In 1971 Norman Young hypothesized that ‘Variegata di Bologna’ was a sport of ‘Victor Emmanuel’ which was long popular in Italy. This guess was often repeated in the literature.
HelpMeFind member Ca Berta found the important 1909 reference which gave ‘Variegata di Bologna’s pollen parent as ‘Pride of Reigate. I am wondering if the rose on the left of this photo is not ‘Victor Emmanuel’, but either ‘Comtesse d’Oxford or its sport ‘Pride of Reigate’. Does David Ruston’s planting records book give the provenance of the rose on the left.

We have a chronological descendancy of
1859 Victor Verdier
1869 Comtesse d’Oxford HP. (seedling of Victor Verdier)
1880s Pride of Reigate (sport of Comtesse d’Oxford)
1909 Variegata di Bologna (seedling x Pride of Reigate)
1980 Purpurea di Bologna (sport of Variegata di Bologna. Or a reversion back to Pride of Reigate or Comtesse d’Oxford?)

This rose is totally appalling for blackspot. I grow it as a climber supported on wires that way it has a better air movement and hopefully a little less of this disease as it chases the new healthy leaves up the stem. Other roses near by that wouldn't necessarily have gotten it have the disease especially on their leaves closest to this rose. I am going to move it further away into the wilder parts of the garden. Here its only neighbour will be 'poylantha 'Grandiflora'. However, despite being such a leper it has made some really good growth with shoots reaching almost 4M high. The flowers are so incredible it is worth any amount of ugly unhealthiness.