Friends of Villa Frere

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A MATTER OF FATE

For British diplomat John Hookham Frere, January became a month of sorrows….

Some say that bad luck isn’t real and that there is no such thing as luck. Yet others would strongly avoid walking under a ladder or crossing the street in the presence of a black cat. They will certainly not open an umbrella indoors or drink any water that reflects moonlight, in the fear of attracting misfortune. Still, there are those who insist that whether you see it as lucky or unlucky, the chance event is the same. But is it?

John Hookham Frere, a British diplomat, poet, scholar and philanthropist, is not known to have spoken of bad luck. However, when years went by and he started to suffer the loss of his loved ones all during the same month, he lamented that January was becoming too melancholic for him.

Rumours say that his mother Jane, daughter of John Hookham (senior) who was a rich London merchant, had brought an astrologer’s silver cup as part of her marriage dowry. This cup originally belonged to her great uncle, John Dee, who was believed to be a conjurer. Legend said that he had used the cup to make some supernatural experiments but she insisted that this was not true. In defiance, she used the cup as a sugar bason.

Curiously, the ‘January calamity’ had already struck the woman that Frere would eventually marry – Elizabeth Jemima Blake. A portrait painted by Sir Martin Shee shows her as a very beautiful girl with large dark eyes and masses of dark hair. In January 1790, she married George, sixteenth Earl of Erroll, who committed suicide in June 1798 after he confided an official secret to a friend who then published the communication and its author.

The childless and beautiful widow met Frere in the year 1800 when she was recommended to stay in Lisbon to alleviate her mourning sorrows. At the time, Lisbon was a favourite health resort and Frere, who had just been appointed Envoy to the Court of Lisbon, was requested by a common friend to take care of her. Soon, the two became very good friends and along the years, they kept in contact through letters. Eventually, they got married on the 12^th September 1816.

Lady Erroll never regained her health completely and this was a constant source of anxiety to her husband. A severe cold which she got while visiting the new rooms that were built at the British Museum for the Elgin marbles, wrought permanent damage to her constitution. A serious illness in 1820 obliged Frere to take her abroad and although she recovered some strength while travelling in the Mediterranean, it was clear that she would not survive the cold English climate.

Since Frere preferred to live among English subjects, he chose to move to Malta. His sister Susanna, who had never married and who offered to help him to take care of his wife, joined them too. Initially, they resided in Casa Correa, a palatial building in Old Bakery Street, Valletta. Later on, they moved to Pietá, where they acquired two adjoined buildings, so that Susanna could live close by. This house on the waterfront helped Elizabeth to recover to better health and Frere began to show interest in the Maltese Islands which were so rich in history.

Frere was very proficient in languages, namely Greek, Latin, Italian, French and Spanish. In Malta, he extended his knowledge in the Maltese and Hebraic languages. His ample library filled with prestigious and rare books became renowned with scholars, some of whom came to visit from abroad. At this time, he met Mikiel Anton Vassalli, a Maltese writer, linguist and philosopher.

Vassalli was expelled from Malta a number of times due to his political beliefs. His troubled life led to much difficulties and Frere helped to alleviate some of his problems. He financed the education of his three sons, supported him to publish his books and helped him to start teaching at the University of Malta as the first Professor of Maltese language. Frere’s remarkable kindness persisted even after Vassalli’s death, on 12^th January 1829, when he took the responsibility of his burial in the then Protestant cemetery of the Msida Bastion, after the Catholic Church refused to do so due to his alliance with the Protestants.

Almost two years later, Frere had to return to these burial grounds again, this time to bury his wife when she passed away on 17^th January 1831. His wife’s loss overwhelmed him with grief but he refused to return to England even though his relatives and friends advised him to do so. Eventually, he decided to acquire the steep hill behind his house in Pietá, turning the landscape into a set of lovely fertile terraces that were embellished with refined temples. From these peaceful gardens, he could look out at the cemetery where his beloved was resting.

Yet the ominous month was set to claim another victim, this time his sister Susanna who died on the 18^th January 1839, eight years and a day following the demise of his wife.

