The cemetery is on the site of the part of the Msida Bastions which were erected in the seventeenth century in Floriana under the surveillance of the Italian engineer Floriani. It is in the boundaries of the Floriana local council but overlooks Msida across the harbour. when the British started governing the islands in 1800, they started to bury their dead in this site which had already been chosen as a burial ground before. Indeed there were three other cemeteries in the vicinity which include the Quarantine, the Greek Orthodox and the Cholera cemetery. These do not exist any more and part of them is now occupied by the Msida Bastion Historic Garden as well as by other buildings.

At least 530 people have been buried in this cemetery but some are still being discovered, at times even below 6 inches of soil in the periphery of the cemetery grounds. The earliest memorial which has been discovered so far dates to 1806. Very few burials have been conducted after 1857 when the larger Ta’ Braxia Cemetery was opened, except when there was a burial in an already existing family grave. People buried here were mostly members of the British Army and of the British navy, British civil officials and merchants. Members of their families were also buried here. Out of the nearly 400 ages which have been recorded nearly half of them were below 20 years of age at their death, and of these about 70 were infants under one year of age. Mortality age was indeed very low at the time, mainly due to illness and poor hygiene.

The cemetery and fertile soil offer an ideal place for trees, some of which are at least 150 years old. These include the Aleppo Pine tree, the Fig tree, the Bitter Almond tree, the evergreen Oak, the Cypress, the Lentisk, the Olive tree, the Laurel, Judas tree, Carob trees and Canary Island Palms. In spring the cemetery is also adorned with flowers and is indeed transformed into a garden where the living can go and spend some quite time in relaxation and contemplation.

The Msida Bastion Cemetery reached its apex in 1846 as can be seen in many lithographs and engravings. Full of beautifully carved monuments and inscriptions which testify to an age of Malta’s history and to the people who made it, it had become a veritable neo-classic burial ground full of beautifully carved monuments and inscriptions. Sadly it fell into serious disrepair, victim of time, vandalism and even a world war II bomb.

In 1930 Captain Charles Zammit, later Director of Museums, prepared a survey and report on the cemetery, he wrote that ‘neglect has turned this cemetery into a state of disrepair, which although highly picturesque, was gradually destroying the grave-stones and even the graves themselves. Stately pines, cypresses, and other trees grow as they list in no way checked by any gardener’s care; luxuriant undergrowth of periwinkles, irises and nettles threatened to cover the graves and strong ivy other hardy parasites by creeping insidiously into the joints of the tombs, have gradually split them to pieces. It is sad to note that the great majority of the inscriptions are damaged and undecipherable.’

During World War II, especially in the year 1942, the Maltese islands were repeatedly bombarded and the cemetery suffered from direct bombing. This added to the state of abandon of the place, together with more neglect and vandalism during the years to follow.

Din l-Art Ħelwa took an interest in the cemetery in conjunction with the Government of Malta and the British High Commission. Din l-Art Ħelwa appointed a sub-committee under the chairmanship of R.G. Kirkpatrick to persuade the authorities to restore the place and in 1988 Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, then Minister of Education, declared the site was to be opened to the public as a garden The first project leader, Mr R.G.Kirkpatrick, sadly died soon after but he had conducted much research which was gathered into a book entitled ‘The Msida Bastion Cemetery, Malta’ which was prepared and edited by James Cannon and published in 1991. After Kirkpatrick’s death another project leader, Dr Andy Welsh, was appointed and research continued. Since then two other booklets on the place were published.

The first section to be restored was officially opened in September 1995 by the then President of Malta, Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, who had been instrumental in the scheme since its conception. As a first step the surrounding wall was increased in height in an attempt to preserve what was left of the cemetery at that time. During the restoration work a very large number of stone fragments, some 20,000, have been collected and are being painstakingly sorted out till this day. Putting them together again is slow and time consuming but as a result several inscriptions have been reconstructed and were placed along the walls. However, there are still a large number of pieces which do not form a reasonably complete text so they are being kept in store for future use. One can still observe a number of fragments of tombs which have been also used in the past to erect low lying walls as well as steps in the cemetery itself. In 2000 the whole cemetery area was opened to the public aptly called ‘The Garden of Repose’.

In March 2002 Din l-Art Ħelwa was awarded the prestigious Silver Medal of Honour for the restoration of the Msida Bastion Cemetery by Europa Nostra, which is the European Federation of 230 National Trusts and Heritage NGO’s. Prince Heinrich of Denmark, the President of Europa Nostra, made the presentation at a ceremony in Copenhagen. The medal was received by Judge Maurice Caruana Curran as founder president, together with Dr Alexander Welsh. The medal was awarded ‘for the painstaking recovery and restoration of the monuments, headstones and tombs of the Msida Bastion Cemetery, and the conversion of its derelict historic site into a public garden’.

Deterioration of the monuments is a continuous concern. In 2017 two monuments were restored by conservator-restorers, Ingrid Ross (Heritage ResCo) and James Licari. One  of the monuments did not hold any marble plaque or inscription and following a rough storm in 2015 part of the urn fell and broke up in various fragments. The second monument was of Henry Eman Holland who died at the age of 11 and needed restoration of a broken cross by using inert pins and adhesives.

