Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

14/06/2026

🇲🇹 Sal-1921 iż-żjut kienu jaslu Malta f’tankijiet u fin-nuqqas ta’ moll il-bastiment kien jankra f’nofs il-port u dawn it-tankijiet kienu jitwasslu l-art permezz ta’ braken. Quddiem id-daħla tal-impjant kien inbena skall fejn isorġu dawn il-braken u minn hemm diversi irġiel kienu manwalment jirrumblaw dawn it-tankijiet lejn u minn l-impjant. Parti minn dan l-iskall għadha tidher taħt il-promenade li hemm illum. Għal diversi rġiel mir-raħal, dan kien mezz ta’ xogħol li kien isir fuq bażi ta’ domanda. L-istess impjant kellu wkoll razzett li fih kienu jinżammu bhejjem li wkoll kellhom irwol fit-trasport ta’ dawn it-tankijiet mobbli. (it-tieni parti)

🇬🇧 Until 1921, oil products arrived in Malta in storage tanks, and in the absence of a proper jetty, ships would anchor in the middle of the harbour while the tanks were brought ashore by barges. In front of the plant’s entrance, a landing place had been built where these barges would unload, and from there several men would manually roll the tanks to and from the depot. Part of this landing place can still be seen beneath today’s promenade. For many men from the village, this provided a form of employment that was carried out on a demand basis. The installation also had its own farm, where animals were kept and used in the transportation of these mobile tanks. (second part)

07/06/2026

🇲🇹 Fl-1914 il-kumpanija “Messers Degiorgio and Azzopardi” ġew appuntati sabiex ikunu l-aġenti tal-kumpanija Ażjatika “Petroleum Co. Ltd.” u ġew responabbli għall-importazzjoni u d-distribuzzjoni tal-prodotti tal-kumpanija Shell f’Malta. F’dak iż-żmien ma kienux jeżistu tankers u għalhekk iż-żjut kollha kienu jinġarru ġo tankijiet. Fl-istess żmien din il-kumpanija ħadet biċċa art fl-inħawi ‘Ta’ Nagħaġ’ f’Birżebbuġa fejn bniet impjant għall-ħażna taż-żejt. Dan il-proġett ġie fi tmiemu fl-1920 u kien jiflaħ sitt miljun u nofs gallun f’tankijiet żgħar kif qed naraw f’dan ir-ritratt. (l-ewwel parti)

🇬🇧 In 1914, the company “Messers Degiorgio and Azzopardi” was appointed as the agent of the Asian company “Petroleum Co. Ltd.” and became responsible for the importation and distribution of Shell products in Malta. At that time, oil tankers did not yet exist, and all oil products were therefore transported in storage tanks. During the same period, the company acquired a parcel of land in the area known as ‘Ta’ Nagħaġ’ in Birżebbuġa, where it built an oil storage installation. The project was completed in 1920 and had a storage capacity of six and a half million gallons in small tanks, as shown in this photograph. (first part)

06/06/2026

Illum dħul b’xejn f’ Għar Dalam mid- 9am - 5pm. Narawkom!

05/06/2026

Il-5 ta’ Ġunju jfakkarna fl-ambjent ta’ madwarna. L-ambjent hu kull fejn ngħixu. Id-dar, fuq il-post tax-xogħol, l-iskola, it-toroq u l-pjazzez li nterqu fihom, il-ġonna pubbliċi, l-ispazji naturali, l-widien u l-bajjiet, il-baħar, u nistgħu nibqu sejrin. F’din il-ġurnata tajjeb li kull persuna taħseb ftit fuq kif qed timpatta l-ambjent li tgħix fih. Hu importanti li nedukaw ruħna sabiex filwaqt li nżommu l-indafa, naħdmu iktar sabiex napprezzaw u fl-istess ħin intejbu l-ambjent ta’ madwarna fl-intier tiegħu.

31/05/2026

🇲🇹 Fl-1931 l-awtoritajiet Maltin iddeċidew li jwaqqfu l-‘Traffic Control Board’ sabiex jieħu ħsieb ir-rotot, il-waqfiet, il-miżati kif ukoll il-kuluri tal-istess karozza. Birżebbuġa wkoll kienet inkluża fis-sistema l-ġdida tar-rotot u l-isem baqa ‘Kalafrana’ anke jekk il-venda kienet maġenb il-Bajja s-Sabiħa. Il-kuluri tax-xarabank kienu l-ikħal b’żewġ faxxi ta’ lewn aħmar u abjad fuq xulxin, l-ilwien tradizzjonali ta’ Birżebbuġa. L-ewwel karozzi kienu tat-tip ‘Ford Thames’ li għamlu b***a snin iterqu madwar Malta, bi ftit minnhom riċentement ġew irrestawrati. Fl-1975 il-karozzi saru kollha ħodor filwaqt li kull rotta kellha numru, b’dik ta’ Birżebbuġa jkollha n-numru 11. Fir-ritratt qed naraw xarabank ta’ Birżebbuġa fil-bidu tas-snin sebgħin.

