A photo of St Mary's Church - Attard, Malta

Grazia Bezzina

Living in a much more rural Malta, Grazia was born in Attard, then married someone called Attard before moving to Qormi.

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

A photo of St Mary's Church - Attard, Malta

Luigi Attard

Living a rural life means it’s hard to be clear about Luigi’s age because of lax record keeping.
He is one of my paternal great-great-grandparents.

A photo of the Valletta skyline - Valletta, Malta

Susanna Xuereb

Valletta-born, she settled in the then-growing seaside town of Sliema to avoid the overcrowding in the capital city.

She is one of my paternal great-grandmothers.

A photo of the balconies above Victoria Gate - Valletta, Malta

Giuseppe Salvatore Borg

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.

A photo of St Mary's Church - Attard, Malta

Giuseppe Borg

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.

A photo of the Porte de Bombes - Floriana, Malta

Ludcarda Cremona

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.

A photo of present-day St Julians' Bay - Malta

Grazia Balzan

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.

A photo of St Mary's Church - Attard, Malta

Giuseppa Attard

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 photo of the church of St Catherine of Italy - Valletta, Malta

Florentina Farrugia Gay

Florentina’s life spanned the end of the 19th century and most of the 20th. Her official documents show the slow change in Maltese life from Italian to British influence.

She is my one of my maternal great-grandmothers.

A photo of the Parliament building - Valletta, Malta

Giovanni Farrugia Gay

Giovanni is a curious individual who used a double-barrelled surname on occasion. His court case is a seminal work, still quoted in Maltese courts and Parliament more than 100 years later.