*I have added information from Renato (see images below)
Renato filed a request with the City of Turin Historical Archive to see what information was still on file about Rudolph Valentino's sister Maria Strada. This is the e-mail response he received with translation below. This is a typical "Family Form" which to date we have found missing, in several archives, for Alberto, Ada and Jean Valentino. However we have not surrendered the search.
I think Maria Strada deserves more focus than she has been given in the Valentino story and hopefully this is a beginning.
Dear Mr. Floris,
As a result of the search carried out in the Individual Registry Cards housed in the Historical Archive of the City of Turin, we inform you that no Card relating to Strada, Maria born Guglielmi, nor any Card relating to the daughter Gabriella, has been found, while there is a Card relating to the husband:
Strada, Eugenio, freelance engineer, who was born in Turin on July 1, 1887, (act no. 2032) was son of the late Ernesto, engineer and Rocca Cesnola Eugenia; marital status, husband of Guglielmi, Maria; Marriage recorded in Turin October 18, 1926 (act no. 1524);
Strada, Eugenio deleted from the Register on July 25, 1903 due to emigration to Volvera; reentered on September 29, 1905; eliminated by death in Turin in the Mauriziano hospital on July 12, 1947, record no. 1874.
Residence: Via C. Giordana 5, then on August 1, 1935, Corso G. Ferraris 99.
The family record of the 1921 Census n. 1926/104242 reads:
Strada:
Eugenio, son of the late Ernesto, residence at Via C. Giordana 5, Gallo Abello villa. (from page 6231 O)
Strada, Eugenio, engineer, was son of the late Ernesto and Eugenia Rocca Ceresola, was head of the family, born in Turin, July 1, 1887, married Maria Guglielmi, previously residing in Milan
Strada, Maria Grazia, was Guglielmi, daughter of the late Giovanni and the late Barbin, Maria, wife, Castellaneta September 1, 1897, married, housewife.
Strada, Gabriella Eugenia, daughter of Eugenio and Guglielmi, Maria, daughter born in Turin July 19, 1927.
On the family record of the 1936 Census section, page 1126, line 29, the same components are recorded without variations.
From the Ten-Year Books of Births, it is noted that the birth certificate of Strada, Gabriella di Eugenio bears the n. 2345 of the year 1927.
If interested, you can request a copy from: archiyiostatocivile @ comune torino.it
In the Ten-Year Books of Deaths, which the Historical Archive maintains recorded until 1965, the name of Guglielmi Maria, widow Strada, has not been found.
With best regards
XXXXX
Historical Archive of the City of Turin
**Further information from Renato regarding Maria Strada's famous sister-in-law:
"Emma Strada, sister-in-law of Maria Guglielmi, graduated from the Royal Polytechnic of Turin in 1908.
She was the first female engineer in Italy and was 24 years old when she graduated with full marks, coming third out of 62 enrolled.
The world in which she was raised and educated also contributes to Emma Strada's choice to be an engineer: an open and liberal family environment, in which her father Ernesto, a civil engineer with his own studio, had always encouraged her to pursue her own interests.
Emma received strong stimuli from her father who was certainly an 'example' to be emulated by the young Emma, also her brother Eugenio, husband of Maria Guglielmi, was a professional civil engineer.
Ernesto Strada was very dedicated to his family, certainly with a progressive spirit, he was to stimulate the young woman, and to support her daughter's decision to undertake the course of studies in Engineering.
Before the Polytechnic, Emma attended the Liceo Classico D'Azeglio, an unusual choice for a girl of that time, because it was usual that the university would follow her high school diploma.
Her first work was the design of a tunnel to drain the water from a mine, in Ollomont, in the Aosta Valley; then she went to Calabria, where, between 1909 and 1910, she planned the construction of the car-moto-funicular railway of Catanzaro and the construction of the Calabrian branch of the Apulian aqueduct. In the years 1909-1915 she was the extraordinary assistant of prof. Luigi Pagliani, professor and director of the Industrial Hygiene Cabinet at the University of Turin. In 1925 she was entrusted with the task of designing and directing the excavation operations of a gold mine near Macugnaga, near Monte Rosa.
To promote the work of women in the field of science and technology, in 1957, together with other architect and engineer women, she founded the Italian Association of Women Engineers and Architect ( AIDIA), of which she became the first president."
A few photos of Emma Strada (with her father below):
