British Malta: the back story

About British Malta: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Malta Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

From 1800 until 1979 Malta was British, and for most of that time it was one of the Royal Navy’s great bases. The British left a language, a legal and administrative tradition, buildings and fortifications, and memories that run deep on both sides.

The naval harbour

After the French were driven out in 1800, the British made the Grand Harbour the base of the Mediterranean Fleet. In Birgu, they built the Royal Naval Bakery in 1844 to William Scamp’s designs to supply the fleet; it later became the Malta Maritime Museum, now closed while it is redesigned (heritagemalta.mt).

Strait Street

Below Republic Street, narrow Strait Street was where sailors spent their shore leave, in bars, music halls and cabarets. The painted names of the old bars still show on the walls, and the street has become one of Valletta’s favourite places for a drink.

British Malta is everywhere once you look: the pillar boxes, the cars on the left, the bakery in Birgu and the shelters under Valletta.

Under the bombs

In the Second World War Malta lay between Italy and the Allies’ North African front, and was bombed day and night. Heritage Malta records 17,000 tonnes of bombs; Valletta’s people moved into shelters cut into the rock. The Lascaris War Rooms, deep under the Upper Barrakka Gardens, house the Operation Husky Museum (lascariswarrooms.com). In 1942 King George VI awarded the island the George Cross, now part of the national flag.

Leaving

Malta became independent in 1964 and a republic in 1974; the last British forces left in 1979, which Malta marks each year as Freedom Day (visitmalta.com).

Where to see it

Start at the National War Museum in Fort St Elmo, where the George Cross is shown, then go underground at the Lascaris War Rooms, see the noon gun at the Saluting Battery, and cross to Birgu by ferry.

Our advice: give it a full day, and finish with a drink on Strait Street.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with British Malta: the back story before you go.