Three years have already passed from the organization of the CI TRA conference in Malta. That event brought to our islands 250 delegates from 91 countries and is to the present day the biggest boost our sector got. The benefits that event brought to our sector are evident. The National Archives of Malta acquired international
However, we are aware that this is not a long term solution. Thus we continued lobbying for the building of a state of the art national
archives. A formal report on the feasibility of such a project was presented to the Ministry of Finance during September. All these local achievements did not distract us from keeping up our
respect and also the recognition by the local political class through
active participation on the international fora. I was honored to lec
proving that though we are a small entity we are highly proactive and worth investing in.
ture on archival legislation and donor restrictions at the Summer
Increases in budgets that in turn during the last years have paved the way to increases in staff made it possible to set up the Records Management Unit, and also the fully equipped Conservation Labo ratory which we inaugurated on 25 June 2012. Having our own transport also helped to make inspections in departments and gov
deliver a paper during the European Board of National Archivists in
emment entities more effective. During this year we experienced an all time record in the number of
accessions of documents we processed. Apart from numbers, the quality of the records is worth noting. We intervened to preserve highly valuable collections such as the Works Building Notices, the
records of the Aesthetics Board, and the Lands Rent Rolls.
School of the Central European University in Budapest and also to Nicosia in Cyprus in October. We also participated actively in the
four Work Packages of the APEX project on which we are involved. Similar active participation was registered on the European Archives Experts' Group and the Experts Group on the Digitization of Cultural
and Scientific Heritage and the EUROPEANA meetings. Where our
staff needed specialized training we entered into ad hoc negotia tions to accommodate their needs. This was the case of the ln spector of Records who was sent on a threeday tailor made train ing at the TNA in London.
Our vision for the future of this national organization is extensive
and ambitious. The next big challenge is to make best use of the
The good repute the organization acquired also made it attract
more than 2 million digital images we have produced during the last
important private bequests. During this year we had private records
Zahra and several other donors. The most important bequest was
eight years. This process was done at no expense to government, and will get the general public closer to us through the concept of 24x7 access to our holdings. During this year we sorted out the
the music archives of the late Charles Camilleri. I cannot but thank
technical infrastructure for this and also developed the National
all those who collaborated in particular Mrs Doris Camilleri for
Memory Portal.
arriving from Ms BIanche Martin, Mr Tony Terribile, Mr Rueben
showing trust in our institution.
All the above would not have been possible without the full commit
This success in acquiring further accessions meant that we had to solve the issue of storage space shortage. The Ministry of Ed.uca tion assigned us a section from the Rabat Giris' School and this
made up for an increase of 275 square meters of storage space.
1. Lecturing at the
Central European University, 5 July 2012;
2. Visiting the National
Sound Archives of Wales, 23 August 2012;
3. Addressing the European Board of National Archivists, Nicosia, Cyprus, 11
October 2012;
ment and energy of our staff. I cannot but thank each member of staff who worked under my direction for their dedication and loyalty
towards this national service to the community.
AustraliahaseA volunteer
ruana4',i,,,.f,,,,j As a joint project with the
more of their ancestry. They needed to know their ancestral
National Archives, I have
town or village of birth in Malta and Gozo, when their ancestors
finished compiling a data
left the Island, etc in order to confirm their Maltese ancestry and
base of bills of health issued in Malta for the years 181522 and
to pass it on to their grand children and beyond. Hopefully, this
183650. The former consists of the name, surname and date of
database will help.
applicant while the latter includes also the destination. Sadly, the
The source of this compilation is from the digitised copies held at
years 182335 and 18511869 are missing.
the Malta National Archives. I am indebted to Charles Farrugia
The database of passport applications starts from 187072 and 1886 1918. This database includes the name and surname of the appli
and Martin Hampton who enthusiastically support me in this long term project of making more widelyavailable such a rich mine
cant, date of applying for a passport, age of applicant, town or vil
of information to many. Below is what the database or index
lage of birth, residency, occupation, destination and remarks, if ap
looks like.
plicable.
It is the wish of NAM that these databases will serve as a tool for
At the April 2010 Convention of Maltese Living Abroad held in Malta,
academic research, genealogy and ancestry identification.
I became increasingly aware of the frustration of many Maltese from former countries of migration of their desperate need to find out
I am currently compiling passport applications for 19181940.
Destination
Surname Xerri Vincenza not stated
Place of Birth
37 Egypt 12.07.1871 Naxxar
Residence
Remarks
Occupation
Naxxar not stated accompanied by children GioMaria
13, Carmelo 5, Francesca 4, i
Welcome to the new employees After more than thirteen years at the National Archives Gozo section, Mr Anthony Calleja from Gfiasri will be retiring late
in November. Mr Calleja, who
started working at the Gozo Section on a fulltime basis on 30 July 1999, was an all
rounder.
