Crown Colony of Malta

Coordinates: 35°53′55″N 14°30′50″E / 35.8986°N 14.5140°E / 35.8986; 14.5140
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Crown Colony of the Island of Malta and its Dependencies
Colonia dell'Isola di Malta e sue Dipendenze (Italian)
Kolonja tal-Gżira ta' Malta u l-Gżejjer li jagħmlu Magħha (Maltese)
1813–1964
Anthem: 
George III
• 1952–1964 (last)
Elizabeth II
Governor
 
• 1813–1824 (first)
Sir Thomas Maitland
• 1962–1964 (last)
Sir Maurice H. Dorman
Giorgio Borġ Olivier
LegislatureParliament
Senate (to 1933)
Legislative Assembly
History 
• Established
23 July 1813
30 May 1814
• Independence
21 September 1964
Population
• 1821
119,000[1]
CurrencyMaltese scudo and various other currencies (1813–1825)
Pound sterling (1825–1964)
ISO 3166 codeMT
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Malta Protectorate
State of Malta

The Crown Colony of the Island of Malta and its Dependencies (commonly known as the Crown Colony of Malta or simply Malta) was the British colony in the Maltese islands, today the modern

British Crown colony in 1813, and this was confirmed by the Treaty of Paris
in 1814.

Establishment and early years (1813–1824)

The British coat of arms on the Main Guard building in Valletta. The building now houses the Office of the Attorney General.

From 1530 to 1798, Malta had been

British protectorate. Britain was then supposed to evacuate the island according to the terms of the Treaty of Amiens
of 1802, but failed to keep this obligation – one of several mutual cases of non-adherence to the treaty, which eventually led to its collapse and the resumption of war between Britain and France a year later.

Malta became a Crown Colony on 23 July 1813, when

Governor of Malta. That year, Malta was granted the Bathurst Constitution. Malta's status as a Crown Colony was confirmed by the Treaty of Paris of 1814, which was itself reaffirmed by the Congress of Vienna
of 1815.

The

broke out in Malta in March 1813, when a British merchant ship infected with the disease arrived from Alexandria. The disease began to spread especially in Valletta and the Grand Harbour
area, and when Governor Maitland arrived, stricter quarantine measures were enforced. The plague spread to Gozo by January 1814, but the islands were free of the disease by March of that year. Overall, 4,486 people were killed which amounted to 4% of the total population.

After the eradication of the plague, Maitland made several reforms. He was autocratic since he refused to form an advisory council made up of Maltese representatives, and so he was informally known as "King Tom". He formed the

Malta Police Force in 1814, while the local Italian-speaking Università was dissolved in 1819. Various reforms were undertaken in taxation and the law courts as well. Maitland remained Governor until his death on 17 January 1824.[2]

19th and early 20th centuries (1824–1914)

British warship in the Grand Harbour in 1896

In 1825, the Maltese scudo and the other circulating currencies at the time were officially replaced by the pound sterling, with the lowest-valued coin being a one-third farthing coin minted at irregular intervals, the last such issue occurring in 1913, keeping alive the tradition of the Maltese "grano", equal to one-twelfth of a penny. Despite this, scudi and other foreign coinage continued to circulate in limited amounts, and the last scudi were withdrawn over 60 years later in October and November 1886.[3]

During the Greek War of Independence, Malta became an important base for British, French and Russian naval forces, especially after the Battle of Navarino of 1827. The local economy improved and there was a boom in business, but shortly after the war ended in 1832 there was an economic decline.

The year 1828 saw the revocation of the right of sanctuary, following the Vatican Church-State proclamation. Three years later, the See of Malta was made independent of the See of Palermo. In 1839, press censorship was abolished, and the construction of the Anglican

St Paul's Pro-Cathedral
began.

Following the 1846 Carnival riots, in 1849 a Council of Government with elected members under British rule was set up. In 1870 a referendum was held on ecclesiastics serving on Council of Government, and in 1881 an Executive Council under British rule was created; in 1887, the Council of Government was entrusted with "dual control" under British rule. In 1878 a Royal Commission (the Rowsell-Julyan-Keenan Commission) recommended in its report the Anglicisation of the educational and judicial systems. A backlash came in 1903, with the Return to the 1849 form of Council of Government under British rule.

