SOME PUBLIC MONUMENTS OF V ALLETTA 1800-1955 By DONALD H. SIMPSON, F.L.A.
(Continued from 'Melita Historica', Vol. 2, No. 2, 1~57)* The Upper Barracca (cont.) A similar trubIet is on t!he neXlt rupright: TO 'THE MEMORY OF LT COMlDR F"E. WIALTERS AND CHIEF ENGR. A. BAiKER OF HER IMAJESTY T.B.D. ARDENT WHO WERE DROWNED IN SALONIKI HARBOUR ON THE NIGHT OF ~ T~E 8TH OCTOBER 1899 ERECTED BY THEIR MESSMATES An oM plhotograrph shows another tablet of sl\milar design on bhe next upright, but this is now missing and cannot be traced (oH). In the corner of the outer arcades is a pedestal 'surmounted by an urn, to tJhe memory of Vice Admira;] Sir Thomas Fremantle (1765-1819). He had a distinguished nava[ career aIlld was closely associated with Nelson, notably in the action off Cadiz w,hen Nelson's barge was attacked by a S[panis!h gun boat. He was wounded at Ten eritffe, the battle ,at which Nel'son lost his . right arm, and 'tihe first w.riting the Admiral attempted with his left hand was a tDote to Mrs. Fremantle. T!hey again slhared in the battle of Copenhagen, and at Trafallgalr Fremantle commanded tlhe Neptu.ne. Later he undertodk several special miSlsions on .the Brulikan coast, for whriclh he was Icreated a BaTon of the Austrian Empire, amd made several disciplinary innovatioIlJ'S tin his slhips. He was made G.C.B. and COIIrumander-in-Chief, Meditenanean, in 1818, ,and died in t'h[s post on Decemlber 19tJh, 1819 (45). The iIllscripmon on the m'Onument ils: ;SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF SIR THOMAS FRANCIS FREMANTLE
* The author regrets a number of inaccuracies in the footnotes in the previously pub lished portion of this article and will supply a list of corrections on request to him at the Royal Commonwealth Society, London. (44) This appears clearly in a photograph of 1910 in the author's possession, and in 1943 the upright showed marks that could indicate that a memorial had bee~ attached. (45) Fremantle, Admiral Sir Sydney. NeLon and his Friends ("Sunday Express" October 17th, 1943). This has a picture of H.M.S. RochforL "hanging Judas" in mourn ing for Sir Thomas, also reproduced in Vol III of The Wynne Diaries, O.D.P. 1940: Dictionrery of National Biography Vol. VII pp. 688-689: BUl'ke's Peerage 1953 pp. 502-503. DONALD H. SIMPSON, F .L.A. 151
KNIGHT GRANiD OROSS OF THE BATH, GUELPH, SAINT FERDINAND AND MERIT SAINT MICHAEJ., ,AND SAINT GEORGE KNIGHT COMMANDER OF MARIA THERESA BARON OF THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE ANtD VICE ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE WHO DIED AT NAPLES IN THE CHIEF COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAV Aa:., FORCES IN THE ,MEDITERRANEAN ON THE 19 DECR 1819 IN THE 5,1TH YEAR OF HIS AGE THIS MONUMIENT IS ERECTED BY CAP'DAiIN A.P. GREEN AND THE OFFICERS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP ROCHFORT IN WHIOH HE HAD HIS F,LArG AS A TESTIMONY OF THEIR RESPECT FOR HIS CHARACTER AND TALENTS Tlhe Fll'emantle lfamily have been distinguislhed als saillors silliCe that time, aIDong,st tlhem being Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle (1800-1876) after wlhom the All'stralian port i's named; Ad'lllir,al Sir Edmund RQbert Fremantle (1836-1929) and Admiral Sir Sydney Robert Fremantle (1867-1958). A reminder of mi:J';.tary dj,stinction, however, is given by an inscription on the right side of the pedestal': RESTORED BY HIS GRANDNEPHEW H.E. GENL. SIR ARTHUR FRFJMA!N'DLE, K.C.M.G., C.,B. GOVERNOR OF MALTA 1895 On the oP!poslte side aplpears: RESTOREID BY HIS GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN 1938 DUTing tlhe war the urn was Shattered in the bombing, (but the strong fa.mi1y feeling of the Fll'emantles for 't!heir distingruiShed ancestor has re!S'ulted in its repair (46). Beyond tlhis arcade dls a railed gallJlery wlhich, together with several of the rurc!hes, suffered very severely from bombing, though rohis has now been repaired. Lt cOIll.llThandis a remarkable view, described in "Grand Harlbour": "Leaning against the railings guarding the ramparts they looked down UipOn the Grand Harbour far below. It seemed wider, and curiously bare without battle,slhips or crui1sers at ,their moorings !in t:he ,stream and up the creek.s. Onl'Y ,scattered dg;/lajllcs 'and a Gow blOat wd'tih graceful wing-ilike sails floated on the vivid'ly blue water. From 'tlheir diz:uy look-owt they had an oblique view along the VaHJetta ralllllparts from Victoria Gate to tlhe Lower Barracca Gardens, ISIillhouetted against the horiwn, and Oif the closely packed square Y€lllow h01l!ses a:lJ.d r,ed cupolas cHlIllbing the steep contour of tlhe penilJlJSwa.
