Photos | Caetani Centre

Old photos of the Caetani family, the house, the grounds, the servants etc. Courtesy of

Ever wondered what the inside of the Caetani House looked like during Sveva’s childhood? Well, here is a photo of the inside of her bedroom from 1926! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12812

In 1926, the Caetani Family once again departed for a trip to Europe. The family made stops in London, Paris, Cannes, Rome and cities in Spain. This photo of Sveva was taken on the beach at Cannes. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12364

This lovely photo of Ofelia was taken in 1925. She is posing on the steps of Sveva’s new playhouse. For those of you who have visited the Caetani Centre grounds, you probably noticed the little playhouse where Sveva spent many hours playing with her toys tucked back in a corner of the yard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12328

Here is a photo of Sveva, from 1925, wearing a ballet skirt, bonnet and pointe shoes. Sveva may have taken dance lessons in a small studio in the backyard of the Caetani grounds, which they fittingly called “The Dance Studio.” That space is still being put to a musical use to this day, as a studio for private music lessons. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 5107.

Meet the pets! Here is a photo of the Caetani Family dogs eating outside of the Caetani House. From left to right, their names are Nikki (sheepdog), Doggie (sheepdog), Crackers (sheepdog), and Onyx (spaniel). How cute! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives: Photo No. 12280

In 1924, the year this photo was taken, Leone published an “Essay for an Italian Biographical and Bibliographical Dictionary.” While he was in Vernon, and maintaining a woodlot and an orchard, Leone still managed to find time to pursue his scholarly interests. In this photo, Sveva is assisting her father with harvesting some of the fruit in his orchard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12314

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12287

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 1229

Here is an adorable photo of Sveva posing with one of her dogs’ puppies. Ofelia is standing next to her, wearing a designer gown. This photo was taken on a dirt road somewhere in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12284

Here is a photo of Sveva that was taken in 1923, after the family had arrived back in Vernon from their travels in Europe. This would have been one of Sveva’s earliest memories of snow! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12200

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12241

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12380

Here is a photo of Leone, Ofelia and Sveva, which was taken in 1923 on the grounds of Fogliano, a botanical garden in Italy which was created per the request of Ada Caetani, Leone’s mother and Sveva’s grandmother. Exotic plant species, such as the trees you can see in the background, where introduced into the gardens. The Fogliano Botanical Gardens would later fall into a state of neglect as the Caetani Family began to devote themselves instead to caring for the Garden of Ninfa, in central Italy. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12258

Did you know Sveva had a half-brother? Leone had a son with his wife Vittoria, several years before Sveva’s birth. His name was Onorato Caetani and he was born in 1902. Unfortunately, Onorato suffered from physical and mental illness. Here Onorato is pictured riding a camel during a trip to Egypt in 1923. Sveva was six years old at the time; Onorato was 21. Sveva never had the chance to meet her older half-brother. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12261

This photo of Ofelia was taken in 1923, on the rooftop terrace of the Villa Gianicolo in Rome. She is showing off her new Spanish shawl and designer dress. During the family visits overseas, Ofelia was particularly interested in stopping at the European fashion houses to purchase the designer clothing she could not find in Vernon. Ofelia’s fashion taste was truly elegant and extravagant. Many of her outfits were custom made, with Ofelia choosing the color and material, and she soon became known as a woman of taste throughout the fashion houses of Paris. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12238

Bust of a six-year-old Sveva

Six-year-old Sveva posing for a bust Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12222

In 1923, while the family was visiting Monte Carlo, an artist named Christos Simatos completed this drawing of a six-year-old Sveva holding a puppy. While Sveva was first taught how to draw and paint by her governesses, Christos’ caricature of her may have contributed to peaking her interest in art, an interest which would later come to play a considerable role in Sveva’s life. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12685