In some letters which Frere wrote to his relatives and friends, he expressed his regret that the penalty of a long life was to see all those whom he had loved wither away and die. While his earlier years had been dedicated to political writing and literary satires, he passed the last years of his life composing epitaphs.

Instead of bringing an elation of joy at the beginning of a new year, January became acutely associated with death and Frere simply hated it. Who could have told him that this month would ultimately also claim his life – on 7^th January 1846.

Currently, Heritage Malta holds the title for the iconic gardens of Villa Frere in Pietá. In February 2019, Heritage Malta and the NGO Friends of Villa Frere, signed a partnership and management agreement for the promotion, public availability, and the running and operation of the historical site.

The gardens of Villa Frere are opened for the public once a month or by appointment for groups. For further information, contact the NGO Friends of Villa Frere on Facebook or by email on villafrere@gmail.com

(This feature was published in the SENIOR TIMES – JANUARY issued with the Times of Malta dated 24 January 2020)

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2020.01.24 / no responses / Category: Times of Malta
Il-bikja ta’ ġnien Villa Frere

Fil-5 ta’ Marzu ta’ din il-ġimgħa sirt naf li kien qiegħed jiġi ċċelebrat il- 250 anniversarju mit-twelid ta’ Mikiel Anton Vassalli; personaġġ magħruf bħala ‘missier l-ilsien Malti’ minħabba l-kontribut kbir li ta biex il-Malti jsir lingwa nazzjonali. Fatt li tani x’naħseb ħafna għax proprju erbat ijiem qabel, jien inzertajt kont qiegħda f’post partikolari mmens li fih Mikiel Anton Vassalli min jaf kemm qatta’ żmien.

Villa Frere u John Hookham Frere

Għadilli ġieli smajt b’Villa Frere, ma kelli l-ebda idea fejn tinsab u daqstant ieħor ma kontx naf bil-ġnien tagħha li Vassalli jiftakru sabiħ daqs ġenna tal-art, filwaqt li llum huwa mitluq u fi stat ta’ abbandun. Infatti għall-ewwel, hekk kif il-Perit Edward Said u Peter Patrick Borg Ghigo stednuni biex nagħti titwila f’dan il-ġnien, ma tantx ħbatt nimpressjona ruħi wisq…. sakemm ħarsti waqgħet fuq it-tempju l-antik u l-arkitettura tal-madwar u hemm intbaħt li kienet ġejja xi storja interessanti. Iżda qatt ma bsart kemm! U hekk kif meddejt passejja proprju fil-mogħdijiet li mxew minnhom is-sidien ta’ dan il-post u anki Vassalli tagħna, ftit ftit bdejt niskopri l-istorja u d-destin ta’ dan il-lwog, sakemm f’għajnejja, l-istat imwarrab tiegħu ħa sura aktar romantika u stħajjiltni daqslikieku għal mument, kont sibt ruħi fi ġnien moħbi u msaħħar.

L-istorja li smajt jiena tibda mill-1821 meta John Hookham Frere, aristokratiku Ingliż, iddeċieda li jiġi jqatta’ ftit taż-żmien f’pajjiżna, peress li martu, il-Kontessa Elizabeth Jemima, kienet ma tiflaħx u t-tabib irrakkomandalha biex tmur tgħix f’xi pajjiż fil-Mediterran fejn l-ambjent kien aktar sħun. Minħabba li pajjiżna kien kolonja tal-Ingliżi, Hookham Frere kien għażel lil Malta minn inħawi oħra għax kien jippreferi joqgħod flimkien ma’ suditti oħra tal-Ingilterra. Inizzjalment huma marru joqogħdu fil-palazz Casa Correa fi Triq l-Ifran, il-Belt. Madanakollu wara ftit, huma sabu żewġt idjar imdaqqsa max-xatt tal-Pietà li kienu għall-kiri, u l-koppja Frere, flimkien ma’ oħt Frere u l-ħaddiema li kienu jieħdu ħsiebhom, marru jabitaw hemmhekk.