(46) Letter to D.H.S. from Admiral Sir Sydney Fremantle. 152 SOME 'PUBLIC MONUMENTS OF V ALLETTA
AcxOSlS the harlbour tihe atncient city I(}f Senglea crowned' lrola. To the left, ()iD. IS.nl(}tlb:ex prOllllontorl)', the grim elSC&rptmeDlts I(}f Fort St. A.n.gelo protected the flat rooDs and red dO!ll1es of :Vittoriooa. Beyond again, wexe tihe slheea yellow cliffis of Bigthi surmoThI1ted by the colonnades and pil1lared pavilions ·01 the Naval Hospital, and finally the fortified promontory of Ricasoli" (47). Thus splendid se.tting was the scene of 000 of the most improosive events of the International Euc.hari'stic CoI1bOTeSs held in Malta in Aipril 1913. On 26tih Cardioo:l DO!ll1:iruic Ferrata, the Papa'} Legate, bl~e.d the sea from a tribune erected on the edge of tlhis pILatform, and a tlllblet on the seawMd side of tlhe arcades C{J(!ThlI11elIllorates this: TITULUS WCI INDEX EX QUO VI KAL MAIAS MCMXIII DOMINJCUS FERRATA CARD. IN EUCHAR. NATIONUM CONVENTU LEGATUS PONT. MAX. AEQUORI ILLUDQUE PERERRANTIBUS SACRAMEN'IO AUGUSTO SOLEMNI RITU BENE PRECATUS EST (48) On one of the arches near the centre is a tablet (49) erected by the Dorset sihire Regiment: IN MEMORY OF THOSE COMRADES WHO HAVE FALLEN DURING THE SIEGE OF MALTA 1940-1948 (Rere follow 27 names) ERECTED 29. 1. 1950 Anot:her ta.blet on: this areade, whicll survhreld tihe bomibing W1hicih des troyed tlhe a:rcJh on w;b;idh it waiS pla.ced but has apparently niOw been lost, COlllllllenllOrated Lieutenant Bourne, Mr Fallon, a;nd other accid'entlaill.'y ldrowDJed persons (50). At tlhe enJd of the arcade ;is a large memori,al in tihe form of a pillar sur mounted by an UJI'll, witlh foUlT inscribed' taJbJets rouOO bhe base. F.ront: CLIDMENTE MARTINO EDWiARDS HOC MONUMENTUM SlIiNGu[;ARIS AMICITME ET PROBATtAE FIDE TESTIMONIUM POSUIT THOMAS MAITLAND Right: TO THE MEMORY OF
( 417) Field 81. (48) J.C.P.: Macmillan, A. Malta and Gibraltar Illustrated. London, 1915 p. 267: Farrugia pp. 205-206, with illustration. (49) J.C.P.: N.B. There are interesting references to the Regiment's work in Gi1christ R.T. Malta strikes back. Aldershot, 1946. (50) This was on the outer line of arches, facing towards the gardens; it can be seen in the illustration in Macmillan, p. 115. It was complete after the bombing (See photograph on the lower half of page 50 of The Epic of Malta. London, 1943). It was lying on the saLuting battery in 1943. DONALD H. SIMPSON, F.L.A. 153
CLEMENT MARTIN EDWARDS LIEUT. COL. OF H1iS MA.JESTY'S FIRST CEYLON REG. WHO DIED AT V ALLETTA .A!FTER A PROTRACTED AND SEVERE ILLNESS ON THE 17TH MARCH 1816 AGED 36 YEARS Rea.r: HE WAS MILITARY SEORETARY TO HLS EXCELLEiNCY SIR THOMAS MAITLAND WHlLE GOv'ERNOR AND ,COMMANDER OF THE FORCEiS IN CEYLON SUlBSEQUENT[LY .ASSISTANT MIJ+ITARY SECRETARY TO HIS ROYAL IDGHNESS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND FINALLY FIRST COMMISSIONER OF THE BOARD HE !HAD ORIGINAJJLY PROJECTEfD FOR AUDITING COLONIAL ACCOUNTS Left: FEW COULD VIE WITH HIM IN USEWULNESS OF T ALENTiS FEWER STILL POSSESSED A HEART MORE BENEVOLENT OR :DISPOSITION MORE SOCIAL HE DIED IN THE PiRIME OF LIFE BUT !LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW FULLY HE HAD SIDCURED THE RESPECT AND ESTEEM OF .ALL GOOD MEN It is reanarkaiblethat t.hi!s IIl!an, wlhose career is so fuJlly recorded: on his mODUIlle;nt, ils not Illlenrt:ioned in eitlher of the blog.rruphies of Sir Thomas Mait loand, 'Wlho obvaoUts1y esteelllloo 'lrim SIO hiigthlly. T!he column is mentiollled' :in "Grand Harbour", wmere Ag.atlha sta:nds