Giuseppe 'Joseph' Novello (1744-1808)

BC MS NCC/9/2/43 Edward Petre Novello self portrait studies

NCC Family RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

The Novello Cowden Clarke Collection represents the activities of an extraordinary Anglo-Italian family of artists, musicians, writers, publishers and actors during the long nineteenth century.

BC MS NCC/1/3/1 Portrait of Giuseppe 'Joseph' Novello

Giuseppe 'Joseph' Novello (1744-1808)

Giuseppe ‘Joseph’ Novello was an Italian confectioner and pastry cook who moved to London in 1771.

BC MS NCC/9/4/1 Proof engraving of Vincent Novello

Vincent Novello (1781-1861)

Vincent Novello was a musician, composer and music publisher.

Charles Cowden Clarke (1787-1877)

Charles Cowden Clarke was an writer, lecturer and Shakespeare scholar alongside his wife, Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke (née Novello).

BC MS NCC/3/5/2 Watercolour portrait of Mary Sabilla Novello

Mary Sabilla Novello (née Hehl) (1789-1854)

Mary Sabilla Novello (née Hehl) was married to Vincent Novello and supported their education and careers of their children. She wrote an important diary of their travels across Europe in the summer of 1829.

BC MS NCC/19/11/43 Carte de visite of Thomas James Serle

Thomas James Serle (1798-1889)

Thomas James Serle was an actor, dramatist and journalist, who married Cecilia Novello.

BC MS NCC/4/8/3 Engraved portrait of Mary Cowden Clarke

Mary Victoria Cowden Clarke (née Novello) (1809-98)

Mary Victora Cowden Clarke (née Novello) was a writer and Shakespeare scholar alongside her husband, Charles Cowden Clarke.

BC MS NCC/7/8/2 Carte de visite of (Joseph) Alfred Novello

(Joseph) Alfred Novello (1810-96)

(Joseph) Alfred Novello was a music publisher and first son of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/9/7/7 Miniature portrait of Cecilia Serle (née Novello)

Cecilia Serle (née Novello) (1812-90)

Cecilia Serle (née Novello) was the second daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/9/1/55 Watercolour sketch of a self-portrait by Edward Petre Novello

Edward Petre Novello (1813-36)

Edward Petre Novello was an artist and the second son of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/10/4/1 untitled oil sketch [portrait of Emma Aloysia Novello by Henry Sass]

Emma Aloysia Novello (1814-1902)

Emma Aloysia Novello was an artist and third daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/11/2/1 Photograph of Giovanni Battista Gigliucci and Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello)

Giovanni Battista Gigliucci (1815-93)

Conte Giovanni Battista Gigliucci was an Italian politician born to an aristocratic family in Fermo.

BC MS NCC/12/7/2 Proof print of Clara Anastasia Novello engraved by William Humphreys

Clara Anastasia Novello (1818-1908)

Clara Anastasia Novello was an internationally-recognised soprano and the fourth daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/13/9/15 Pencil and watercolour portrait of (Mary) Sabilla Novello

(Mary) Sabilla Novello (1821-1904)

Mary Sabilla Novello, known as Sabilla to distinguish her from her mother, was the youngest surviving daughter of Vincent Novello and Mary Sabilla Novello.

BC MS NCC/15/2/1 Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Giovanni Gigliucci

Giovanni Gigliucci (1844-1906)

Conte Giovanni Gigliucci was the first son of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

BC MS NCC/16/2/2 Carte de visite of Porzia Gigliucci as 'Thalia'

Porzia Gigliucci (1845-1938)

Contessa Porzia Gigliucci was born in 1845, the eldest daughter and second child of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

Emma Clara Serle (1846-77)

Emma Clara Serle was the eldest surviving daughter of Cecilia Serle (née Novello) and Thomas James Serle.

BC MS NCC/17/1/1 Photographic reproduction of a portrait of Mario Gigliucci

Mario Gigliucci (1847-1937)

Conte Mario Gigliucci was the second son and third child of Clara Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

BC MS NCC/18/2/2 Carte de visite of Valeria Gigliucci as 'Mirth'

Valeria Gigliucci (1849-1945)

Contessa Valeria Gigliucci was born in 1849, the fourth and youngest child of Clara Anastasia Gigliucci (née Novello) and Giovanni Battista Gigliucci.

Giuseppe ‘Joseph’ Novello was born on 26 June 1744 in Tonengo in Piedmont, Italy and by 1766 he lived in Turin. He left Italy on 11 July 1771 for London via Lyon, Paris and Dieppe and arrived on 10 August 1771.

Giuseppe is known to have been literate—he kept a diary between 1765 and 1781—and became a pastry cook. He married Joan ‘Giovana’ Wins from Norfolk at the Sardinian Embassy Chapel on 16 August 1772. The family had a 14 year lease on 240 Oxford Street (facing Park Lane) from 15 March 1776 and took lodgers. Of their children, only two boys survived—Vincent Novello and Francis Novello—and both became musicians. Francis Novello was born on 29 March 1779 and Vincent Novello on 6 September 1781.

He claimed to be confectioner to the Neapolitan ambassador at the time of Vincent Novello’s birth and maintained strong connections with the Italian émigré community in London.

Giuseppe Novello’s death in February 1808 resulted in a dispute between his sons over 240 Oxford Street which was settled in Vincent Novello’s favour in 1811, because he had paid for the lease and added to the family income while his father was alive.