The Villa as it looked c1900.
The Villa l'Hamra now Cherries as it looks in 2008. (Photo above and below taken by Laetitia Agius of Birzebbuga)
" The Villa " That's what it's been called by the locals at Birzebbuga for over one hundred years. A very prominent building situated in the heart of Pretty Bay Birzebbuga. Today, in 2008 and going back a few years its been called 'The Cherries'.
It's a fairly large property facing the beach in the most prominent part of Birzebbuga. I cannot write about all the history of the place cause I can only go back to the mid 1930s. When WW2 started in June 1940 the British Army occupied the Villa. It was used as Headquarters for the Devonshire Regiment, the West Kent Regiment and the Hampshire Regiment. During those days c1941, military cars belonging to officers of these regiments used to be lined up, parked outside the main entrance. Some Maltese civilians used to work there with the military.
Going back before the Marsaxlokk Bay breakwater was built, the small sandy beach that used to be created during the summer months used to disappear during the winter months as the sand used to be pushed out into the bay. When the sea was rough the large waves that used to batter the wall at the edge of the roadway used to end up hitting the entrance door and the wall of the Villa. The locals who had to walk past the Villa during a sea storm had to make a quick dash so not to get wet with the sea spray. It's a much different scene today with no more waves hitting the road and the sandy beach staying there during the winter months.
Today the Villa / Cherries is owned by the Mifsud family. Marlon Mifsud has contacted me, saying his father has owned the Villa for the past eighteen years.
Maybe he can tell us some more history about the Villa at Pretty Bay.
