A photo of a vedette - Senglea, Malta

Vincenzo Bonnici

Seeing Malta transition from a possession of the Knights of St John, to being under Napoleon, to being a British colony must have been impressive. Vincenzo lived through all this.

He is one of my maternal 4 x great-grandfathers.

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.