Born in a small village in what is now the Italian Alps in 1897 (this area of Europe has a long history of territory disputes and was actually part of Austria before World War 1) Rodolfo Gallazzini worked as a blacksmith during the first world war after which he decided to emigrate to Canada and work for his older brother who had come to Canada years earlier.

Upon arrival, as was the custom, Rodolfo's name was changed to Rudolph Gallazin and he made his way across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver where his brother Len had a locksmith/bicycle/saw sharpening shop.

In 1927 Rudolph married Maria Pavan and together they had a son Alvin in 1928.

In 1941 Rudolph moved with his family to Nanaimo and started a locksmith shop of his own , which is the same locksmith business you see today.