Description
In this publication, the author endeavoured to assemble -in book form -various articles on Melitensia written and published over a period of 22 years. He also added others which have not been published.
This book covers the 164 years of British rule in Malta (1800-1964): distinguished visitors and other personalities, various episodes, and events which collectively bring out the good (and the not so good) in this improtant era, in the history of our nation.
Although basically stopping at 1964, when Malta achieved sovereignty, the author felt tha the should outline in brief important events and visits which followed that date; for British influence over Malta did not suddenly end on September 21, 1964, but continuted -thanks to the defence treaty and financial agreement with Britain, and the presence of British interests in various sectors of the economy-well past that date to March 31, 1979, when the last British forces left Malta at the end of the military base rent agreement signed seven years earlier. The author also sketched -in brief -Queen Elizabeth II’s three official visits to independent Malta, the last one in November 2005.
This book is more about people -for it is people who make history -than about events or episodes. The material is made up principally of articles published in ‘The Sunday Times’ (Malta) ‘The Times’ (Malta), and ‘The Malta Independent on Sunday’, but the author has revised and -in some cases -rewritten each feature, adding new material.
Three articles -‘The XXIV International Eucharistic Congress, Malta, 1913’, ‘Royal Visits, 1800-1910’, and its sequel ‘Royal Visits, 1910-1964’, first appeared in ‘Treasures of Malta, ‘, a quarterly published by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, while ‘Prominent people buried at Ta’ Braxia Cemetery’ First appeared in three parts, and in a much longer form, in Vigilo, organ of Din l-Art Helwa, the National Trust of Malta.