Għall-arja tal-baħar il-kontessa dehret li qed taqleb għall-aħjar u Frere li kien studjuż tal-klassiċi beda jorbot qalbu dejjem aktar ma pajjiżna, speċjalment meta sar jaf bl-istorja tagħna u wara li żar xi siti storiċi u arkeoloġiċi. Infatti, apparti li kien jaf sewwa bosta lingwi inkluż il-Grieg, il-Latin, it-Taljan, il-Franċiż u l-Ispanjol, huwa beda wkoll jitħarreġ fil-lingwa Maltija u fil-lingwi Ebrajċi. Sadanittant, huwa ttraduċa għall-Ingliż xi xogħolijiet letterarji klassiċi, li wħud minnhom illum jinsabu fil-Biblijoteka Nazzjonali. Ġewwa Villa Frere, hu kellu wkoll waħda mill-ifjen libreriji taż-żmien u mhux darba u tnejn li minħabba fiha kienu jżuruh diversi intelletwali anki minn pajjiżi barranin.

Intant, fl-1795 Mikiel Anton Vassalli kien lesta l-ewwel dizzjunarju bl-alfabet u l-grammatika bil-Malti. Iżda ħajtu nbidlet mill-lejl għan-nhar meta hu nqabad jgħin lill-Franċiżi biex jitkeċċew il-Kavallieri tal-Ordni minn pajjiżna, u ġie kkundannat sentejn ħabs fil-Forti Rikażli. Inħeles meta l-Franċiżi ħadu lil Malta fl-1798 imma dawn baqgħu f’Malta sentejn biss u meta bdiet il-ħakma tal-Ingliżi, Vassalli reġa’ nxteħet il-ħabs sakemm marad u wara ftit ġie eżiljat fi Franza. Huwa tħalla jiġi lura Malta għoxrin sena wara, fl-1820, sena qabel wasal Frere f’pajjiżna.

Probabbilment l-attrazzjoni li kellu Frere lejn il-lingwa Maltija, laqqgħet lil dawn iż-żewġ individwi flimkien. Ma damitx ma tnisslet ħbiberija ġenwina bejniethom tant li Frere għen lil Vassalli biex jippubblika l-kitbiet tiegħu ġewwa l-Ingilterra peress li f’Malta dan ma kienx possibbli. Kien ukoll bl-għajnuna ta’ Frere li Vassalli sar l-ewwel professur tal-Malti fl-Università. Frere ħaseb ukoll għall-edukazzjoni tat-tliet subien ta’ Vassalli meta hu kien f’qagħda finanzjarja wisq imwiegħra biex jgħin lill-uliedu. Il-ħbiberija bejn dawn it-tnejn tant kienet soda li baqgħet b’saħħitha saħansitra wara l-mewt ta’ Vassalli li seħħet fit-12 ta’ Jannar 1829. Fil-fatt, meta l-Kappillan irrifjuta li jagħti difna Kattolika lil Vassalli peress li dan għamel żmien jikkollabora mal-Protestanti, minnufih daħal Frere biex il-katavru tiegħu jindifen fiċ-ċimiterju li llum hu magħruf bħala Msida Bastion.

Ġara li f’Jannar tal-1831 mietet ukoll mart Frere u din ġiet midfuna biswit Vassalli. Il-familjari ta’ Frere talbuh bil-ħerqa biex jirritorna lura lejn pajjiżhom imma hu bl-ebda mod ma ried jitlaq minn Malta. Jingħad li waħda mir-raġunijiet setgħet kienet li mill-ġnien ta’ daru, huwa seta’ jilmaħ iċ-ċimiterju fejn kienet tinsab midfuna martu u b’hekk forsi kien baqa’ jħossha qribu. Mill-ittri ta’ oħtu naraw li għall-ewwel Frere waqa’ f’dieqa kbira iżda wara ftit hi u ħbiebu bdew jagħmlulu l-qalb sakemm reġa’ ġie f’tiegħu. Kien f’dan il-perjodu meta Frere iddeċieda li jibda joħloq ġnien sabiħ mix-xagħri li kien akkwista fit-telgħa tal-Qrejten.