On 27 February 2012, Mr
FrancescoPio Attard (left) started as an Archives Assistant. During this year Mr Simon
Dimech (second from left) has
joined our staff as Assistant Conservator. Mr Frans Buttigieg
has joined us as a Maintenance
person and Ms Stephanie Schembri joined as Archives
Assistant
' Filomena 6m
i I,ii + I I..mE¥¥{*+iTELfffaRIn=HE
Linawgurazzjoni ta' dan illaboratory u ta' Konservazzjoni
F'kull missjoni ta' hidma ta' kull arkivju hemm Zew8 obbligi li
hu Ipass naturali fdin ilmixja li bdiet seba' snin ilu. L
Arkivji Nazzjonali issa ghandhom lghodda mehtieoa biex
jistghu jidhru kontrad.ittoqi; lewwel hu dak li jippreserva id dokumenti biex isservi ghall generazzjontiiet futuri. Ittieni hu
jichdu hsieb ittezori li hawn mi8bura fihom. U mhux biss
dak li jara li Iistess documentazzjoni tkun uzata kemm jista jkun
ghandhom 14hodda imma ghandhom ukoll Iimghallmin biex ihaddmu din Ighodda.
millpubbliku ... Zgur izda li wiched rna jistax jilhaqom jekk rna
jkollux a66ess ghal sevizzi ta' konservazzjoni.
The inauguration of this Conservation laboratory is another step in the
Every archives', mission statement includes two tenets that might seem contra
process started seven years ago. Now the National Archives have the equipment needed to safeguard the treasures entrusted to them. And not only that, they also have the qualified personnel to do it.
dictory; to conserve the materials entrusted to them for posterity and to make the same material freely available to the public. Both these goals cannot be
achieved if the establishment does not have access to conservation serviees.
Hon Dolores Cristina
+.
I
The Conservation Laboratory was inaugurated on the 19 June 2012 by the Hon Dolores Cristina, Minister of Education. Present
for this occasion were members of the Archives Council, the Friends of the National Archives, academics, and people who collaborated in setting up of the Conservation laboratory.
The process of setting up the laboratory took about twelve months and among other things, involved, infrastructural works
in the two rooms identified for the purpose and contacts with various local and foreign suppliers for the purchase of conservation materials, equipment and furniture. Another
important success prior to the launching of the laboratory was
the engaging of a second qualified conservator. The end result is a laboratory that is well equipped to meet the
challenges that are needed to conserve the various media that make up the collections. Through this one of the aims of the National Archives, that is to care and preserve the documents for posterity, is being achieved.
21 June 1887 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Her Majesty's
Queen Victoria accession to the throne. Preparations to celebrate the Jubilee in a fitting manner were at hand
Queen has been graciously pleased to consent to the request of the Gozitans." The reply was communicated to the Bishop of Gozo on 4 June and it was made public on 10 June.
throughout the British Empire. The Malta committee decided to
His Excellency the Governor directs it to be potifieq that. Her.
commemorate the event by erecting a statue in Her Honour.
Majesty the Queen, in compliance with a praye_r pf a_petiti.on sign.ed.
Mgr Pietru Pace, Bishop of Gozo, and Sir Adrian Dingli, Chief
Justice and President of the Court of Appeal, who were destined to join their efforts many times to promote progress in their island home, thought that the Jubilee could be commemorated in Gozo in a more permanent manner. So the
byih; Lord Bishop Of Gozo, the memb_ers of the. Ch?pie.r, and. pr the principal inhabitants of Gozo, has bepp graciou.sly pleas?d to, con.sent {o the town Of Rabat in that island being on the occasion Of Her Majesty's Jubilee officially declared a CITY and its name changed into that Of VICTORIA.
former formulated a petition soliciting Her Majesty that the
On 15 June, Bishop Pace wrote to thank the Governor: "This act of
suburb of Rabat be declared a city and its name changed into
royal munificence will be written in imperishable characters in the
that of Victoria.
annals of our country; and remembrance of it will always be
The petition was circulated among the most important inhabitants of Gozo to gain their consent. On 19 March 1887,
coupled with the name of Your Excellency, it having taken place under your provident administration."
the bishop forwarded it to the General Sir John Arabin Lintorn
This story was chronicled in an exhibition held at the National
Simmons, the Governor of Malta and Gozo, with sixty eight signatures appended. In a covering letter, he explained to
Archives (Gozo Section) between 8 and 26 June. It was inaugurated by Dr Samuel Azzopardi, mayor of Victoria, in the
Governor that the request should be granted, first, as a lasting record of the Jubilee; secondly, to strengthen the bonds of
presence of a number of distinguished guests that included Mr Charles Farrugia, the National Archivist, and Dr Joseph Bezzina,
fidelity and affection of the Gozitans to the Crown; thirdly, as it
Assistant National Archivist.
was customary to confer the title of ci.fy wherever Episcopal Sees were erected; and, finally, as Rabat deserved that honour.
