48
SPOT THEM
VALLETTA PLAQUES WORDS BY Giselle McKenna
V
alletta, Malta’s capital city, is no stranger to being written about and there’s good reason for that. Recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1980, Valletta was built in the 16th century during the time of the Order of St John, and named after Grand Master La Valette, who lay the first stone, but didn’t live to see the finished result of the city. The city’s history is well documented in various books and websites, and visitors flock to it on a daily basis – locals are mainly there to work and shop, but tourists grab the opportunity to walk through its streets steeped in history and culture. Although there are features to attract your attention at eye-level while walking through Valletta, it also happens to be one of those cities that retains many fascinating stories at a higher level, so looking up and around is recommended if you want to catch some interesting and quirky elements. This occurred to me one day when I was idly strolling through the main thoroughfare of Republic Street and happened to cast my eye on a plaque upon which was inscribed the name of a very famous English poet – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of the founders of the Romantic movement in literature. The plaque is located on the wall just outside the entrance to the Casino Maltese, which is not, in fact, a casino, but rather an exclusive club for members of the (mainly) legal profession. The plaque states: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Renowned English poet and writer worked here 1804-1805. He worked at the club for a short period at the beginning of the 19th century,
presumably as Acting Public Secretary of Malta under the Civil Commissioner, Alexander Ball, when Malta was under British rule. Below this plaque is another small one which details the history of the Casino Maltese, explaining that it was acquired in 1744 by the Order of St John. A few metres away from this plaque one enters the lovely St George’s Square, with its seating area and dancing fountains. The square is flanked by The Grandmaster’s Palace on one side and the Main Guard building on the other. On the side of the imposing Main Guard there’s another plaque, which, although it doesn’t reference an internationally-acclaimed poet, does make reference to one of Malta’s foremost moments as an independent nation – the first time that the Maltese national anthem was played by a local band club.
After World War I the 8th September wasn’t being celebrated as a national day on the island, and it was the two Valletta band clubs that used to organise a Commemorative Evening to mark the day. It was on this occasion in 1936 that the King’s Own Band became the first band to play the Maltese national anthem in public in St George’s Square; this proved to be a momentous occasion in Malta’s history and was a huge honour for the band club. The plaque was mounted on the 50th anniversary of this event as is explained in the Maltese inscription: Biex jitfakkar meta 50 sena ilu il-King’s Own Band kienet l-ewwel banda li daqqet l-Innu Malti 1936-1986. Across the square stands the impressive Grand master’s Palace which houses the Palace Armoury and State Rooms. The wall of the Palace reads like a diary of important events in Malta’s history as