🇬🇧 In 1931, the Maltese authorities decided to establish the ‘Traffic Control Board’ to oversee bus routes, stops, fares, and even the colour schemes of the buses themselves. Birżebbuġa was also incorporated into the new route system, and the route name remained ‘Kalafrana’, even though the terminus was located next to Pretty Bay. The buses were painted blue with two horizontal stripes in red and white; the traditional colours of Birżebbuġa. The first vehicles were of the ‘Ford Thames’ type, many of which operated around Malta for several years, with a few having recently been restored. In 1975, all buses were repainted green, while each route was assigned a number; the Birżebbuġa route was designated as Route 11. The photograph shows a Birżebbuġa bus in the early 1970s.

30/05/2026

Illum hi ġurnata mill-aktar sabiħa għas-sindku tagħna Scott Camilleri u s-sieħba tiegħu Rebecca fejn iktar t**d se jingħaqdu fis-sagrament taż-żwieġ. Minn qalbna nawgurawlhom futur mill-aktar feliċi mimli mħabba, rispett, ferħ u fuq kollox saħħa.

25/05/2026

Bi pjaċir inħabbru li waqt il-ftuħ għall-pubbliku ta’ Forti Bengħisa organizzata minn Heritage Malta nhar is-Sibt 23 ta’ Mejju, ġiet iffirmata ittra ta’ intenzjoni bejn l-aġenzija Heritage Malta u l-Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa, bil-għan li nikkollaboraw sabiex dan is-sit jiġi riabilitat u interpretat bħala spazju storiku, rikrejazzjonali kif ukoll edukattiv għal kulħadd. Inħarsu ’l quddiem sabiex naċċertaw li dan il-wirt storiku li writna mingħand ta’ qbilna nħalluh lil ta’ warajna fi stat aħjar minn kif sibnih.

24/05/2026

🇲🇹 Sa qabel l-1931 il-karozza tal-linja fil-gżejjer Maltin kienu kollha primittivi, mibnijin fuq xażi (chassis) ta’ vettura militari ta’ żmien l-ewwel gwerra dinjija. F’dik il-ħabta, dawn il-karozzi kienu privati, ħafna minnhom ta’ Maltin li kienu irritornaw mill-emigrazzjoni b’sold sew imfaddal u li ddeċidew li jinvestu f’dan in-negozju. Biss is-snin għoxrin kienu kkaratterizati minn tilwim bejn is-sidien u x-xufiera tal-istess karozzi, tilwim li affetwa s-servizz provdut. Birżebbuġa wkoll kellha l-karozza tagħha li kienet tesa bejn 12 u 13 -il persuna, apparti x-xufier. Interessanti li sa mill-bidu din ix-xarabank kienet iġġib l-isem ‘Valletta-Calafrana’, u l-isem ‘Birżebbuġa’ qatt ma deher. (l-ewwel parti)

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Until before 1931, the buses in the Maltese islands were all primitive, built on the chassis of military lorries dating from the time of the First World War. Around that period, these buses were privately owned, often by Maltese returnees who had come back from emigrating abroad with enough savings to invest in the transport business. However, the 1920s were characterised by disputes between the owners and the drivers of these buses, disputes which affected the service provided. Birżebbuġa also had its own bus, which could carry between 12 and 13 passengers, apart from the driver. Interestingly, from the very beginning this bus bore the name ‘Valletta–Calafrana’, and the name ‘Birżebbuġa’ never appeared. (first part)

22/05/2026

17/05/2026

🇲🇹 Nhar is-7 ta’ Mejju 1942 wasal Malta l-Gvernatur il-ġdid (rappreżentant tal-kuruna Ingliża f’Malta) Lord Gort. Dan il-Gvernatur ġdid wasal Malta f’Kalafrana permezz ta’ ajruplan tal-baħar tat-tip Sunderland tal-RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). Hekk kif niżel l-art instema’ ‘air raid’ bil-konsegwenza li l-attività ta’ merħba li kienet pjanata kellha titħassar. Bombi tal-għadu waqgħu fuq Kalafrana propju f’dak il-ħin! F’din il-merħba xejn pjaċevoli f’Kalafrana, dan il-Gvernatur ġdid kien ġie mgħarraf li s-sitwazzjoni f’Malta tant kienet prekarja li mingħajr rinforzi u merkanzija bażika, Malta kienet iċċedi fi żmien sitt ġimgħat. (Hamlin J.F., Military Aviation in Malta, Peterborough, 1994, p. 25.)

🇬🇧 On 7 May 1942, the new Governor of Malta (the representative of the British Crown in Malta), Lord Gort, arrived. This new Governor reached Malta at Kalafrana by means of a Sunderland flying boat of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). As soon as he landed, an air raid siren was heard, with the result that the planned welcoming ceremony had to be cancelled. Enemy bombs fell on Kalafrana at that very moment! In this far from pleasant welcome at Kalafrana, the new Governor was informed that the situation in Malta was so precarious that, without reinforcements and basic supplies, Malta would surrender within six weeks. (Hamlin J.F., Military Aviation in Malta, Peterborough, 1994, p. 25.)