Despite this, home rule was refused to the Maltese until 1921, and the locals sometimes suffered considerable poverty.[4] This was due to the island being overpopulated and largely dependent on British military expenditure which varied with the demands of war. Throughout the 19th century, the British administration instituted several liberal constitutional reforms[5] which were generally resisted by the Church and the Maltese elite who preferred to cling to their feudal privileges.[4][5] Political organisations, like the Nationalist Party, were created to protect the Italian language in Malta.

The last quarter of the century saw technical and financial progress in line with the

Malta Fever, and in 1905 Themistocles Zammit discovered the fever's sources. Finally, in 1912, Dun Karm Psaila
wrote his first poem in Maltese.

  • A pro-Italian demonstration in front of the Main Guard, 1883
    A pro-Italian demonstration in front of the Main Guard, 1883
  • Protests against the bread tax, 1880s
    Protests against the bread tax, 1880s
  • Anti-tax demonstrations in the 1880s
    Anti-tax demonstrations in the 1880s

World War I and the Interwar period (1914–1940)

During World War I, Malta became known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean due to the number of wounded soldiers who came to be treated.

In 1919, the

Gerald Strickland
.

The 1930s saw a period of instability in the relations between the Maltese political elite, the Maltese church, and the British rulers; the 1921 Constitution was suspended twice. First in 1930–32, following a clash between the governing Constitutional Party and Church and the latter's subsequent imposition of mortal sin on voters of the party and its allies, thus making a free and fair election impossible. Again, in 1933 the Constitution was withdrawn over the Government's budgetary vote for the teaching of Italian in elementary schools.[6] Malta thus reverted to the Crown Colony status it held in 1813.

Before the arrival of the British, the official language for hundreds of years, and one of the educated elite had been Italian, but this was downgraded by the increased use of English. In 1934, English and Maltese were declared the sole official languages. That year only about 15% of the population could speak Italian fluently.[5] This meant that out of 58,000 males qualified by age to be jurors, only 767 could qualify by language, as only Italian had until then been used in the courts.[5]

In 1936 the Constitution was revised to provide for the nomination of members to Executive Council under British rule, and in 1939 to provide again for an elected Council of Government under British rule.

World War II and aftermath (1940–1947)

Service personnel and civilians clear up debris on the heavily bombed Strada Reale in Valletta on 1 May 1942

Before World War II, Valletta was the location of the

anti-aircraft guns (thirty-four "heavy" and eight "light") and four Gloster Gladiators
, for which three pilots were available.

Being a British colony, situated close to Sicily and the

Enigma traffic.[10]

The first air raids against Malta occurred on 11 June 1940; there were six attacks that day. The island's biplanes were unable to defend due to the Luqa Airfield being unfinished; however, the airfield was ready by the seventh attack. Initially, the Italians would fly at about 5,500 m, then they dropped down to three thousand metres (to improve the accuracy of their bombs). Major Paine stated, "[After they dropped down], we bagged one or two every other day, so they started coming in at [six thousand metres]. Their bombing was never very accurate. As they flew higher it became quite indiscriminate." Mabel Strickland would state, "The Italians decided they didn't like [the Gladiators and AA guns], so they dropped their bombs twenty miles off Malta and went back."

By the end of August, the Gladiators were reinforced by twelve

Francisco Cavalera
observed, "Malta was really a big problem for us—very well-defended."

On Malta, 330 people had been killed and 297 were seriously wounded from the war's inception until December 1941. In January 1941, the German

X. Fliegerkorps arrived in Sicily as the Afrika Korps arrived in Libya. Over the next four months, 820 people were killed and 915 seriously wounded.[11]

On 15 April 1942,

George Cross (the highest civilian award for gallantry) "to the island fortress of Malta – its people and defenders". Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived on 8 December 1943, and presented a United States Presidential Citation to the people of Malta on behalf of the people of the United States. He presented the scroll on 8 December but dated it 7 December for symbolic reasons. In part, it read: "Under repeated fire from the skies, Malta stood alone and unafraid in the center of the sea, one tiny bright flame in the darkness – a beacon of hope for the clearer days which have come."[12] The complete citation now stands on a plaque on the wall of the Grand Master's Palace on Republic Street in the town square of Valletta.[13]

In 1942, the

King George VI
also arrived in Grand Harbour for a visit.

During the

accused of pro-Italian political activities. He died a few days later.

The

Cassibile armistice in the same year, the Italian Fleet surrendered to the Allies in Malta. In 1945, Churchill and Roosevelt met in Malta prior to the Yalta Conference with Joseph Stalin
.

The 1946 National Assembly resulted in the 1947 constitution, with the restoration of self-government, and Paul Boffa became the fifth Prime Minister of Malta.

