SEPT 2017

Pretty Bay - About 1980

KAMPIJIET U SULDATI ~ by John Zammitt

This caption was written and added by John Zammitt

I have always been a Leader - here I am seen second from left at the back row with "my soldiers" when I was 12 years old. The "camp" as we used to call it was a walled
place with 8 rooms inside the wall built by myself and the other boys and we used to play soldiers.
The place was at St. Rita Street at Birzebbuga.

At that time Malta was a British Colony and Birzebbuga was a British Base consisting of HMS Falcon Royal Naval Base and Hal-Far Royal Air Force Base.

(Photo from John Zammitt)

Calamity Jane

THE BILLIARDS CLUB -- EX ST. PETERS FOOTBALL CLUB

Enter the renovated Club * HERE *

* IL - MUZEW TAS SUBIEN c1940s *

The Muzew building as it stands today June 2010. It seems the old building is not safe and presently it is closed and barricaded.

Photo shows the intersection of St Paul's Street and St Michael's Street. The old Muzew building can be seen in the photo taken June 2010.

Going back to the late 1930s and during 1940s when all the Birzebbuga boys attended Religious classes at the Muzew in St Paul's Street.
Dun Gorg Preca used to make special visits in the evenings and every young boy and teenagers used to be present to hear him tell us stories and other Religious matters. He always used to give us a few lollies / confectionery on arrival. I sure remember those days.

Qajjenza and nearby localities

A very good aerial picture showing all of Qajjenza. Part of Marsaxlokk, also Zejtun in the background. A small part of Birzebbuga and the Enemalta ex Shell Co. pier. A nice view of the bay with some sail boats.

Click on picture to enlarge.

THE BRINCAT BARBER SHOP AT PRETTY BAY

I have already posted this photo here a good while ago but I'll show it again and below you can see two views of the interior of this well known barber shop that has been run by the Brincat family of Birzebbuga for the past 75 years. Still in operation today 2011 and hardly changed over such a long period of time.

Took these two photos of the interior of this barber shop during my visit in July 2010 by permission of Mr Brincat. As one can see, it looks just about exactly as it was in 1950. The small shop holds so much history and can tell many thousands of stories about the village and its people.

The display cases on the wall have been replaced / updated, Where the waiting chairs are shown today, there used to be one long bench, if my memory is correct and I don't remember a large electric fan in the shop during the 1940s.

WHO IS THIS YOUNG MAN AT BIRZEBBUGA?

A few weeks ago a friend of mine at Birzebbuga sent me these two small photos. He asked me if I knew the young man. I do not. Does anyone recognize this young man? Photo taken c1960s, I think,
Please leave reply in Guestbook. Thanks.

CHURCH STREET BIRZEBBUGA

Church Street looking down towards Addolorata Street. The old Church of Our Lady of Sorrows was in use from about 1913 to about 1938. This photo was taken about half way down the street.

On the left hand side of the Church was the Nuns Home c1938. Shown here at right of picture. My parents lived two doors down, the house where the large balcony is shown centre of picture and exactly where the STOP sign is located. We lived there from 1934 to 1938.

THE LIDO THEATRE / CINEMA AT BIRZEBBUGA

Many of you may still remember the LIDO CINEMA in St Edwards Street / Triq San Edwardu in Birzebbuga. The building of this Theatre began towards the end of WW2, about 1945. At that time the only other Cinema was the BELLE ISLE Cinema which was situated further up at the top end in Edwards Street. The LIDO was a much larger then the BELLE ISLE and one can say it was a proper modern Cinema.
On every Saturday and Sunday it used to be packed with Cinema goers and one needed to book early to secure seats especially on Sunday evenings. I believe it was operating till about 1980. Today in 2010 the place is locked up and deserted. Maybe one day it may come back to its glorious past which was a place for entertainment to the locals at Birzebbuga. (Photo taken July 2010)

The very last show that I remember seeing at the LIDO Cinema was a 1949 Hollywood Western film called " Calamity Jane and Sam Bass " This western featured Yvonne De Carlo - Lloyd Bridges and Howard Duff and it was shown on Sunday evening in July 1950. A few months before I left Malta.

THE OLD " WARSPITE " VALLETTA - KALAFRANA BUS

Bus No. 3289 Valletta -- Kalafrana and Valletta - Birzebbuga route bus that for many years carried many thousands of locals up and down from Birzebbuga to Castilja and Putirjal bus terminus. It was in daily use during WW2 and survived the bombing.

TANKS STREET -- TRIQ IT - TANKIJIET

This is a section of Tanks Street Birzebbuga, As you know this street is one of the longest straight roads at Birzebbuga. In this photo taken from the beach end of the street you are looking up towards Birzebbuga Road.

In this photo, you are looking towards the Bay. Photo taken July 2010.

BIRZEBBUGA VIEW OF 1948

A scene of many years ago. Birzebbuga 1948 with Pretty Bay beach as it used to be before the sand that is seen today which covers all the part of the bay as it is today. The old WW2 gunpost opposite the Smiling Prince Bar (today Labour Party Club) can clearly be seen. No TV antennas in sight. Click on photo to enlarge.

L'ARBLU TA WIED IL - BUNI ~ THE POLE AT WIED IL - BUNI

That's what all the locals used to call it, 'L'Arblu ta Wied il - Buni'/ the pole at Wied il - Buni.
It was situated about directly in line with Triq San Frangisku Saveriu / St Francis Xavier Street.
As you can see from the photo.
It was approx 40 feet up from the waters edge and on the left hand side of it there was a tiny inlet, always with sparkling clean seawater that used to be called 'IL - Lembijja "
It was a favourite swimming spot for young children.
The Pole was also a challenging structure for young boys and men to climb up on the steel frame.

