VIVA SAN PIETRU





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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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.
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