Sa llum ma nafux min kien il-perit li għenu jifforma ġnien tal-meravilji fi 12 il-tomna raba’, fejn apparti l-pjanti, is-siġar u l-veġetazzjoni ta’ kull tip li ħawwel, hu bena wkoll numru ta’ kostruzzjonijiet mill-ifjen, fosthom żewġ tempji, pergola, funtani u għadd kbir ta’ ċisterni sabiex jiġbor l-ilma fihom. Fatt kurjuż huwa li waqt dawn ix-xogħolijiet, f’mument minnhom il-ħaddiema ta’ Frere iltaqgħu ma’ dagħbien li kien mimli bit-tafal u l-blat. Meta d-dagħbien beda jitbattal instab li din il-ħofra fil-forma ta’ lembut, kienet tinżel għal madwar 60 pied taħt l-art sakemm beda jippenetra l-ilma baħar li għamel impossibbli aktar tħaffir. L-element misterjuż dwar dan id-dagħbien kompla jikber meta fost il-materjal li tneħħa minnu, Frere sab ukoll ġebla li kienet tindika li ġiet maħduma mill-bniedem preistoriku. Huwa kien affaxxinat wisq b’din is-sezzjoni tal-ġnien, speċjalment meta ħabibu Giorgio Grognet de Vasse, webblu li dak id-dagħbien seta’ kien parti mill-leġġendarja Atlantis. Infatti biex jaqsam din is-sejba ma’ aktar nies, huwa ħaffer gallerija li minnha wieħed seta’ jittawwal fid-dagħbien u għamel il-ġnien tiegħu aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku.

Fl-1824 il-Gvernatur Ingliż kien ħatar lil Frere bħala president tal-kumitat responsabbli miċ-Ċentru tal-Industrija fil-Furjana li kellu l-funzjoni li jgħin lill-fqar u lil dawk bla xogħol. Fis-snin li kien ilu f’pajjiżna, Frere kien sar magħruf sewwa bħala filantropu kbir u infatti jingħad li parti mill-idea ta’ dan il-ġnien inħolqot f’moħħu sabiex bih huwa joffri x-xogħol lill-fqar. Infatti, minn dokumenti li nstabu jidher li hemmhekk Frere ħaddem mat-300 ġardinar. Aktar tard, meta fl-1837 faqqgħet il-kolera f’pajjiżna, huwa ta assistenza finanzjarja lill-eluf ta’ Maltin u bosta baqgħu jħabbtu l-bieb tal-villa tiegħu u jingħataw l-għajnuna minnu.

Iżda din id-dinja ma turi ħniena ma’ ħadd u f’Jannar tal-1839, Frere tilef lil oħtu Susan. Minn kitba tiegħu jidher li l-uġiegħ f’qalb Frere kien aktar akut minħabba li anki martu kienet mietet f’Jannar. Waqt nota tiegħu huwa ikkummenta li x-xahar ta’ Jannar kien sar wisq żmien melankoniku għalih. Mur għidlu li anki hu kellu jintemm proprju f’Jannar tal-1846!

Villa Frere u Edward Price

Mit-30 sena ta’ wara l-mewt ta’ Frere, ftit li xejn nafu x’sar mill-villa fejn kien jogħod, sakemm fl-1876, il-Konti Rosario Messina daħal għall-kirja tal-post. Fl-1885, bintu Giuseppina żżewġet lill-uffiċjal navali Edward Price u dawn marru joqogħdu f’din il-villa. Inzerta li Price kellu għall-qalbu ħafna l-ġonna u għalhekk hu ma damx biex intefa b’ruħu u ġismu biex jerġa’ jagħti l-ħajja lill-ġnien distint ta’ Villa Frere. Infatti huwa kompla jżid partijiet oħra ħelwin miegħu fejn fosthom huwa inkluda ġnien bi stil Ġappuniż, ġnien tal-kaktus, u ġnien tan-nani.

