91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Person    | Male  Born 27/7/1817  Died 6/9/1878

Carlo Gatti

Categories: Commerce, Food & Drink, Theatre

Countries: Switzerland

Carlo Gatti

Cafe owner and ice-dealer. Born Switzerland. Arrived in England in July 1847. Built up a French-style cafe business. In the 1850s he became the first seller of ice-cream to the masses. He had owned ice wells off the Regent's Canal for a few years and in 1857 he formed a company to import ice from Norway and store it at an ice well in New Wharf Road, King's Cross. He built up a fleet of 60 ice wagons and was extremely successful. He had 5 daughters but his only son died aged 9. From about 1871 he spent most of his time back in Switzerland where he died. gives a good explanation of how the ice trade worked.

As well as the ice business Carlo and his family also built up a chain of restaurants and places of entertainment, many in central London. He assisted other Italians to come to London, many of whom either worked for him or set up Italian restaurants of their own.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Carlo Gatti

Commemorated ati

Gatti icehouse

Victorian London has a wonderful contemporary description of the ice pit. In ...

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Other Subjects

Sun Public House

Sun Public House

This pub was destroyed in a WW2 air raid shortly before closing time on 25th September 1940. The plaque says that 20 people were killed; Pubwiki puts the number at 16. The site stood empty for many...

Building, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Acorn Restorations

Acorn Restorations

Metalwork restorers.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Fountains Abbey pub

Fountains Abbey pub

Sir Alexander Fleming was a loyal regular. Legend says that it was mould spores from this ale house which blew through Fleming’s window, leading him to the discovery of Penicillin in 1928.   The Fo...

Building, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Albert E. Reed

Albert E. Reed

 Paper manufacturer and Weslian preacher.  Born Devon.  Established a newsprint manufacturing company in Kent in 1894.  By 1965 this had grown to be the Reed Group and in 1993 it merged to become R...

Person, Commerce, Religion

1 memorial