The Caetani family often traveled overseas after they moved to Canada, as Ofelia was particularly homesick for her beloved Europe. They visited London, Monte Carlo, Paris and Rome regularly, sometimes spending even over a year in these locations. Sveva’s governesses would often accompany the family on these vacations, as well as Miss Jüül, who would take care of Sveva’s education when the governesses were not present. This photo was taken in Monte Carlo in 1923, on one of the family’s first vacations back to Europe. Ofelia can be seen using a cane; it is said that even then, six years later, Ofelia was still recovering from the effects of Sveva’s birth. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12208

Meet the staff! Another important staff member of the Caetani Family was Guido Mannucci. Guido managed Leone’s orchard, which was located in the B.X. region. He also assisted Leone with chores around the Caetani grounds, such as splitting wood and picking the fruit trees. Here he is pictured riding a horse with a five-year-old Sveva on the back and shaking the hand of Miss Jüül. Guido and Sveva were spending the day riding around Leone’s orchard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12193

Meet the staff! Until she was sixteen, Sveva was educated by a series of governesses. Leone was very insistent that Sveva receive a well-rounded and complete instruction; as revealed in the many letters between Leone and potential governesses, he was very strict in the hiring process and insisted that only the most qualified governess instruct his daughter. The governesses played a very important role in Sveva’s life. On top of instructing her in standard subjects such as French and English, several of her governesses taught her additional skills such as music or art. The governesses would also accompany the family when they went on trips to Europe, in order to ensure that Sveva kept up her daily routine of learning. They also served as companions for an often lonely little girl. As she grew up, Sveva kept in touch with many of her former governesses, which reveals the attachment she developed to them. This photo is of one such governess, Miss Wallwork, which was taken in 1923. She is posing with one of the Caetani family dogs on the lawn of the Caetani House. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12206

Meet the staff! The Caetani family first arrived in Vernon with a cook, a valet and a secretary. As the months began to pass, their staff began to grow. Here is a picture of a man named George. George was a chinese immigrant who attended to the Caetani family’s gardens and grounds. Another Chinese immigrant, a man named Chu, served as a manservant for Leone. This photo of George was taken in 1921. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12152

Although she unfortunately may not have had many friends as a young girl, Sveva did have the constant companionship of the family dogs. The dogs would often accompany Sveva on her adventures, whether she was going up to Leone’s wood lot for the day, or whether she was simply spending the day playing in the family’s yard. The Caetani family had several dogs over the years, and later in life, when Sveva began to attend a boarding school in Vancouver, she would almost always ask for news of her beloved pets in her correspondence with her parents. This photo shows Sveva with one of her pets, fittingly named “Doggie,” during an excursion to Leone’s woodlot. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12199

Although she unfortunately may not have had many friends as a young girl, Sveva did have the constant companionship of the family dogs. The dogs would often accompany Sveva on her adventures, whether she was going up to Leone’s wood lot for the day, or whether she was simply spending the day playing in the family’s yard. The Caetani family had several dogs over the years, and later in life, when Sveva began to attend a boarding school in Vancouver, she would almost always ask for news of her beloved pets in her correspondence with her parents. This photo was taken in 1922, when Sveva was five years old. It shows Sveva playing with the dogs on the lawn of their home. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12199

Although Sveva adapted better to life in the Okanagan than did Ofelia, her early childhood was sadly said to be quite lonely and sheltered. She spent most of her time at home, and so she did not get much of a chance to interact with other children. Instead, Sveva spent a lot of her free time reading. She loved to read, a trait that Leone was sure to encourage. As she grew up, Sveva developed a very close bond with her Father. She would often join him on his excursions up to his orchard and woodlot, which were located in the BX region and purchased by Leone shortly after the family arrived in Vernon. In her biography written with Heidi Thompson, titled “Recapitulation,” Sveva later suggested that as young as she was, her father had a great influence on her life. This photo of Sveva and Leone, dressed in hiking clothes to explore the BX region of Vernon, was taken in 1922. Sveva would have been five when this photo was taken. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12173

