The Caon Brothers

CAON, Primo Fortunato
Born 25 August 1935

CAON, Giocondo Giliante
Born 30 April 1938

Primo Caon was born at Mrs. Lynch's Nursing Home in Adelaide. Giocondo Caon was born three years later, at the family home in Fenn Place. Their father Giacinto had come to Australia as a young man and had worked in the mica mines near Alice Springs. In 1932 he returned to Italy, married and then came back to Adelaide with his wife, Guiseppina two years later. After working in the quarries at Glen Osmond and then on the wharf at Port Adelaide Giacinto took over a butcher's store, "Fenn Meat Store" on the corner or Hindley Street and Fenn Place. He later moved his business to the corner of Grey and Waymouth Streets and then into Franklin Street. The family lived above the butcher shop in Waymouth Street, then in Brown Street and then moved to 237-239 Franklin Street. where Guiseppina ran a boarding house. The two boys attended the Dominican Convent and Christian Brothers College. Both helped in the butcher's shop before and after school. Primo became interested in butchering and trained as an apprentice at Maces Meat Store in Rundle Street. He also worked in his spare time as a dresser at the Theatre Royal. After finishing his schooling Giocondo travelled to Italy with his mother. It was there that he became inspired by the relaxed elegance of the Italian café and restaurant scene. After his return to Adelaide Giocondo found a potential site for "La Cantina" in Hindley Street and convinced Primo to join him in opening this new restaurant. The brothers ran this restaurant together from 1960 to 1969. This venture led to careers in the hospitality industry for both and involvements in wine and liquor sales and restaurants through to the present day.

In this interview Primo and Giocondo provide a vivid and colourful picture of life in the West End during and after the Second World War. The Italian community in the City comes alive through stories of their parents; their father's butcher shop and the boarding house run by their mother. They talk of their childhood years, schooling and of their movement into the hospitality industry. They then discuss in detail the opening of "La Cantina" and the ventures that followed on from its success.

Interviewer: Karen George
18 & 25 June, 9 & 30 July, 20 August & 15 October 1996
8 hours (8 x 60 min tapes)
Full Transcript (175 p.) Open Access

Extract from 'City Memory' written and prepared by Oral Historian Dr. Karen George for the City of Adelaide © Corporation of the City of Adelaide 1999