Count Bianchi di Ciampino formerly known as Mario Bianchi was ennobled at Ciampino airport in 1946 by King Unberto II. The Count is beleived to have been born illegitimate in 1920. For most of his life he ran a street stall selling fish. He later changed direction in life and sold high quality bathroom fitments [1] aimed at the tourist market from a kiosk near the Spanish Steps. These high quality fitments included jewel encrusted toilet paper holders.
It was always a great disappointment to the Contessa Bianchi that the Libro d'Oro failed to recognise the title [2]
Count Bianchi's life was spent in its entirety in Rome; a planned holiday to Rimini was cancelled due to a lack of funds. However, he once witnessed Mussolini driving along the Via del Corso in his car. The Count was a popular man known in his neighbourhood and known for his merry antics following an evening spent in his local bar where he was always seated with a glass in hand watching the television when AS Roma were playing at home. On many occasions he often strongly refuted, with his fists, the allegations made by some of his less exalted neighbours that the Bianchi title had been mistakenly created [3]
The count married 1923 Eleanora Brossi the couple had five children, Severino, Pancrazio, Enzo, Ilario and the youngest Hank. All of the Count's sons attended his funeral in Rome in 1971. Just five days after his death came the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and President Tito at the Vatican an event Count Bianchi was not to see. [4] although the communist president was seen to shake his head in silent salute as his motorcade passed the Bianchi kiosk with its array of gaily coloured toilet paper holders draped in black crepe. Possibly, the president though the crowds lining the streets were to see him rather than salute the funeral cortege of Count Bianchi. On the day of the funeral, Rome high society and the Dolce Vita were silent. So quiet was the dreadful hush that fell on Rome, that the city's leading society figure Princess Orietta Doria-Pamphilj made no utterance concerning the demise of Count Bianchi. She did not attend the funeral probably because her grief was so great.
References edit
- ^ Bianchi, Mrs Hank. Memories of the House of Bianchi. Awaiting a publisher
- ^ Libro d’Oro della Consulta Araldica del Regno d’Italia
- ^ English Lords of the Manor.
- ^ Church Revolution in Pictures