Unfourtunately, Ofelia had some difficulty transitioning to life in Vernon. She was used to her glamourous european lifestyle of attending the opera and theater and purchasing designer clothing at fashionable boutiques. Life in Vernon, a small agricultural community in Western Canada, came as a cultural shock for her. Ofelia continued to wear her high-fashion Parisian wardrobe through the streets and back roads of Vernon. Needless to say, she did not blend in to the crowd. Leone and Sveva had more luck transitioning to life in their new town. This romantic photo of Ofelia and Leone was taken in 1921, on a back road in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12154

The house Leone Caetani purchased on Pleasant Valley Road for his family was originally built in 1895 by a man named Samuel Sommerville. It was originally much smaller, only a two-story, late-Victorian style house, but was expanded during renovations over the years. From Samuel Sommerville, the house was purchased by H.G. Mueller (owner of the Coldstream Hotel) who then sold it to Leone in 1921. This photo of the house, with Leone and Sveva (dressed up as a nurse) on the lawn, was taken in 1921, within a few months of the family’s arrival in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12807

The Caetani Family, along with Miss Jüül and a small handful of staff, arrived in the small town of Vernon in the summer of 1921 to start their new lives together in Canada. As for why Leone chose to move to Canada, and to British Columbia in particular, Sveva explained in a letter written many years later that her father “wanted to raise [her] and enjoy himself in the beauty of British Columbia….For him anything British was second nature, and a new home based on English ideals of freedom and human rights was his first choice” (Greater Vernon Museum and Archives). After arriving, Leone purchased a property on Pleasant Valley Road that suited Ofelia’s tastes. Here is a 1921 photo of Sveva (age 3) and Ofelia (age 25) sitting on the lawn in front of their new home in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12158

Around the time of Sveva’s birth, Leone hired a danish woman named Miss Jüül (pronounced Yule) to serve as Ofelia’s secretary and companion. Her importance in the Caetani family’s lives cannot be overstated. Not only did she accompany them to Canada, but she also served as a constant companion for Ofelia, and later for Sveva following her mother’s death. This particular photo of Miss Jüül was taken professionally in 1921, and is likely the exact picture she would have used in her passport for the voyage from Italy to Canada with the Caetani Family. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 13298.

This photo of Leone, taken in 1921, shows him leaning on a chair in Ofelia’s villa in Rome “on the eve of their departure for Canada.” Several different reasons contributed to Leone’s decision to move Ofelia, Sveva and himself to Canada. Firstly, Leone, an avid socialist, no longer felt at home in post-war Italy due to the rise in Fascism under Mussolini. Furthermore, Leone was frustrated that he was unable to legitimize his daughter under the Italian law of the time. She, at the age of four, was still known as Sveva Fabiani, and unable to take her father’s last name; Leone wanted this to change. Lastly, due to some unfortunate investment decisions and tensions with local farmers, Leone lost a large part of his family’s land in Italy. All of these reasons led Leone to believe that Italy, his once well-loved country, was no longer suitable for himself or his family. So, he decided to move to Canada, the country whose rugged beauty had so easily captured his imagination during a hunting trip several year’s prior, dramatically shifting the course of his life and the lives of Ofelia and Sveva. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12142

One of Leone’s passions was traveling. As a young scholar, he spent many years traveling through and exploring the Islamic world in a wide range of regions. Later, Leone was able to pass his love of traveling on to his young family; while they were still living in Rome, he took them on travels all across Europe, a tradition they would maintain even after the move to Canada. This photo, taken in 1920, shows Sveva posing on the balcony of a hotel in St. Moritz, an alpine resort town in Switzerland. In the background, one can see the beautiful St. Moritz lake. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12124

When she was about two years of age, Sveva’s care was passed from wet nurses to nannies. One such nanny was Miss Tucker, who is pictured here with Sveva in 1920 on a beach in San Sebastián, Spain. Ofelia would still need several more years until she was recovered enough from childbirth to take on the full responsibility of caring for her daughter. As an adult, Sveva would suggest that this early separation from her mother caused a rift in their relationship, one which would never truly disappear, even into adulthood. This might explain why Sveva always felt closer to her father than to her mother during her youth. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12128

