mr Luigi Finoli? I have tracked him down to be still living in the USA as of 1943: checking his biography on this website and seeing a photograph of him taken around that approximate time I believe I may be right but I can find no further trace of him -- anyone help? Many thanks in advance Kathleen
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December 11, 1958 in Philadelphia.
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Luigi Finoli - looking for any information on him. My husband's grandfather was Luigi Finoli - married to a Rosa Ciccone and lived in Philadelphia. We have been told it is him and then someone also said it was not a Luigi Finoli from Philadelphia but from Italy. Any information would be greatly appreciated. The family would like to know if our Grandfather was on the Titanic. Thank you
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His biography page is .
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The biography states that he "reportedly conducted himself very poorly during and after the sinking. Arriving in New York and applying for assistance from the American Red Cross... Given necessary clothing and temporary shelter, he was refused any further assistance on account of his behaviour." Are there any details on what this "poor conduct" consisted of? Lowe, Gracie and others seem to have seen hordes of imaginary "Italians" jumping into lowering boats or dressing as women or doing whatever their society saw as "dishonorable", but besides the fact that almost all of the protagonists of those incidents have since been identified and none of them was actually Italian (Finoli and Emilio Portaluppi being the only Italian men who survived the sinking), Finoli was in Boat 15, where he wouldn't need to do any such thing to get aboard. So what did he precisely do to have others (who?) remark on his behaviour?
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