The Parteca family is a short-lived one in Maltese genealogy. Giovanna was one of the last few instances of a surname which no longer exists.

She is one of my paternal great-great-grandmothers.

She was born at midday on Monday 29 June 1863^{1 2} in Valletta, Malta^{1 2}. She was the daughter of Giuseppe and Carmela Borg^{1 2}.

Rev Paul Camilleri² baptised her on 1 July² in St Paul’s Shipwreck Collegiate Church², as Joanna Catherina Xaveria Vincentia Maria Paola^{1 2}, but her parents wished her to be known as Giovanna^{1 2}.

The state and religious records differ in one minor detail – the order of her middle names. In one, she’s listed as Giovanna Catherina Saveria Maria Vincentia Paola, and in the other as Giovanna Catherina Saveria Vincentia Maria Paola. With all those names, it’s an easy mistake to make.

Family

On Sunday 15 October 1882³, she married Carmelo Borg³ in the Roman Catholic Church of St Rocco³ in Valletta, Malta³. Fr Matteo Hyzler officiated the wedding ceremony³.

Together they had one child I know of:

• Giuseppe

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Notable events

She was present at the birth of her grandson Paolo⁴. She went to register his birth with the authorities but, being illiterate, needed assistance with this⁴.

Like most women in those days, she didn’t work and was always described as a housewife⁴.

Her act of marriage lists her age as 20, but this is incorrect. In October 1882, she was only 19. Official records continue to be coy about her age because five years later she lists herself as being 21⁵.

She lived most of her life in Valletta but moved to Sliema at some point later in life⁴. Since she helped deliver her grandson, I conclude she lived close to, or perhaps with, her son and his family.

Death

She was still alive in 1913 when her grandson was born⁴, but had died by 1931 when her son died⁶.

References

1. Act of birth of Giovanna Parteca. (1863). Available at: https://certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 05 Mar. 2025][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
2. Certificate of Baptism of Giovanna Parteca. (1863). Baptism Records Held in the Collegiate and Parish Church of St Paul Shipwrecked, Valletta, p.516[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
3. Act of Marriage of Carmelo Borg and Giovanna Parteca. Malta Government Public Registry, 15 Oct. 1882, www.certifikati.gov.mt. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
4. Act of birth of Paolo Borg. (1913). Malta Government Public Registry. [online] Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 28 Aug. 2024][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
5. Act of birth of Giuseppe Borg. (1887). Available at: https://certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 28 Jan. 2025][↩]
6. Act of death of Giuseppe Borg. (1931). Malta Government Public Registry. [online] Available at: https://certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 5 Mar. 2025][↩]