Il-post reġa’ ħa r-ruħ u ma damx biex sar attrazzjoni turistika. Xi artisti kienu jagħżlu lill-ġnien ta’ Villa Frere biex ipittru xeni mill-isbaħ, peress li l-post kellu veduti mill-aqwa tal-baħar u ta’ l-inħawi tal-madwar. Intant dal-ġnien tant akkwista fama li saħansitra ġew iżuruh żewġ irġejjen tal-Ingilterra Adelaide u Mary, u r-reġina tar-Rumanija, Marie. Fl-1930, ir-rivista prestiġġjuża Country Life ippubblikat artiklu dwar dan il-ġnien u din kompliet iżżidlu l-fama tiegħu meta xebħet it-tifsila tiegħu u l-esperjenza ġewwa fih ma’ pellegrinaġġ fl-essenza tal-ġmiel. Imn’Alla li din ir-rivista ippubblikat għadd ta’ ritratti mill-ifjen ta’ dan il-post għax destinu ma kienx fadallu wisq biex jinbidel kompletament. Infatti, il-leġġenda tal-ġnien ta’ Villa Frere intemmet meta mart Edward mietet sitt snin warajh, fl-1939, u l-proprjetà għaddiet f’idejn il-gvern Malti.

L-isfreġju ta’ Villa Frere

Waqt l-attakki tat-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija, Villa Frere intlaqtet bosta drabi u l-ġnien sar ħerba. Wara l-gwerra, il-qagħda soċjo-ekonomika tal-pajjiż ma tantx kienet tiflaħ tiddedika wisq interess għall-ġnien antik u fi żmien qasir, il-villa u parti mill-ġnien tagħha ġew mikrija lil terzi biex isir kummerċ fihom. Fl-1957 fin-naħa fejn dari kien hemm il-ġnien Ġappuniż, inbniet skola primarja, filwaqt li t-terrazzin romantiku li kien joffri xeni sbieħ tal-inħawi tal-madwar, twaqqa’ biex minfloku nbniet skola tan-nurses ħalli tingħaqad mal-isptar St Luke’s li fl-1930 kien inbena biswit il-parti ta’ fuq tal-ġnien ta’ Villa Frere.

Akkost li matul is-snin numru ta’ individwi li kellhom għal qalbhom il-wirt kulturali Malti u li kienu jafu b’dan is-sit, għamlu minn kollox biex dan jiġi protett, fl-1980 tgħattiet parti oħra tal-ġnien bil-konkrit sabiex fuqha jinżel il-helicopter li kien jagħti servizz ta’ emerġenza fl-isptar St Luke’s. Naturalment, apparti l-ħsara fl-ambjent tal-villa, ma setax jonqos li kull darba li dan il-helicopter jinżel fl-inħawi, il-vibrazzjonijiet tiegħu jkomplu jkabru aktar il-fdalijiet ta’ dan il-ġnien. Fl-1990 twaqqgħu l-istalel li kien hemm quddiem Villa Frere u minflokhom ittellgħu blokok kbar ta’ appartamenti. Fl-2008 il-MEPA skedat iż-żewġ tempji ta’ dan is-sit bħala Grad 1, filwaqt li l-ġonna ġew skedati fi Grad 2. Madanakollu dan ma sewa xejn biex iwaqqaf l-isfreġju li baqa’ jsir fuq dan il-post hekk kif fl-aħħar snin ġie deċiż li jinbena parking minflok id-dagħbien allavolja ġewwa fih kien għadu jidher il-lavur li kien għamel Frere. Infatti d-dagħbien intela’ bir-radam, inqered taraġ sabiħ li kien jgħaqqad it-tempju l-kbir mal-ġnien, il-fdalijiet ġew imbuttati b’gaffa l-ġewwa u magħhom iċċaqalu wkoll xi dekorazzjonijiet antiki li sa dak iż-żmien irnexxielhom isalvaw. Ħajt kiefer qata’ b’sikkina fl-ispirtu ta’ dan il-post, hekk kif partijiet mill-villa spiċċaw mifruda u sparpaljati. Sadanittant matul is-snin xi nies bdew jisirqu partijiet mill-fdalijiet ta’ din il-binja, mentri oħrajn ivvandalizzaw il-post għal darba darbtejn sabiex jaqalgħu l-bebbux minn taħt id-dekorazzjonijiet tal-ġebel storiku!