The exhibition consisted in a number of original documents and
On 19 May 1887, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir
photos that came from the National Archives in Malta and from its Gozo section. An exhibition catalogue and a commemorative card were published for the occasion.
Henry Holland, informed the Governor that: "Her Majesty the
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This year was packed with activities aimed at fulfilling our mission. Some were carried out in collaboration with other entities such as the As
sociation of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers which is chaired by our National Archivist and which held a strategy meeting in Malta.(1 ) Another collaboration was with the Department of Tourism and Culture at the University of Malta, leading to the archival organization
of the Tourism records and also a public exhibition opened by the Tourism Minister the Hon. Dr Mario Demarco.(3) Other events consisted of
visits to our archives aimed at showcasing the highly interesting pharmacy museum (4) or our reading room services (2,10). During the year we hosted two lectures, one by Mr Joseph Attard Tabone for the Malta Historical Society (6) and another by Dr Dianne O'Reilly in collaboration with the Malta Library and Information Association. (7) The National Archives Council chaired by Magistrate Joseph Cassar continued with its
meetings at the Head Office of the National Archives. (5) The same level of activity was carried out by the Friends of the National Archives chaired by Mr Max Famugia (8). Under an agreement we have with one of the educational agencies in Malta other visits from Polish Universi
ties were carried out. (9, 12) ln order to thank volunteers for their invaluable help a `Le/'/a fa' fJa/'r /i.//Vo/unfi.era' was carried out under the
patronage of the Pariiamentary Secretary for Youth and Sports the Hon. Clyde Puli.(11) During the same event the documents of the Zebbu0 Civic Council were presented to the National Archives.(13) As in previous years we have also participated during the Mdina Medieval Fest with the opening of the Legal Documentation section at the Banca Giuratale.(14)
7
College at the hall of the Boys Secondary courtesy Dr Frank Abela and Ms Maria Assunta Attard.
Dr Joseph Bezzina, the Assistant National Archivist, explained the
contents and workings of Europeana to the students and their teachers. Hon Giovanna Debono, Gozo Minister, inaugurated the Awarer}ess event by outlining and explaining the four declared
objectives of. Europeana: 1Aggregate to build the open trusted source for European cultural and scientific heritage content;
2Facilitate to support the cultural and scientific heritage sector
On 11 May 2012, the twenty seven member states of the
through knowledge transfer, innovation, and advocacy;
European Union celebrated for the first time Europeana Awareness Day. Europeana is a single access point on the internet to millions of books, paintings, films, museum objects and
3Distribute to make heritage available to users wherever they are, whenever they want it; 4Engage to cultivate new ways for users to participate in their
archival records that have been digitized throughout Europe. It is
cultural and scientific heritage.
an authoritative source of information coming from European
It is of utmost importance that students become aware of this
cultural and scientific institutions.
The National Archives Gozo Section celebrated this Awareness
network a mine of information for research that can be put to very good use both in the school work as well in the enhancement
Day in conjunction and with the full collaboration of the Gozo
of one's hobbies. jt:fr:f+;?; 1 :..'
Opening Hours:
Head Office; Hospital Street, Rabat RBT1043 Tel(+356)21459863 Opening hours: MonTueWedFri 8,00 am 2.00pm Thur 10.00am 2.00pm & 3.00pm 7.30pm(excluding Aug), Sat 8.15am 12,45pm Legal Documentation Section; Villegaignon Street, Mdina MDN1193 Tel(+356)21459919 Opening hours: Mon 8.00am 2.00pm & 3.00pm 7.30pm TueWedFri 8.00 am 2.00pm, Thur 10.00am 2.00pm, Saturday closed
Published by the National Archives Of Malta The national entity responsible for archives
and records management Email: customercare.archives@grv.mt Mnw.natonalarchives.guv.mt
D
The National Archives of Malta Editor: ChariesJ. Famugia
Gozo Section; Vajringa Street, Victoria VCT1313 Tel(+356) 2155i}833 Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7.30am 1.30pm, Wed 7.30am 5.30pm (October to May) Sat 8.15am 1.00pm
lssN 1605.7058