in its shelter "and ipretended: to be absorbed in the antics of a green lizard darting in and out of the cracks" (51). Near the melllloriail: ]s t1he entrallJCe to the lift that coDlVeys passeDlgers to and fIrOllll t'he Marina, and somewlhat d.nco~crruous:ly placed lover .tIhe entrance ilS the tablet wmiClh records tlhe erection of the >aI'cad>e:s: FRACTIS BELLO, REPU.DSISQUE TRACIBUS URiBE VAI.lLETTiA DELINEATA LOCUM HUNiC ITALIS MILITIBUS PROPUGNANDUM DELECTUM FR. FLAMINIUS BAliBTANUS MAGNUS PRIOR MEiSSANAE NON MINUS SACRARUM AEDIUM PLO ORNATU QUAfM UTRIUSQUE MILITIAE, SUIQUE OiRDINIS CLASsms PRAEFECTURA, CONSPWUUS, A COELI INCLEMENTIAE NOBILIORI FORMA SUO AERE, CONTEXIT. ANN. DOiM. MDCLXI "After tIhe defeat of the Tur:kJs and t'he planning of tihe city IOf Valletta, the lrote ellltrUlSted Ito the caxe: of the Ita~ian Knigfuts was, in 1661, emlJ:>emslhed and roofed over, agaiDJSlt tlhe inclemency of the weather, at the eXlpffills:e of Fra. F. Balbiano, t!he Great Prior of MelSlSiJ1la, wmo dJi.stinguished~elf not Q1lI1y
(51) Field p. &S. There is no mention in Lord or Dixon, W. The Coloniail Administra- tions of Sir Thomas Maitland. London, 1989. 154 SOME PUBLIC MONUMENTS OF V ALLETTA
for his piety in tihe decoration of churc1hes, but ail,so for hi,s tg.enerarship both in the army and navy of the Order" (52). There WM; also a more elwborate iruscrip;tion in praise of Fr. Bailibiano, but'this has now vanished completely, as have some other memorials (53). The oDlly ot'her memorial on this part of the fortmcatiolllS is not on tJhe Barra.cca itself, hut on t,he sa[utl'ng battery below, reached bY' a staircase (near Lord Striciklantd',s statue) wihiclh pa'sses undler the outer portion of the arcades. At tlhe right hand end of tiJJ.is platform is a large sarcopiba,gu
HIC SITUS EST HENRICUS ANDERSON MORSHEAD REGA. (52) Zammit, Valletta pp. 57-58; J.C.P. (53) This is described by Zammit (Valletta, pp. 58-60) as "on the northern wall of the arcades ... under a stone bust". W as this the bust of Grand l\iaster Gessan moved for the Zammit Memorial (see above) or are there two memorials missing? (54) Brocktorff. DONALD H. SIMPSON, F.L.A. 155 in 1798 he was attached to the staff of Sir Thomas Maitland in t1he West {ndies. In 1829 he was appointed C()Im:lll1andl;'ng Royal Engineer at Malta, and at the time of ilris death on November 11th, 1831, was acting Governor. There is a bust of him in the Royal Engineers' Office at Malta (55). 'fIhe many illlonUillle·nts of tJhe Urpiper Barracca combine with tJhe very structure of the g.ard,ens to epitomise the history of Malta since tlhe foundtaJtion of VaIlleU,a. Bui11t as paTt of the fortificatioIl!S, they were adopted for recrea tionaa Uise a.s tJhe Order of Sit. John grew more luxurious and less military. They were the scene of historic events in 1775, and the monuments CO!Illme momte many, Britislh a'nd Maltese, who pd'cvyed a significant part in the af fairs oft!he i.sdand during the plllst 150 year:s. SeveTal memoriadiS Slpeak of Malta's tradition as a naval base, and fina:lly the honourable scars of the air raids wiN remjnrl those 'who vj.s~t tlhes.e pleasant gardens of the ordeall tlhM the island survived so ga,J,lantly. Hastings Gardens Farther rOll'nd tlhe fortificatiolllS, and overlookring Filomana, is fthe Bastion of St. John, wlhich contains Hasting,s Gardens. Tills pd,easant spot, command ing a fine panorama inlaml a,nd across Mars.amxett HaIlbour, takes iltis ll'aane from the dilS.tinguis'hed Governor of Malta who was buried here. Francis Rawdon, Mamquess of Hastings, was born on December 7th 1754 ' (55) Dictionary of National Biography Vo!. XIII pp. 1012-3. (56) Laferla Vo!. I pp. 125-126; Dictionary of National Biography Vo!. IX pp. 117-122: Gentleman's Magazine Vol. XCVII 1827 pp. 8&-90. (57) Gentleman's Magazine Vo!. XCVII 1827 p. 90: l\1acGiIl pp. 46-47: Big-elow A. Travels in Malta and Sicily ... Boston, 1831, p. 163 . .Brocktorff: Blade vd!. I, p.64. 