Home rule to Independence (1947–1964)

Queen Elizabeth II visiting RAF Hal Far in 1954

After the Second World War, the islands achieved self-government, with the

Red Flag Incident, in 1949 Britain signed the North Atlantic Treaty and joined NATO
.

After the 1952 accession of Queen

British House of Commons.[14] In addition, the Home Office would take over responsibility for Maltese affairs from the Colonial Office.[15] Under the proposals, the Maltese Parliament would also retain responsibility over all affairs except defence, foreign policy, and taxation. The Maltese were also to have social and economic parity with the UK, to be guaranteed by the British Ministry of Defence
(MoD), the islands' main source of employment.

A 1953 Malta stamp with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

A

UK integration referendum was held on 11 and 12 February 1956, in which 77.02 per cent of voters were in favour of the proposal, but owing to a boycott by the Nationalist Party, only 59.1 per cent of the electorate voted, allowing the opposition to claim that the result was inconclusive.[16]

There were also concerns expressed by British MPs that the representation of Malta at Westminster would set a precedent for other colonies, and influence the outcome of general elections.[17]

In addition, the decreasing strategic importance of Malta to the Royal Navy meant that the British government was increasingly reluctant to maintain the naval dockyards. Following a decision by the Admiralty to dismiss 40 workers at the dockyard, Mintoff declared that "representatives of the Maltese people in Parliament declare that they are no longer bound by agreements and obligations toward the British government" (the 1958 Caravaggio incident)[18] In response, the Colonial Secretary sent a cable to Mintoff, stating that he had "recklessly hazarded" the whole integration plan.[18]

Under protest, Mintoff resigned as Prime Minister, while Borġ Olivier declined to form an alternative government. This led to the islands being placed under direct colonial administration from London for the second time, with the MLP abandoning support for integration and now advocating independence. In 1959, an Interim Constitution provided for an Executive Council under British rule.

While France had implemented a similar policy in its colonies, some of which became

British colony where integration with the UK was seriously considered, and subsequent British governments have ruled out integration for remaining overseas territories, such as Gibraltar.[19]

In 1961, the Blood Commission provided for a new constitution allowing for a measure of self-government. Giorgio Borġ Olivier became Prime Minister the following year when the Stolper report was delivered. Malta became independent on 21 September 1964.

  • Flag of Malta in the 19th century
    Flag of Malta in the 19th century
  • Flag (1875–1898)
    Flag (1875–1898)
  • Flag (1898–1923)
    Flag (1898–1923)
  • Flag (1923–1943)
    Flag (1923–1943)
  • Flag (1943–1964)
    Flag (1943–1964)
  • Unofficial flag prior to 1943
    Unofficial flag prior to 1943
  • Unofficial flag (1943–1964)
    Unofficial flag (1943–1964)

Notes

  1. ^ Until 1934

References

  1. from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  2. ^ Sciberras, Sandro. "Maltese History – G. The First Years of British Rule 1800 – 1824" (PDF). St Benedict College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  3. ^ "British Era, 1800–1964". The Coinage of Malta. Central Bank of Malta. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b Attard, Joseph (1988). Britain and Malta. Malta: PEG Ltd.
  5. ^ a b c d Luke, Sir Harry (1949). Malta – An Account and an Appreciation. Great Britain: Harrap.
  6. ^ "Le iniziative culturali italiane negli anni '30 per Malta e per le comunità maltesi all'estero". Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  7. ^ .
  8. .
  9. .
  10. .
  11. ^ Shankland, Peter; Anthony Hunter (1961). Malta Convoy. I. Washburn. p. 60.
  12. ^ "Mr. Roosevelt Gives Scroll To People on Isle of Malta". The Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. 10 December 1943. pp. 1, 4.
  13. .
  14. ^ Dangerous Game Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Spectator, 10 February 1956
  15. ^ Malta Archived 3 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine, Simon C. Smith, University of London, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, The Stationery Office, 2006, page 133
  16. ^ Zarb Dimech, Anthony (29 May 2011). "Maltese Referenda past and present". The Malta Independent. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  17. ^ "Malta (Round Table Conference) – HC Deb vol 550 cc1778-931". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 26 March 1956. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  18. ^ a b "Penny-Wise". Time. 13 January 1958. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  19. ^ "Hansard Written Answers (House of Commons) → Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 3 August 1976. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2013.

External links

35°53′55″N 14°30′50″E / 35.8986°N 14.5140°E / 35.8986; 14.5140