My family tree through the ages
There is more than one Giuseppe Borg in my family tree – this is the quintessential generic Maltese name, after all. It makes research harder because everything needs to be triple-checked. This Giuseppe ran a wine shop in Valletta next to the popular Victoria Gate.
He is one of my paternal great-grandfathers.
Valletta-born and bred, Teresa lived within the same 0.61 square kilometres for her whole life.
She is one of my maternal great-great-great-grandmothers.
Giuseppe was never registered in government records, showing how lax enforcement of the rules were at the time. He lived all his life in rural Attard, Malta.
He is one of my paternal great-grandfathers.
Ludcarda was born in Floriana before it was a parish in its own right, and moved to Sliema before that was a parish in its own right. She saw Malta evolve and gain new parishes, and towns.
She is one of my maternal great-great-grandmothers.
Girolamo was part of the 19th century migration out of Valletta to the (at the time) calmer village of St Julian’s. He loved Valletta enough to move back later on in life.
Grazia’s age is a matter of mystery since she married in her 30s, and 2 years later claimed to be in her 20s.
She is one of my maternal great-great-grandmothers.
With a life spanning half the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Rosina was part of upwardly-mobile society that moved from the capital to the quieter town of Sliema.
She is one of my maternal great-great-grandmothers.
As the Imperial government’s Attorney General, Emmanuele must have been influential in 19th century Maltese society.
He is one of my maternal 3 x great-grandfathers.
Giuseppa survived both world wars, first working the land in Qormi and later in the tiny village of Attard.
She is one of my paternal great-grandmothers.
A male nurse, at a time when this was not common, Paolo moved from Sliema to Attard after getting married.
Fondly remembered as Nannu Paul, he was my paternal grandfather.