156 SOME PUBLIC MONUMENTS OF V ALLETTA Eventually L()II"d Hastings was given a worthier mellIlorial of somewhat unUSUJal desdgn. A solid base is srurIDI()Ulnted by rorur pillll:ars wlhiclh: SUlppOll't a canopy, under wlhich sitlS the half-reclining robed figure of tlhe Governor. His baeik is sUlplPorted by the taJbleft wlhlclh bears tihe ilJJSCripltion.: IN THIS PLACE W AlS BURIED FRANCIS 1ST MARQUESS OF HASTINGS K.G. BORN DECEiMlBER 7TH 1754 f))lJEI) NOVEMBER 28TH 1826 SOME OF THOSE SURVIVING FRIENDS WHO WITNESSE!D illS. BRLLLIANT AND BENEFICENT GAJREEIR AS GOVERNOR-GENERAL AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF BRITliSH INDIA AND REGARD HIS MEMORY WITH ADMlfRATION AFFECTION AND RESPECT ERElCTED THIS MONUMENT TO MARK HIS GRAVE WITH HONOUR The lnOnUlIDent was slighrtlry damaged by bombing, wlhiclh had the wnfor tlIDaie result of removing some of tlhe fingers of tlhe u,preilSed riglht hand and damaging Uhe face. At tihe cnd of tJhe gardens, on tlhe Bastion of St. MiclhMl, is tlhe balSe of whrut w,as once an impressive IDeIIIlorial to Sir Fredericik Cavendi&h POIhSonibty (1783-1837). He was a ~allant a.nd judicious officer, and saw mMh service in the PeninsulliM' War and la.ter in F In 1854 his son, Henry Ponsonby (later General Sir Henry Ponsonby, G.C.B., and Queen Victoria's private Secretary) saIw the column, while on hls way to t!he Crimea.n War, but in 1864 it Wl8iS struck by ligt'hltnJing and demo- (58) Harrison & Hubbard p. 58 (map): Dictionary of National Biography Vol. XVI pp. 80-81: Ponsonby, Sir J. The Yonsonby Family. London 1929 pp.1l5-125: Ponsonby, Sir J. Henry Ponsonby. London, 1942, pp. 1-15. (59) Brocktorff said it had no inscription. Bartlett's illustration (p. 21) shows the column surmounted by an urn, and Zammit mentioned this (Valletta, p. 82~ but illustrations in the Malta Penny Magazine Vol. I, p. 13, Brocktorff, and an engraving of the laying of the Foundation Stone of St. Paul's Anglican Cathe dral in March 1839 (now in the British Museum) show it- with a flat top. DONALD H. SIMPSON, F.L.A. 157 Eslhed. It was decided .uot ;to re-erect it, ibut to !preserve tihe base wlhic!h w&s accordingly pll3ced on bhe adjoining bastion to the origi.nM one and bhe word\s added: THE COLUMN 70 FEET HIGH ERECTED ON THIS BASE TO THE MEMORY OF SIR FRFillERICK PONSONBY WAS DESTROYED BY LIGHTNING IN JANUARY 1864. (60) Ne rurby , on anotlher part of t (60) Ponsonby: Hem'y Ponsonby, pp, 13, 21: Zammit, Valletta, p. 82. (61) Brocktorff. • (62) Dictionary of National Biography Vol. XVIII pp. 785-786: Le Marchant, Sir D. Memoir ,of John Charles Viscount Althorp Third Earl Spencer. London 1876, pp. 148, 152-154, 219-221, 264, 266. Many references to Captain Spencer appear in Hedderwick, J.B. The Captain's Clerk. London, 1957. There is a portrait' of him facing page 48. (63) It is hoped to prepare a similar article on memorials in Florianaand any material likely to assist this, or any corrections or additions to this article, will be gratefully received by the author at the Royal Commonwealth Society, North umberland Avenue, London, W.C.2.