During WW2 when all of Wied il - Buni was occupied by the Military and totally out of bounds to civilians the area where the Pole was located was used by English servicemen for nude swimming.

When the Military moved out from Wied il - Buni c1944 the area by the Pole was always a favourite spot for beach goers.
The square concrete block at the base of the Pole was an ideal spot to sit down.
The Pole is now gone but a small section of the concrete base can still be seen.

BY THE SIDE OF THE WATER-POLO PITCH

A pretty picture taken from the side of the water-polo pitch. Part of Pretty Bay in the background. Photo taken July 2010 on a lovely summer day. Click on photo to enlarge.

THE WW2 ARMY GUNPOST AT WIED IL - BUNI

This is a very rare photo showing part of the WW2 Army gunpost at the entrance to Wied il - Buni. The concrete gunpost was built c1939. It was manned by the English Army, the Devonshire Regiment. It was very close to the bus terminus and Kalafrana Road. Close by there was a searchlight post right on the edge of the seashore. A short distance away was an Army BOFORS gun. One evening, the BOFORS gun received a direct hit and 5 Maltese gunners were killed. Photo taken 1949.

THE NEW LANDMARK AT PRETTY BAY

Due to be completed by end of 2010. This is the new six storey building that is replacing the previous South End Guest House and previous to that the old Claridge Hotel that was built during the early 1930s. Photo taken July 2010.

St Francis Xavier Str - Triq San Frangisku Saveriu - Birzebbuga

This is Triq San Frangisku Saveriu, Photo taken from the Wied il Buni side of St Patrick Str or as it was always called 'it Triq ta - Kalafrana'. During WW2 c1941 at approx 10pm while an Air Raid was on, two bombs were dropped by Italian bombers and landed on the houses shown on the right hand side of the photo. Four houses were destroyed and other houses on the opposite side were very badly damaged. No civilians were injured as everyone was in the Air Raid shelter that was at the top end of St Philips Str. Another bomb dropped by the same Italian aircraft landed a direct hit on an anti aircraft gun at the entrance to Wied il - Buni. Five Maltese Army gunners tragically lost their lives. Photo taken June 2010.

ST GEORGES BAY. ~ THE NEW COLOURFUL ROUNDABOUT

The newly built roundabout at St Georges Bay. A lovely creation by the Local Council. Constructed during June / July 2010. An excellent design to match with the name of BIRZEBBUGA.




For more photos of St Georges Bay ~ Click *HERE*

THE OLD " TANKREDI BRINCAT " SHOP.

Situated in New Street off Pretty Bay main road and Zurrieq Road. This little shop is surely one of the most known shops at Birzebbuga. Been open since the early 1940s and still operated by the same family in 2010.

TOP END OF ADDOLORATA STREET

The top end of Addolorata Street where it crosses St Michael Street. Photo taken June 2010. A very tidy looking street. My parents lived in this street from 1935 to June 1940. Our house was on the right hand side about four houses from the top end. In the background are the ex Shell Company fuel storage tanks, now Enemalta Depot.

The old red Mail Box at Pretty Bay

The old red mail box that many years ago, going back to c1930, was used by all the locals at Birzebbuga is today in 2010 broken and deserted. Most likely vandalized and abandoned. A pity it was not preserved and displayed as an item of history.


How the red Mail Box once looked.

A view of the very well known corner at Pretty Bay, shows where the Mail Box used to be.

BIRZEBBUGA BOY SCOUTS 1944

A group of Birzebbuga Boy Scouts camping at Ghadira Bay 1944.

Not all names remembered

Rear row from left: Rover Scout Cikku Azzopardi and Fava - next three names unknown.


Centre row from left: William Coxhead - no name - Joe Fenech - Paul Bonavia 'tal - landier'

Front row from left: Johnny Coxhead - Cilia - Sunny Vella 'tat-Titu' - Cilia - Abdilla 'tas Surgent'. The Cilia brothers lived in main road Pretty Bay.

If someone can remember the names of the others in this group, please contact me.

The Group Scoutmaster was Pawlu Ciantar and Assistant Scout Master was Johnny Mamo 'tal hajjat' of Pretty Bay.

THE FESTIVE SEASON

* WISHING EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR *

Main road at Pretty Bay

Main road at Pretty Bay looking towards the bus terminus end and St Phillips Street.

BIRZEBBUGA SCHOOL

The sandy beach at Pretty Bay

Birzebbuga - Church Street

A photo of Church Str Birzebbuga. My parents lived there during 1934 - 1936. Only one house away from the Maria Addolorata Church which at that time was still used as the main village Church. Shortly after the new St Peters Church became the main Parish Church. Opposite our house was a small triangular square and the street on the right hand side was Addolorata street that ended up at Tanks street. The Degabriele family / Mikiel and Kelina operated the local bakery which was always a very busy shop.
Our house was on the 1st floor and the Roberts family lived below us on the ground floor. A bunch of local kids used to play football in the small square.
Click on photo to enlarge.

Floodwater and local kids having fun.

A group of young kids having fun in the rainwater that always flooded parts of Birzebbuga / St Georges Bay main road.
This is an old photo taken many years ago. Sent by Joseph Camilleri (ex Birzebbuga) now of Sydney NSW Australia.