Bygone Days

I wanted to share some pictures with you of Malta at the turn of the 20th century. These pictures were probably taken in the early 1900s, definitely before the second World War. All pictures were taken by the late Richard Ellis, one of the few photographers of that era.

Auberge de Castille - Valletta

Auberge de Castille was built by the Knights of St John. It was the headquarters of the knights of Castille & Leon. The facade is Baroque and has not changed much to this day. It currently houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta.

Shop front - Valletta

This is just one of the many wooden shop fronts in the capital city of Valletta. During the 1970's these beautiful fronts were allowed to deteriorate or to be pulled down and replaced with aluminium (all in the name of progress). However, in recent years, a drive to restore or rebuild these colourful shop fronts has taken place and some shop owners are going back to the original wooden shutters.

Traditional dress

This photo shows the traditional dress of the Maltese people of what was then considered to be the 'lower class'. Most of these people would have been farmers, skilled tradesmen or fishermen.

Old Bakery Street - Valletta

The name Old Bakery Street is derived from the fact that the Knights of St John had their bakery in this street. The buildings look much more grimy today due to fumes from cars and other types of pollution. Most of the buildings in this picture are still standing.

Republic Street - VallettaRepublic Street is the main street of the capital city. In the time of the Knights of St John it used to be called Strada San Giorgio. Then during the British occupation the name of the street was changed to Kingsway only to be changed again to Republic Street in the early 1970s to commemorate the formation of the Republic of Malta. However, most of the older generation still refer to this street as Kingsway. The building on the corner in the photo was destroyed during the second World War and was replaced. The kiosk in the foreground of the picture is still in existence and it is used as a booth to sell flowers and plants.

St John's Co-cathedral - Valletta

St John's was built by the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar between 1573 and 1578. It was commissioned by Grand Master Jean de la Cassiere and houses paintings by the famed artists Mattia Preti and Caravaggio. The severe facade of the church is reminiscent of a military fort. The interior, however, is lavish and extremely ornate in Baroque style. The cathedral is the final resting place of many European nobles who served as Knights in this prestigious order.

Victoria Gate - Valletta

Victoria Gate is one of the entrances to Valletta. Being a fortified city surrounded by high bastions, entry to the city was though a number of gates. This particular gate was built by the British in 1884 as replacement to a former gate that stood in the same place (Del Monte Gate). Victoria Gate is still standing and provides an entrance to the lower part of the city.