Tag: Malta

A photo of world leaders at the signing of the Munich agreement

Preserving Malta’s money supply

European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war with Germany. They hatched a secret plan to reinforce Malta’s money supply in case of war.
A photo of the menhirs in Hagar Qim - Qrendi, Malta

Blue eyes in the Mediterranean

Thomas McGill’s 19th century tourist guide to Malta is fascinating for the way he describes Malta with a foreigner's eyes. I’ve used him as a reference before and many anecdotes are verifiable using other sources. This article examines his claims about people from the Maltese village of Żurrieq.
A photo of narrow Valletta streets

Every parents’ worst nightmare: The carnival deaths

In the 19th century, the monks at the convent annexed to the Ta' Giezu church in Valletta would help young boys stay out of mischief during carnival. They would pray together and then give the boys food. In 1823, this act of charity turned into a catastrophe.

Churches that are not sanctuaries

There are a few chapels and churches around Malta which sport an intriguing Latin sign: “Non gode immunity ecclesiastica” ("Doesn't provide ecclesiastical immunity"). I wanted to understand why a church would not be a place of refuge, and why some other churches still were.
A photo of the harbour - Valletta, Malta

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

There weren’t many female physicians in the 19th century. Irishwoman Margaret Bulkley pretended to be a man for over 40 years to practise medicine. This article explains how this happened, Bulkley's life in Malta and how we know what happened.
A photo of Capua Palace - Sliema, Malta

In exile in Malta

The town of Sliema, Malta, is marked with high-rise apartment blocks and frustrating traffic. It was not always so and people have fond memories of days gone by. Few talk about the Prince of Capua and the Russian connection.
A photo of the balcony on the Grandmaster's Palace - Valletta, Malta

The Revolting Slaves of Malta

Malta is not known for its revolutions. Unlike other countries, the people preferred other ways of changing history. This article describes one unsuccessful plot to overthrow the Knights of Malta.
A photo of Misrah Ghar il-Kbir

Malta’s mysterious cart ruts

One of the great mysteries of this world is the Maltese cart ruts. They appear all over the islands. We still don’t know what they are, or what they were used for. This article explains what we do know about them, and the current hypothesis.
A photo of the Altar of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Divine Grace

The Chapel of Our Lady of Divine Grace

The old adage claims there are 356 chapels and churches in Malta, 1 for every day of the year! One tiny often neglected chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Grace in Sliema. This article details its history and its significance to this sprawling metropolis.