56 I AUGUST-20, 2017 ;THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA AUGUST 20, 2017 I 57 LIFE& WELLBEING HISTORY

Fifty years ago Lin torn Simmons, Governor of Malta (188(1-1888) August20, 1967 GOZO EXPLDSION The Catholic Action Centre, the Police station and the Government dispen­ In this .article, the third in a series of five features on Malta's Vanity Fair Governors, sary at Zebbug, Gozo, were exten­ sively damaged when fireworks, Christopher Grech deals with Sir John Lintorn Simmons, Governor of Malta. believed to have been stored at the centre, exploded shortly after noon on Friday. The fireworks had been from 1884 to 1888. prepared for today's feast of the Assumption at Zebbug. All festivities When dealing with Governor Simmons it is have now been cancelled. Mario Sal­ impOrtant to get one thing straight: his iba,18 years of Zebbug, died in the name. He is variously referred to as John explosion whilst Carmel cefai, 19 Simmons or Lintorn Simmons. Which is cor­ years, also of Zebbug, sustained rect? It is hoped that the following will clear injuries of a grievous nature but is tip any confusion. not in danger of loss of life. Christened John Lin torn Arab in Simmons, at some point in his life he dropped his first SELF FIRST AND FOREMOST given name. It is almost certain that Sim­ "It is a fact that the foreshore is pub­ mons (1821-1903) was named after his kins­ lic. However those who go down to man, the Somerset solicitor, John Lintorn the sea from tents in Mellieha do not Simmons, however in later years he may have seem to share this opinion. It is bad preferred the more unusual name of Lintorn enough for the tents to be four deep for two reasons. The first being a tribute to at Ghadira, but that their forward his first wife Ellen Lin torn Simmons, daugh­ ropes should reach down into the ter of the abovementioned John, to whom he water is the limit. The moment one was married for just five years before she emerges from the sea one is forced to passed way in 1851. They had one daughter, do a skipping act or else measure Eleanor, who died in 1901. one's length along the sand. It is obvi­ The second reason may be due to grander ous that picnickers setting up the aspirations. Research indicates that this name frontline tents do not give much transition ·occurred around 1869, when Sim­ thought to others." mons was elevated from Companion to Knight (Excerpt from Roamer's column) Commander of the Order of the Bath (Military division). So he may have chosen a variation RUSSIA FLIES MILITARY of his name that would distinguish him from SUPPLIES TO NIGERIA the more conunon moniker of John Simmons. Fifteen Soviet transport planes have For the purposes of this article he will hence­ landed military supplies, including forth be referred to as Lin torn Simmons; fighter aircraft, at the northern Simmons' parents were Thomas Frederick Nigerian airPort for the federal gov­ and Mary Simmons:His father was for many ernment in a massive arms build-up years a captain in the Royal Artillery. He against sucessionist Biafra. must have been quite frustrated by his lack of promotion because in 1819 he was respon­ sible for a book entitled Remarks on the Pro­ motion of the Officers of the Corps of Artillery in the British Service, lamenting the lack of Ten years ago opportunity for promotion in the Royal Simmons was accepted as a close confident of the August20,2007 Artillery and making some suggestions on Empress. So much so that when the death of the how that situation could be addressed. "Empress Eugenic wrote Prince Imperial at the hands of the Zulus in 1879 GOVERNMENT 'DIDN'T KNOW' how she read with great became known in England it was Lady Simmons OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CLAIMS who rushed to the Empress' residence to be the The government has vehemently interest the article in the first to console the distraught royal. denied claims by the Opposition Empress Eugenie continued to value her leader that it was aware of the sex­ Coat of Arms with Supporters of Sir Lintorn Simmons, GCB. 'Malta' newspaper friendship with Lady Simmons and kept up a ual assault claims surrounding the correspondence with the Simmonses even when son of Malta's Ambassador to Ire­ "When initially ·offered · reviewing the Governor's they were living in Malta. land. The government said it was In one letter, presumably towards the end of only alerted about the case the Grand Cross he Returning to the Vanity Fair caricature When initially offered the Grand Cross he administration, Governor Simmons' tenure, Empress Eugenie through media reports on Friday drawn by Spy (Leslie Ward), which was pub­ declined to accept unless the names of the wrote how she read with great interest the arti­ afternoon. Less than three weeks declined to accept unless lished in 1877, we see Simmons attired in Maltese who he had proposed for honours commenting on the cle in the "Malta" newspaper reviewing the Gov­ after his reappointment, Richard names morning suit wearing the neck badge and were approved. Simmons received a stern ernor's administration, commenting on the pos­ Muscat resigned on Saturday fol­ the of the Maltese breast star of Knight Commander of the reply from the Colonial Office to the effect that positive effects he was itive effects he was having on the morale and lowing an alleged sexual assualt by who he had proposed for Order of the Bath. out of fairness to other claims it was not pos­ wellbeing of the population. She ends by "send­ his son in Dublin. The foliowing year, immediately after his sible to bargain in this way. having on the morale ing my regards to Sir Lin torn and Mademoiselle Irish media reports say that 20- honours were approved" return from the Congress of Berlin (June 13- Simmons accepted the honour but tried Blanch and, believe me, dear Lady Simmons, year-old student Christina Leech­ July 13, 1878), where he acted as a technical again- in vain- to argue in favour of the Mal­ and wellbeing affectionately yours, Eugenie". Cleary was walking home through delegate advising on the borders between the tese in 1890. He claimed that the Maltese Blanch, Lady Sinunons, was