This photo of Ofelia, at the age of twenty-one, was taken at a professional studio in Rome in 1919. The family often went to take formal family portraits at studios throughout their lives. In her photograph, Ofelia poses in a designer summer hat. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12718

This photo of Sveva, at the age of two, was taken at a professional studio in Rome in 1919. The family often went to take formal family portraits at studios throughout their lives. The photograph is hand-tinted, a technique that involves using a brush or other tool to apply paint or dye to a photograph; you will particularly notice the colour on Sveva’s cheeks and on some of the details of her dress. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12675

Around the year of Sveva’s birth, in 1917, Leone built a villa on Janiculum Hill, the highest hill in Rome, having inherited his father’s title and fortune. He named it Villa Miraggio, a five-story buidling and garden enclosed by a tall wall, and hoped that this new villa would be a “kind of citadel of happiness overlooking his beloved Rome” (as quoted by Sveva in her collaborative work with Heidi Thompson entitled “Recapulation: A Journey by Sveva Caetani.”) After construction was finished, Leone housed Ofelia and Sveva in his new villa. This act raised many eyebrows, as living with a mistress and an “illegitimate” child was not considered “proper” etiquette in Roman high society of the time. This photo was taken in 1918, on Sveva’s first birthday. Sveva spent her infancy living in Villa Miraggio with her parents. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12674

August 6th, 1917, Ofelia gave birth to her and Leone’s daughter, Sveva. The birth was very difficult; Ofelia had always been physically frail and almost lost her life in the process. As a result, Sveva spent the first few months of her life in the care of a wet-nurse, as Ofelia would need several years to recover from the birth of her only child. At first, Sveva bore her mother’s last name, Fabiani, as was customary for “illegitimate” children. She also spent her early months living at her mother’s villa in Rome. This photo, taken in 1917, contains Sveva at the age of two or three months in the arms of her wet nurse Bagia. Photo Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12113

Leone Caetani’s marriage to Vittoria was fraught with difficulties, and he soon became disenchanted with her. However, Leone and Vittoria could not divorce, as this was not permitted in the Catholic Church of Italy at the time. This may be part of the reason Leone fell for the young and beautiful Ofelia Fabiani, somewhere around the year 1916. Born in 1896 to wealthy parents, Ofelia enjoyed attending the opera and theater and purchasing designer clothing at fashionable boutiques. She was always dressed to the nines, and enjoyed a glamorous life. Ofelia was said to have had a delicate constitution and temperament, but she fell deeply in love with the bold and daring Leone. This photo of Ofelia was taken in 1929. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12724

Leone Caetani, Duke of Sermoneta and Prince of Teano, was born September 12th, 1869, to Onorato and Ada Caetani. The Caetani family was one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Italy. Leone grew up in the family’s ancestral home in Rome, where he and his siblings were very well educated. Leone had a particular aptitude for learning languages (he would eventually become fluent in 11 different languages!), and by the age of 21, he had already earned a degree in Ancient and Oriental Language and History from the University of Rome. In 1901, Leone married a woman named Vittoria Colonna; the Colonnas, another ancient and illustrious family, was a longtime rival of the Caetanis. Leone was particularly interested in Islamic study, and to pursue his interest, he began to travel over the next few years. He explored the Middle East, as well as parts of Russia, Asia and Africa. In 1891, Leone embarked on a hunting trip to Canada, whose natural beauty instantly captured his imagination. In time, Leone would establish himself permanently in Canada, right here in the Okanagan Valley. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12709

Sveva Ersilia Giovanella Maria Caetani was born to Ofelia Fabiani and Leone Caetani, August 6th, 1917, in Rome. This family studio portrait was taking in 1921, shortly before the family’s departure for Canada. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12730.

the Vernon Museum and Archives.

