When Andrew Carrazzo files past the old barber’s shop at 330 Lygon Street next Tuesday he’ll remember with affection that all-too-brief meeting with the incomparable Ernesto Angerame, a true Blue legend of the famous retail strip.
Ernie, who ably served as “barbiere ufficiale del Carlton Football Club” (that’s Carlton’s official club hairdresser) for more than 20 seasons through the 1950s and ’60s, originally hailed from the same region of southern Italy as Andrew’s grandfather Leo - who in turn managed the Carrazzo family bakery in nearby Nicholson Street.
Having fondly remembered Andrew’s late grandfather, 92 year-old Ernie was only too happy to rub shoulders with Carlton’s 2007 John Nicholls Medallist in the doorway of what is now d.o.c. delicatessen, but was once his hairdressing salon for almost four decades.
The pair was front and centre for this unique photograph, which perhaps best typifies the Carlton Football Club’s commitment to furthering its bonds with local community.
“I was really happy to meet with Andrew because of the connection with his grandfather who came from the same town in the old country,” Ernie said at the time. “It was a thrill for me to meet Leo’s grandson and renew ties with the Viggianese and Carlton.”
Few are more quintessentially Carlton and Lygon Street than Ernesto Angerame - born in Viggiano, in the province of Basilicata, north-east of Naples in southern Italy, way back in 1920.
The fifth of six boys born to Francesco and Agnese Angerame, Ernie followed brothers John, Tony, Vince and Domenico, and preceded another brother Guido.
Though Tony migrated to New Zealand and Guido remained in Italy, John, Vince, Domenico and Ernie all made the long voyage to the Great South Land. Ernie set sail aboard the steamship Remo in 1938 and not long after followed Tony into the hairdressing trade.
In 1948, Ernie opened the barber shop on Lygon Street, on the eastern side of the famous strip between Faraday and Grattan Streets. For the next 36 years he cut the crops of countless loyal customers, amongst them the former Governor-General and local Carlton resident, the late Sir Zelman Cowan.
In a previous interview with this reporter, Ernie recounted his unique ties with the football club, particularly through the Barassi years.
“I used to cut the hair of all the players, John Nicholls, Sergio Silvagni and John Benetti . . . ‘Big Nick’ was my best customer,” Ernie recalled at the time.
“In those days haircuts cost five shillings, but the Carlton players got their hair cut at no charge. That was because I loved Carlton and I loved the players.”
At some point, Ernie was also encouraged to ply his craft at Princes Park. He didn’t need to be asked twice.
“I used to lock up the shop at Lygon Street at 12 noon on a Saturday and walk down to Princes Park,” Ernie said. “I’d then cut the players’ hair before they ran out, then watch the game from the bottom of the race in front of the Robert Heatley Stand.”
Ernie’s commitment to Carlton and Lygon Street was but a part of the Angerame story. He also served as President of the Cavour Club and as secretary of Juventus in a glory era which yielded the soccer outfit five premierships.
He was later knighted by the Italian Government for his services to the community.
