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Spencer's Monument on Corradino Hill by Michele 'Remembering Bellantl. PHOTO: ALBERT GANADO COLLECTION Captain Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer

death) with privilege and favour, After tours in the Mediter­ his contemporaries seem to have ranean in 1817, South America in held this young officer in high 1819 and the English Channel in regard. We can glean the unvar­ 1823, he returned to the Mediter­ nished facts of Spencer's career ranean in 1824 in command of the from John Marshall's highly­ Naiad, 46 guns, charged with var­ esteemed Royal Naval Biography. ious negotiations with the Dey of Born in 1791, Spencer started his Algiers. The Naiad was paid off in naval career in 1804 as midship­ 1826 at which time it was reported Lord High Admiral, HRH the Duke lithograph by Maxim Gauci (1774- officers should in1prove themselves The inscription on the obelisk man to Captain Benjamin Hallow­ that during Captain Spencer's of Clarence (later William IV) and, 1854) based on a portrait in oils by to the extent of arranging dancing states that Spencer was blU'ied in Val­ Many British servicemen lie buried ell. For a time he served on the 84- command the system of discipline as a consequence, was nominated Thomas Phillips, RA (1770-1845). lessons for them at the Palace. He letta on December 12,1830. According in Malta, yet one, Robert Cavendish gun ship Malta, formerly the and perfection of the gunnery was Groom of the Bedchamber to the Ganci was born in Valletta and was able to organise this since the to Donald H. Simpson in his 1957 arti­ Spencer, has been rewarded with French ship Guillaume Tell, which "never to have been exceeded". duke, who also conferred upon trained under Michele Busuttil Governor, Sir Frederick Cavendish cle 'Some Public Monuments of Val­ two monuments: one at Elata 1- survived the Battle of the Nile and From 1827 to 1828 Spencer was him the title of Knight Com­ before continuing his studies at the Ponsonby, was a cousin. letta 1800-1955', Governor Ponsonby Bajda and the other in Valletta. was captured as it was making its appointed private secretary to the mander of the Royal Hanoverian Accademia di San Luca in Rome at When Spencer died, his fellow offi­ commissioned the original sarcopha­ This article investigates who this escape from Malta in 1800. Guelphic Order (KCH). the recommendation of Grand cers, seamen and marines subscribed gus marking Spencer's grave; this is naval officer was and why he was Spencer did not shun action and On September 26, 1828, Spencer Master Emmanuel de Rohan. Gauci to a monument which was initially also attributed to Giorgio Pullicino; honoured in this way. was always to be found in the thick received his appointment to the settled in London in 1809 where he erected at Corradino Hill. This site the Governor also sought a royal Captain Sir Robert Cavendish of things, as at the Battle of Rosetta "During Captain Madagascar, 46 guns, and returned became one of the leading British was chosen because it was visible decree to have tl1e lower portion of St Spencer of the Royal Navy was, as (1807) and the Bay of Rosas Spencer's to the Mediterranean; however, lithographers; his coloured plates of from all the ships at anchor in the har­ Michael's Bastion named Spencer his full name indicates, a member (1809). Appointed lieutenant on when his brother, Lord Althorp, botanical specimens are very highly bour. The monument took the form of Bastion in honour of his cousin. of the British aristocracy. His December 13, 1810, he took his command, became Chancellor of the Excheq­ praised for their accuracy and deli­ an obelisk similar in size to Cleopa­ Until just a few years ago this site father, George John Spencer, 2nd first independent command on uer in 1830, Robert Spencer was cacy of line and wash. tra's Needle. It is thought to have been had become neglected and van­ Earl Spencer, served as Home Sec­ the Kite brig of 16 guns and, soon the system of selected to represent the Navy at the Contemporaries have left their designed by architect Giorgio Pulli­ dalised: the iron railings had vanished retary in the UK from 1806 to after, the Espoir, 18 guns, in Ordnance Board, so his ship was own written impressions of cino, professor of drawing and archi­ and the sarcophagus itself had disap­ 1807, and his brother John, 3rd the Mediterranean. discipline and ordered home. Tragically, Spencer Spencer's personality and naval tectlll'e at the University. peared with just the plinth remain­ the sarcophagus has been recreated Earl Spencer, held the office of Transferring to the Carron, 20 was not to return to England; while exploits. Edward Fanshawe, later The obelisk, constructed of Maltese ing. It seemed as though the require­ and a metal railing on the design of Chancellor of the Exchequer from guns, he saw action along the perfection of the at Alexandria he took ill with an Admiral Superintendent of the hard stone, was worked un der the ment for car parking in Valletta might the original has been erected. Robert 1830 to 1834. He was thel'efore coasts of Louisiana and Florida inflammation of the bowels and Malta Dockyard (1868-70), a mid­ supervision of H. C. Smith of His cast Spencer into eternal oblivion. Spencer can rest in peace again. born to a noble family which was, where he volunteered for some gunnery was died two days later on November 4, shipman in the Madagascar under Majesty's Naval Yard at Malta in just For tunately, the new Bank of Val­ in due course, to produce Lady daring reconnaissance work and 1830. He was just 39 years old. Spencer's command, recounts how eight weeks. The monument remain­ letta offices on St Michael's Bastion, The author wishes to thank Dr Albert Diana Spencer. dangerous attacks on enemy 'never to have We are fortunate to have a very his captain was determined that all ed at Corradino until the late 19th cen­ designed by architects DeMicoli Ganado, DeMicoli & Associates and While Spencer's silver spoon piquets, which were taken without fine likeness of Spencer that has a men should be well fed and cared tury when it was moved to its present & Associates, has resulted in the architect Edwar d Said for their assis­ may have sprinkled his life (and a shot being fired. been exceeded' " tangential link with Malta. This is a for. He also insisted that his young site at Elata 1-Bajda. sensitive restoration of the area; tance in the preparation of this a rticle.