Ever wondered what the inside of the Caetani House looked like during Sveva’s childhood? Well, here is a photo of the inside of her bedroom from 1926! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12812

In 1926, the Caetani Family once again departed for a trip to Europe. The family made stops in London, Paris, Cannes, Rome and cities in Spain. This photo of Sveva was taken on the beach at Cannes. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12364

This lovely photo of Ofelia was taken in 1925. She is posing on the steps of Sveva’s new playhouse. For those of you who have visited the Caetani Centre grounds, you probably noticed the little playhouse where Sveva spent many hours playing with her toys tucked back in a corner of the yard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12328

Here is a photo of Sveva, from 1925, wearing a ballet skirt, bonnet and pointe shoes. Sveva may have taken dance lessons in a small studio in the backyard of the Caetani grounds, which they fittingly called “The Dance Studio.” That space is still being put to a musical use to this day, as a studio for private music lessons. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 5107.

Meet the pets! Here is a photo of the Caetani Family dogs eating outside of the Caetani House. From left to right, their names are Nikki (sheepdog), Doggie (sheepdog), Crackers (sheepdog), and Onyx (spaniel). How cute! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives: Photo No. 12280

In 1924, the year this photo was taken, Leone published an “Essay for an Italian Biographical and Bibliographical Dictionary.” While he was in Vernon, and maintaining a woodlot and an orchard, Leone still managed to find time to pursue his scholarly interests. In this photo, Sveva is assisting her father with harvesting some of the fruit in his orchard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12314

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12287

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 1229

Here is an adorable photo of Sveva posing with one of her dogs’ puppies. Ofelia is standing next to her, wearing a designer gown. This photo was taken on a dirt road somewhere in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12284

Here is a photo of Sveva that was taken in 1923, after the family had arrived back in Vernon from their travels in Europe. This would have been one of Sveva’s earliest memories of snow! Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12200

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12241

Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12380

Here is a photo of Leone, Ofelia and Sveva, which was taken in 1923 on the grounds of Fogliano, a botanical garden in Italy which was created per the request of Ada Caetani, Leone’s mother and Sveva’s grandmother. Exotic plant species, such as the trees you can see in the background, where introduced into the gardens. The Fogliano Botanical Gardens would later fall into a state of neglect as the Caetani Family began to devote themselves instead to caring for the Garden of Ninfa, in central Italy. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12258

Did you know Sveva had a half-brother? Leone had a son with his wife Vittoria, several years before Sveva’s birth. His name was Onorato Caetani and he was born in 1902. Unfortunately, Onorato suffered from physical and mental illness. Here Onorato is pictured riding a camel during a trip to Egypt in 1923. Sveva was six years old at the time; Onorato was 21. Sveva never had the chance to meet her older half-brother. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12261

This photo of Ofelia was taken in 1923, on the rooftop terrace of the Villa Gianicolo in Rome. She is showing off her new Spanish shawl and designer dress. During the family visits overseas, Ofelia was particularly interested in stopping at the European fashion houses to purchase the designer clothing she could not find in Vernon. Ofelia’s fashion taste was truly elegant and extravagant. Many of her outfits were custom made, with Ofelia choosing the color and material, and she soon became known as a woman of taste throughout the fashion houses of Paris. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12238

Bust of a six-year-old Sveva

Six-year-old Sveva posing for a bust Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12222

In 1923, while the family was visiting Monte Carlo, an artist named Christos Simatos completed this drawing of a six-year-old Sveva holding a puppy. While Sveva was first taught how to draw and paint by her governesses, Christos’ caricature of her may have contributed to peaking her interest in art, an interest which would later come to play a considerable role in Sveva’s life. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12685