Sir Lintorn's second Dublin's Herbert Park Road iil. the Balkan States, Simmons was invested Grand would suffer severe hardships in the event of of the population" wife. They married in November 1856 and had one afternoon on October 24 last year Cross of the Order. The accompanying illustra­ a war with a maritime power. Furthermore he daughter, also named Blanch. Their daughter had when she was confronted by a man tion shows the coat of arms devised for Sim­ pointed out that ever since the Ionian islands not miniature portraits, each measuring approx­ a keen eye for art and recorded in detail her holi­ who asked for directions. The man Thomas Frederick's efforts were not mons by the College of Arms. A receipt for had ceased to fall under British protection the imately 14cm by 21cm. day visits to museums around Europe while on grabbed her, dragged her down the rewarded and he retired with the rank of cap­ charges and disbursements on the registration proportion of awards granted to the Maltese The image of Sir Lin torn is very similar to, and family vacations with her parents. These obser­ road and placed his hand down her tain. However he did not waste his tim~; of said Arms and Supporters was made out for had not increased. most likely based on, an identical photograph vations prepared her for the valuable work she top. The woman managed to embarking on a career change of sorts he the princely sum of £136 and 15 shillings. Simmons duly received the warrant under (by an unknown photographer) of Simmons in completed while in Malta when she compiled the escape, however, and contacted the sought employment as a judge advocate Sinunons was informed of his investiture at the R0yal Sign Manual and Seal of the Order the same pose and uniform as depicted by Cali. Description of the Governor's Palaces published in police. The police have still not within the Army. His most influential and Captain Thomas Frederitk Simmons, RA. Osborne House by Sir Albert Wood, secretary conveying on him the dignity of Knight An engraved version of this image was also 1888, which serves as an invaluable catalogue of charged the aril.bassador 's son. enduring publication was the authoritative of the Order of the Bath, "on Tuesday next, at Grand Cross, the Insignia and Statutes. included in the Guida Generate di Malta per !'Anno the works in the palaces at that time. Constitution and Practice of Courts Martial, with three o'clock precisely, I have it in command Interestingly the insignia (badges, breats 1887 as well as an issue of the· Strand Magazine Lady Sinunons was a devoted wife constantly at SANT'S SURCHARGE a Summary of the Law of Evidence as Connected to apprise you thereof, and request your atten­ star and riband) were accompanied by a dating back to 1897. her husband's side to give support and encourage­ PLEDGE FOOLISH - AD Therewith, which was first published in 1830 of his parents' friends or possibly after the fort dance accordingly. Morning dress". blank form of covenant for their eventual While the posture chosen for the Governor is ment. Consequently Sir Lintorn was severely Altemattiva Demokratika yesterday and remained in print until 1875, going where his father was stationed. As described previously (The Most Distin­ return following the death of the bearer. The generic, that of Lady Simmons is more informal affected by her death in 1898, after which lie slammed Opposition leader Alfred through seven editions and becoming the Alfred was killed in action on December21, guished Order of St Michael and StGeorge, Order liked to keep a tight hold on all its and intimate; there is no doubt she was a person moved out of London to stay with his daughter, Sant's promise to slash the elec­ standard text on the subject. 1845, at the Battle of Ferozshah in India. There The Sunday Times of Malta, July 23), British baubles. Simmons' insignia are today dis­ of forceful character but at the same time Cali has now Blanch Orman, near Blackwater in Hamp­ tricity surcharge by half, describ­ Research indicates that earlier in his career were two other Malta-related casualties at this military, naval and civil officials working in played at the Royal Engineers' Museum in invested her with a sympathetic countenance that shire. Simmons, who at the time of his death held ing the idea as an "expensive elec­ Lieutenant Thomas Frederick Simmons, RA, same battle. Arthur Borton (the future Gover­ the Mediterranean were eligible for recogni­ Gillingham, UK. has been demonstrated through other sources. the rank of Field Marshal, refused a military .toral trick" as the "season of served in Malta in the 1820s. Infact, one of his nor of Malta) suffered an elbow injury that tion in the Order of St Michael and StGeorge. The portraits of Sir Lin torn and Lady Sim­ In the late 1870s, while her husband was Gover­ funeral and left instructions for a quiet burial in electoral antics" kicks off. It was sons was born and christened in Malta in 1822 severely affected the use of his right arm for Although Simmons was appointed Governor mons by Giuseppe Call shown here must nor of the Royal Military College, Woolwich, one Somerset beside his second wife. Nevertheless his "utterly foolish" for Dr Sant to and his name underscores the Malta connec­ the rest of his life. This was also the encounter of Malta in 1884 he was not granted the dig­ have been painted before Simmons' appoint­ of his charges was the Prince Imperial of France pall-bearers included the aides-de-camp of King make such promises without stat­ tion: Alfred Angelo Simm_ons. It is not known at which Renaldo Sciberras, eldest son of nity of Grand Cross until relatively late in his ment as Grand Cross of the Order of St - the only child of Emperor Napoleon III and his Edward VII, the Prince of Wales, the German Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmons, ing how they would be financed, whether Alfred was named as a tribute to one Camillo, was killed. tenure, May 23,1887. Michael and StGeorge. They are small but wife Empress Eugenie. During this period Lady Emperor and the Duke of Cambridge. by Spy, Vanity Fair, 1877 . said AD chairman Harry Vassallo......