As is customary, the recipient country celebrated the award by arranging its own local official presentation. This took place at the Palace in Valletta on Friday 10th May when the President of Malta, H.E. Professor Guido de Marco, held a reception for the Council of Din l-Art Ħelwa and the Din l-Art Ħelwa team of volunteers who had given so much of their free time over ten years on this project. A commemorative plaque was also presented.

It is not the aim of this book to list all the burials which took place in this cemetery. However the cemetery is testimony to the many men and women who are part of the island’s history. I am therefore dividing these into broad groups and write something on each one.

Maltese And Residents

The Right Hon. John Hookham Frere was a diplomat and scholar who joined the Foreign Office and set on the House of Commons as MP for the Borough of west Looe in Cornwall. In 1805 he was also member of the Privy Council. He translated the works of Aristophanes. In Malta he owned a large house in Pieta. His wife, Elizabeth Jemima was Dowager Countess of Erroll and she moved to Malta with her husband due to her failing health in 1821. She was a benefactress to many Maltese poor. Both husband and wife are buried in a large white Carrara marble tomb surrounded by a railing.

In the cemetery, close to the tomb of John and Elizabeth Hookham Frere, is a tablet to Mikiel Anton vassalli, father of the Maltese language. no evidence of Vassalli’s burial exists anywhere but Mr Frederick Jones, the nephew of a previous caretaker of the cemetery, Mr emmanuel Cordina, remembered the approximate location and shape of his tomb. He was a defender of Maltese culture and nationalism and tried to overthrow the rule of the Knights of St John in 1797, but was imprisoned in Fort Ricasoli. During the French occupation in 1798 he fled to France where he married Catherine Formosa de Fremeaux and both returned to Malta in 1820. He wrote a Maltese Grammar book and did some translations. Through the patronage of John Hookham Frere he obtained the post of Professor of Arabic at the Malta University. He also translated parts of the Bible in Maltese. vassalli died poor and did not even leave enough money for his burial. Hookham Frere obtained permission to bury him in the Msida Bastion cemetery as he was not allowed a Christian burial because he translated the protestant bible in Maltese. His French wife died 22 years after and is thought to have been buried beside him. A tomb with an effigy figure on top is that of Mrs Hannah Baker, widow of the late William Baker of H.M. Ordnance Department. She had lived in Malta for 30 years. She died on 11 January 1834 aged 52. Tomb of Mrs Hannah Baker, 1930 photo

Greeks

A Greek cemetery existed in the vicinity before the Msida Bastion Cemetery was opened, and possibly part of its grounds were taken over by it. Some burial tablets were brought here including one of Mrs Hieropoulos who died in 1853.

Royal Navy And Royal Army

Many eminent persons are buried here. we find vice Admiral the Hon. Sir Henry Hotham, Knight Commander of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George, and Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Naval Forces in the Mediterranean. Rear Admiral Alexander Shippard who served on board ships in the Channel, Mediterranean, west Indies and Newfoundland. A tall obelisk is to Major-General John Tombs who died in 1848 and served the East India Company and was in India for about 50 years as Colonel of the 6th Regiment Bengal Light Cavalry. Sergeant John Gardiner, QMS Malta, died in 1849 and left his widow with four young children.

Heroes

Charles McCorrie was awarded the Victoria Cross aged 25 for his heroic action in 1855 during the Crimean war where he was known to have caught and thrown back a live shell from his post thereby saving the life of many comrades. A monument in honour of this hero was unveiled by HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCvO, who was in Malta for the 70th Anniversary of the George Cross Award and for the celebrations for the Jubilee Year of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Members Of The Clergy

Reverend Robert Irvine died aged 48 and was Minister of St John’s Church, waterloo Road, Lamberth, Surrey. Reverend Sir Cecil Augustus Bisshopp Bart died at 27 years of age, was ordained in Malta 5 years before has death and married the same year. His wife gave birth to a child one month before his death. The child died in Jerusalem at just 6 months of age and was also remembered at the Msida Bastion cemetery. An obelisk marks the grave of William Martin who was for many years Clerk to the Anglican Chaplain, John Cleugh, and then to St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral.

Freemasons

A number of Masonic symbols are present on tombstones belonging to members of Freemasons. Brother Walter Rodwell Wright 1775-1826) was founder of the Lodge of St John and St Paul in Malta, President of H.M. High Court of Appeal, and Senior Member of the Supreme Council of Justice in Malta.

The Future

 

After the painstaking restoration of the pathways, walls and monuments, by Dr Andy Welsh, his wife Jenny and a group of hard working volunteers, the transformation from a cemetery again to a garden was made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers ably led by the warden Ms Mary Aldred and now assisted by Albert Calleja. Together they keep this garden vibrant and in perfect condition. A small museum was opened by Dame Fiona Reynolds in 2004, then Director General of the national Trust of Great Britain. when funds permit, Din l-Art Ħelwa plans to upgrade the museum providing it with a refreshment area and tearooms which are badly needed in the locality. Nestling within the heart of the Floriana bastions, the garden enjoys marvellous views over Marsamxetto harbour and is used for public events, fetes and recitals.

 

The Garden of Rest is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday and the first Sundays of the month, from 9.30 am to 12.00 noon. Entrance is Ђ2 per person except on the first Sunday of the month when admission is free.

The Garden will be closed on 25th December, 1st January and Easter Sunday.

 

You can visit the Facebook page Msida Bastion Cemetery and Historic Garden to follow any ongoing findings in the garden which is always offering exciting experiences to our volunteers and a lot of gardening!