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…
Tag Valletta
The Selling Game
Advertising is said to reflect the societal tastes, beliefs and norms. By looking back at the adverts that were published in the Times of Malta at the end of the years 1939 to 1944, this becomes very clear. Yet even…
Gone but not forgotten
“St. George Preca used to say that the cemetery is the biggest book and I had the opportunity to confirm that,” revealed a Capuchin friar who served as a custodian of the Addolorata cemetery for some years. Living among the…
Corner Comforts
“You wouldn’t survive in this business if you are not brought up in it since childhood. It is just too demanding and it takes up your life completely,” insisted Frankie Cutajar, the owner of Lady Di Pub in Tignè Street,…
A sea of profits
A search through historical notarial deeds reveals how Maltese businesses exploited the cruel reality of war and slavery, maritime historian Dr Joan Abela tells Fiona Vella. “Even though there are people who might think that the human tragedy which…
Guests to history
One would probably spare only a few moments of consideration at the receipt of a wedding invitation. However, for Baron Igino de Piro d’Amico Inguanez, these endearing solicitations were cherished so much that he kept a collection of them, neatly…
To die for a piece of bread
Although Carnival is generally associated with fun, exuberance and colour, it was sadness, tragedy and darkness which marked this festive season on 11th February 1823, after more than a hundred children died in Valletta. Details of this terrible tragedy are…
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
450 years ago, the Maltese Islands were in the spotlight of several European sovereigns after they had succeeded to come out victorious from the massive siege that was laid upon them by the powerful Ottoman Empire. Fort St Elmo lay…
Djarju ta’ poeta, suldat fl-Assedju l-Kbir
450 sena ilu, Malta kienet għaddejjha minn wieħed mill-agħar perjodi fl-istorja tagħha, hekk kif din ġiet attakkata minn armata kbira Torka li kienet ħalfet li se teqred lill-Ordni tal-Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann minn wiċċ id-dinja. It-Torok ma kellhom l-ebda dubju…
Wiċċ imb’wiċċ ma’ Patri Gerard
Ma tistax ma tieqafx tiċċassa lejh meta tara ritratt ta’ ras ta’ skeletru ta’ bniedem iddekorata! Aktar u aktar meta ssir taf li dik hija relikwa ta’ individwu magħruf ħafna madwar id-dinja. U li din tinsab f’monasteru f’Malta. Patri Gerard…