The Caetani family often traveled overseas after they moved to Canada, as Ofelia was particularly homesick for her beloved Europe. They visited London, Monte Carlo, Paris and Rome regularly, sometimes spending even over a year in these locations. Sveva’s governesses would often accompany the family on these vacations, as well as Miss Jüül, who would take care of Sveva’s education when the governesses were not present. This photo was taken in Monte Carlo in 1923, on one of the family’s first vacations back to Europe. Ofelia can be seen using a cane; it is said that even then, six years later, Ofelia was still recovering from the effects of Sveva’s birth. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12208

Meet the staff! Another important staff member of the Caetani Family was Guido Mannucci. Guido managed Leone’s orchard, which was located in the B.X. region. He also assisted Leone with chores around the Caetani grounds, such as splitting wood and picking the fruit trees. Here he is pictured riding a horse with a five-year-old Sveva on the back and shaking the hand of Miss Jüül. Guido and Sveva were spending the day riding around Leone’s orchard. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12193

Meet the staff! Until she was sixteen, Sveva was educated by a series of governesses. Leone was very insistent that Sveva receive a well-rounded and complete instruction; as revealed in the many letters between Leone and potential governesses, he was very strict in the hiring process and insisted that only the most qualified governess instruct his daughter. The governesses played a very important role in Sveva’s life. On top of instructing her in standard subjects such as French and English, several of her governesses taught her additional skills such as music or art. The governesses would also accompany the family when they went on trips to Europe, in order to ensure that Sveva kept up her daily routine of learning. They also served as companions for an often lonely little girl. As she grew up, Sveva kept in touch with many of her former governesses, which reveals the attachment she developed to them. This photo is of one such governess, Miss Wallwork, which was taken in 1923. She is posing with one of the Caetani family dogs on the lawn of the Caetani House. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12206

Meet the staff! The Caetani family first arrived in Vernon with a cook, a valet and a secretary. As the months began to pass, their staff began to grow. Here is a picture of a man named George. George was a chinese immigrant who attended to the Caetani family’s gardens and grounds. Another Chinese immigrant, a man named Chu, served as a manservant for Leone. This photo of George was taken in 1921. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12152

Although she unfortunately may not have had many friends as a young girl, Sveva did have the constant companionship of the family dogs. The dogs would often accompany Sveva on her adventures, whether she was going up to Leone’s wood lot for the day, or whether she was simply spending the day playing in the family’s yard. The Caetani family had several dogs over the years, and later in life, when Sveva began to attend a boarding school in Vancouver, she would almost always ask for news of her beloved pets in her correspondence with her parents. This photo shows Sveva with one of her pets, fittingly named “Doggie,” during an excursion to Leone’s woodlot. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12199

Although she unfortunately may not have had many friends as a young girl, Sveva did have the constant companionship of the family dogs. The dogs would often accompany Sveva on her adventures, whether she was going up to Leone’s wood lot for the day, or whether she was simply spending the day playing in the family’s yard. The Caetani family had several dogs over the years, and later in life, when Sveva began to attend a boarding school in Vancouver, she would almost always ask for news of her beloved pets in her correspondence with her parents. This photo was taken in 1922, when Sveva was five years old. It shows Sveva playing with the dogs on the lawn of their home. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12199

Although Sveva adapted better to life in the Okanagan than did Ofelia, her early childhood was sadly said to be quite lonely and sheltered. She spent most of her time at home, and so she did not get much of a chance to interact with other children. Instead, Sveva spent a lot of her free time reading. She loved to read, a trait that Leone was sure to encourage. As she grew up, Sveva developed a very close bond with her Father. She would often join him on his excursions up to his orchard and woodlot, which were located in the BX region and purchased by Leone shortly after the family arrived in Vernon. In her biography written with Heidi Thompson, titled “Recapitulation,” Sveva later suggested that as young as she was, her father had a great influence on her life. This photo of Sveva and Leone, dressed in hiking clothes to explore the BX region of Vernon, was taken in 1922. Sveva would have been five when this photo was taken. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12173