Friends of Villa Frere

Nistqarr li dawn il-ġrajjiet ħallewni bla kliem hekk kif flimkien ma’ Edward u Peter bdejt insegwi dak li kien għad fadal minn dan is-sit. F’dawn l-aħħar snin, dawn iż-żewġ individwi stinkaw qatiegħ biex joħolqu kuxjenza dwar Villa Frere bit-tama li jsalvaw almenu dak li kien fadal u biex jippruvaw iżommu l-attentati li jsiru kull tant żmien biex dan il-ġnien jinqered kompletament ħalli jinbidel fi blokok ta’ appartamenti.

Intant, bħalissa jidher li hemm interess biex jitneħħa l-ġnien ta’ Villa Ciantar liema proprjetà tinsab biswit Villa Frere. Apparti li tkun tassew ħasra li kieku dan jiġri peress li dan ġie mfassal bi stil barokk fi żmien il-Kavallieri u allura huwa aktar antik minn dak ta’ Villa Frere innifsu, il-qerda tiegħu tkun daqqa ta’ ħarta kbira għall-kuntest tal-ġnien ta’ Villa Frere li ormaj kważi ttiekel għal kollox.

Edward Said, li huwa perit rinomat fil-qasam tal-konservazzjoni, u li għamel studju dettaljat dwar Villa Frere, stqarr miegħi li jekk dan il-ġnien jintilef, miegħu nkunu tlifna wkoll parti sinifikanti mill-istorja tagħna, u mhux biss! Infatti mill-ġrajjiet li rrakkuntajt fuq, wieħed ma jdumx biex jagħraf li dan il-post iħaddan ukoll fih tifkiriet kulturali, soċjali, letterarji, filoloġiċi, arkitettoniċi, botaniċi, ortikulturali, ekoloġiċi u arkeoloġiċi. Sorprendentement il-ġnien, li minnu ormaj fadal biss madwar tliet tomniet, għadu jagħti l-ħajja lil numru ta’ pjanti u siġar li kienu tħawwlu b’tant għożża mis-sidien antiki tiegħu, fosthom prinjola sabiħa li parti minnha tkissret dan l-aħħar waqt maltempata qalila. Waqt li tnikkitt għall-prinjola, ħarsti waqgħet ukoll fuq palma twila, illum bla weraq xejn, għax hekk kif kienet għoddha għalqet il-mitt sena, din inħakmet mill-marda li qerdet għadd ta’ siġar oħra bħalha, u magħha ntemmet parti oħra mir-reminixxenza ta’ dawn il-ġrajjiet. Minflokha nħolqot xena oħra li tissimbolizza l-bikja ta’ dan il-post.

L-NGO Friends of Villa Frere twaqqfet bil-ħsieb li aktar nies isiru jafu dwar dan is-sit ħalli b’hekk tinħoloq aktar reżistenza kontra l-qerda tiegħu. Barra minn hekk, din L-NGO għandha l-għan li tipproteġi, tirrestawra u tikkonserva dan il-post. Fatt interessanti huwa illi huma rnexxielhom jagħmlu kuntatt ma’ xi dixxendenti tas-sidien l-antiki tal-post, fejn waħda minnhom, Josephine Tyndale-Biscoe, li hija n-neputija tat-tifla ta’ Edward Price, ippubblikat xi memorji tal-familjari tagħha fi ktejjeb bl-isem ‘A Lost Maltese Garden’.

Għal aktar informazzjoni dwar din l-NGO wieħed jista’ jibgħat email fuq villafrere@gmail.com

(Dan l-artiklu ġie ppublikat fis-sensiela ĠABRIET IT-TIFKIRIET (19 il-parti) fit-Torċa tad-9 ta’ Marzu 2014)

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2014.03.09 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles