A photo of the Valletta skyline - Valletta, Malta

Carmelo Borg

Carmelo was a Valletta-born trader who lived a long life, outliving both his wife and his son.

He is one of my paternal 3 x great-grandfathers.

Francesco Xuereb

Born in Qormi, in the centre of Malta, Francesco lived and traded in Valletta for many years. Much of the information I have about him is inferred from sources as few primary sources are available.

He is one of my paternal great-great-grandfathers.

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

Anna Xiberras

Anna lived her whole life in the central idyllic village of Attard, Malta. All the information I have on her comes from church records.

She is one of my paternal 3 x great-grandmothers.

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

Giovanna Parteca

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.

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 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 James church - Valletta, Malta

Rosina Grech

With a life spanning half the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Rosina was part of upwardly-mobile society that moved from the capital to the quieter town of Sliema.

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

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

Florentina Farrugia Gay

Florentina is one of my maternal great-grandmothers. Her 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.

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.

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

Giuseppe Felice

Giuseppe is something of a curiosity because almost all official documents about him contradict each other.

He is one of my maternal great-grandfathers.