Unfourtunately, Ofelia had some difficulty transitioning to life in Vernon. She was used to her glamourous european lifestyle of attending the opera and theater and purchasing designer clothing at fashionable boutiques. Life in Vernon, a small agricultural community in Western Canada, came as a cultural shock for her. Ofelia continued to wear her high-fashion Parisian wardrobe through the streets and back roads of Vernon. Needless to say, she did not blend in to the crowd. Leone and Sveva had more luck transitioning to life in their new town. This romantic photo of Ofelia and Leone was taken in 1921, on a back road in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12154

The house Leone Caetani purchased on Pleasant Valley Road for his family was originally built in 1895 by a man named Samuel Sommerville. It was originally much smaller, only a two-story, late-Victorian style house, but was expanded during renovations over the years. From Samuel Sommerville, the house was purchased by H.G. Mueller (owner of the Coldstream Hotel) who then sold it to Leone in 1921. This photo of the house, with Leone and Sveva (dressed up as a nurse) on the lawn, was taken in 1921, within a few months of the family’s arrival in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12807

The Caetani Family, along with Miss Jüül and a small handful of staff, arrived in the small town of Vernon in the summer of 1921 to start their new lives together in Canada. As for why Leone chose to move to Canada, and to British Columbia in particular, Sveva explained in a letter written many years later that her father “wanted to raise [her] and enjoy himself in the beauty of British Columbia….For him anything British was second nature, and a new home based on English ideals of freedom and human rights was his first choice” (Greater Vernon Museum and Archives). After arriving, Leone purchased a property on Pleasant Valley Road that suited Ofelia’s tastes. Here is a 1921 photo of Sveva (age 3) and Ofelia (age 25) sitting on the lawn in front of their new home in Vernon. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12158

Around the time of Sveva’s birth, Leone hired a danish woman named Miss Jüül (pronounced Yule) to serve as Ofelia’s secretary and companion. Her importance in the Caetani family’s lives cannot be overstated. Not only did she accompany them to Canada, but she also served as a constant companion for Ofelia, and later for Sveva following her mother’s death. This particular photo of Miss Jüül was taken professionally in 1921, and is likely the exact picture she would have used in her passport for the voyage from Italy to Canada with the Caetani Family. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 13298.

This photo of Leone, taken in 1921, shows him leaning on a chair in Ofelia’s villa in Rome “on the eve of their departure for Canada.” Several different reasons contributed to Leone’s decision to move Ofelia, Sveva and himself to Canada. Firstly, Leone, an avid socialist, no longer felt at home in post-war Italy due to the rise in Fascism under Mussolini. Furthermore, Leone was frustrated that he was unable to legitimize his daughter under the Italian law of the time. She, at the age of four, was still known as Sveva Fabiani, and unable to take her father’s last name; Leone wanted this to change. Lastly, due to some unfortunate investment decisions and tensions with local farmers, Leone lost a large part of his family’s land in Italy. All of these reasons led Leone to believe that Italy, his once well-loved country, was no longer suitable for himself or his family. So, he decided to move to Canada, the country whose rugged beauty had so easily captured his imagination during a hunting trip several year’s prior, dramatically shifting the course of his life and the lives of Ofelia and Sveva. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12142

One of Leone’s passions was traveling. As a young scholar, he spent many years traveling through and exploring the Islamic world in a wide range of regions. Later, Leone was able to pass his love of traveling on to his young family; while they were still living in Rome, he took them on travels all across Europe, a tradition they would maintain even after the move to Canada. This photo, taken in 1920, shows Sveva posing on the balcony of a hotel in St. Moritz, an alpine resort town in Switzerland. In the background, one can see the beautiful St. Moritz lake. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12124

When she was about two years of age, Sveva’s care was passed from wet nurses to nannies. One such nanny was Miss Tucker, who is pictured here with Sveva in 1920 on a beach in San Sebastián, Spain. Ofelia would still need several more years until she was recovered enough from childbirth to take on the full responsibility of caring for her daughter. As an adult, Sveva would suggest that this early separation from her mother caused a rift in their relationship, one which would never truly disappear, even into adulthood. This might explain why Sveva always felt closer to her father than to her mother during her youth. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12128

This photo of Ofelia, at the age of twenty-one, was taken at a professional studio in Rome in 1919. The family often went to take formal family portraits at studios throughout their lives. In her photograph, Ofelia poses in a designer summer hat. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12718

This photo of Sveva, at the age of two, was taken at a professional studio in Rome in 1919. The family often went to take formal family portraits at studios throughout their lives. The photograph is hand-tinted, a technique that involves using a brush or other tool to apply paint or dye to a photograph; you will particularly notice the colour on Sveva’s cheeks and on some of the details of her dress. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12675

Around the year of Sveva’s birth, in 1917, Leone built a villa on Janiculum Hill, the highest hill in Rome, having inherited his father’s title and fortune. He named it Villa Miraggio, a five-story buidling and garden enclosed by a tall wall, and hoped that this new villa would be a “kind of citadel of happiness overlooking his beloved Rome” (as quoted by Sveva in her collaborative work with Heidi Thompson entitled “Recapulation: A Journey by Sveva Caetani.”) After construction was finished, Leone housed Ofelia and Sveva in his new villa. This act raised many eyebrows, as living with a mistress and an “illegitimate” child was not considered “proper” etiquette in Roman high society of the time. This photo was taken in 1918, on Sveva’s first birthday. Sveva spent her infancy living in Villa Miraggio with her parents. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12674

August 6th, 1917, Ofelia gave birth to her and Leone’s daughter, Sveva. The birth was very difficult; Ofelia had always been physically frail and almost lost her life in the process. As a result, Sveva spent the first few months of her life in the care of a wet-nurse, as Ofelia would need several years to recover from the birth of her only child. At first, Sveva bore her mother’s last name, Fabiani, as was customary for “illegitimate” children. She also spent her early months living at her mother’s villa in Rome. This photo, taken in 1917, contains Sveva at the age of two or three months in the arms of her wet nurse Bagia. Photo Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12113

Leone Caetani’s marriage to Vittoria was fraught with difficulties, and he soon became disenchanted with her. However, Leone and Vittoria could not divorce, as this was not permitted in the Catholic Church of Italy at the time. This may be part of the reason Leone fell for the young and beautiful Ofelia Fabiani, somewhere around the year 1916. Born in 1896 to wealthy parents, Ofelia enjoyed attending the opera and theater and purchasing designer clothing at fashionable boutiques. She was always dressed to the nines, and enjoyed a glamorous life. Ofelia was said to have had a delicate constitution and temperament, but she fell deeply in love with the bold and daring Leone. This photo of Ofelia was taken in 1929. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12724

Leone Caetani, Duke of Sermoneta and Prince of Teano, was born September 12th, 1869, to Onorato and Ada Caetani. The Caetani family was one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Italy. Leone grew up in the family’s ancestral home in Rome, where he and his siblings were very well educated. Leone had a particular aptitude for learning languages (he would eventually become fluent in 11 different languages!), and by the age of 21, he had already earned a degree in Ancient and Oriental Language and History from the University of Rome. In 1901, Leone married a woman named Vittoria Colonna; the Colonnas, another ancient and illustrious family, was a longtime rival of the Caetanis. Leone was particularly interested in Islamic study, and to pursue his interest, he began to travel over the next few years. He explored the Middle East, as well as parts of Russia, Asia and Africa. In 1891, Leone embarked on a hunting trip to Canada, whose natural beauty instantly captured his imagination. In time, Leone would establish himself permanently in Canada, right here in the Okanagan Valley. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12709

Sveva Ersilia Giovanella Maria Caetani was born to Ofelia Fabiani and Leone Caetani, August 6th, 1917, in Rome. This family studio portrait was taking in 1921, shortly before the family’s departure for Canada. Image Courtesy: Vernon Museum and Archives – Photo No. 12730.