VIVA SAN PIETRU
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BIRZEBBUGA PEOPLE
This photo was taken by reporter of The Times of Malta on Monday 10th Sept. 1951. The day I left Birzebbuga for Melbourne Australia on the English liner SS Asturias.
Five men from Birzebbuga migrated to Australia on that day.
1. Myself. William J. Coxhead. - Melbourne
2. My brother Johnny Coxhead who played football with St Peters of Birzebbuga 1953, 3rd Div Champions. Migrated to Aust 1954.
3. My father. William N. Coxhead. He was in charge of the Power Station at R.N. base Kalafrana (Passed away 1953. RIP)
4. Joseph / Zeppi Cutajar of Birzebbuga, nickname ' ta - Fidiel '. Migrated to Melbourne but returned to Malta a few years later. (RIP)
5. Frankie Borg Falzon of Birzebbuga. Also played football with St Peters of Birzebbuga 1953, 3rd Div Champions. (RIP)
6. Tony Camilleri of St Georges Bay / Birzebbuga. Migrated to Melbourne. Lived and passed away in NSW Australia.(RIP)
7. Tony Camilleri's friend from Birzebbuga.
8. Mikiel Farrugia of Birzebbuga. Migrated to Melbourne. Passed away in Melbourne (RIP)
9. A Maltese migrant to Australia. No name
10 Lolly Savona. Migrated to Melbourne. Lolly's parents operated the Belle Isle Theatre at Birzebbuga during the 1940 - 1950s. Lolly lives in Melbourne.
11. Baby Joseph Calleja. My nephew. Son of Ninu Calleja (of Zurrieq Road) and Emily Calleja nee Coxhead. Joseph and his parents migrated to Melbourne March 1958 on the ill fated MS Skaubryn. The ship caught fire and sank in the Indian Ocean, April 1958. Joseph lives in Melbourne.
12. Anthony / Toni Gauci of Birzebbuga. His family nickname 'ta - Beccuna' He was a Sgt in the Army. (Passed away. RIP)
13. Eddie who owned and drove the Birzebbuga Bus No 1212. The bus was named VICTOR and he was known as 'Eddie tal Victor' (RIP)
14. This person was from Birzebbuga. He was called ' it - Tunezin '
15. A Maltese migrant who sailed on the SS Asturias.
16. A friend of Lolly Savona. Both of Birzebbuga.
17. A Maltese migrant who sailed on the SS Asturias.
The other persons are relatives and friends of the persons who were leaving Malta.
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Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Very small - but Very Pretty
This lovely little sandy beach is situated at St Georges Bay just before your enter Birzebbuga. The No 11 bus coming down from Valleta would drop you right next to it.
It's a very clean beach. Well maintained by the Local Council. A car park is available on the opposite side of the roadway. Public convenience is also by the road.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The LIDO Theatre and the floods of c1960
Upper picture. The LIDO Theatre surrounded by flood water. The LIDO Theatre was built just after the end of WW2. At that period the locality was an open paddock that was prone to flooding when rain water came down from the valley at side of Zurrieq Road. There was no made road by the side of the Theatre in the early days c1950. It was pretty rough going finding your way to go to the pictures, still it was a great addition for evening entertainment at a time when the locals needed it badly after the war years.
The lower picture taken at the same period shows more floodwater in the main road leading to St Georges Bay.
Monday, July 7, 2008
On the way to St George's Bay & Qajjenza
This is the road that takes you to St George's Bay and onward to Qajjenza. That is if you are walking along the seashore. In the foreground at the left of the photo you can see a wall that seperates the Enemalta Fuel Storage (ex Shell Company Depot) from the roadway. Many years ago the locals used to call this location 'wara t'tankijiet' which in English meant 'at the rear of the of the tanks'. The tanks were the huge fuel storage tanks, about eight of them that Shell Company built above ground during the 1920s.
In the background is the suburb of Qajjenza. One can see all the new buildings, houses and holiday apartments that have been built since 1970. Nowadays these buildings cover a very large area and still growing at a fast rate.
This new locality is becoming a very much sought after place for new home buyers and a favourite spot for tourists who seek modern accomodation close to the seashore.
It is only a ten minute walk to the central part of Pretty Bay Birzrbbuga and about a fifteen minute walk to the historic cave of Ghar Dalam.