A Maltese boy in the 1940's

Last night I enjoyed an indepth conversation with my Nunnu Victor about his life growing up in Malta and how he met my Nan Grace. With no apprehension he delved straight in, I could hardly get him stop, and why would I when his story was so facisinating. Firstly I asked him where he met my nan, he said he used to see her going to school and he would meet her in an alleyway in Zabbar when she was finished, he himself was kicked out of school. As nans family were very strict with her she was in big trouble when her father found out she was courting him. Nunnus family were also very strict in particular his father.

I wasnt aware of this until last night but nunnus father Bert was actually English, he was in the Army whilst his Mum Doloris was a nurse, however my Grandad is as Maltese as they get, sun kissed skin all year round, strong maltese accent and so on. Its difficult for me to look at him and believe he has an English father, but its true. Bert used to tell him not to have the Maltese kids in his house, however it would have been very hard being that he was born and living in malta, when my grandad use to talk Maltese to his friends his father use to think they were talking about him, being that he himself didnt know the Maltese language.

When I asked him what he did of an evening, his reply 'chase girls' I wonder if anyone get relate to that!. I said 'but you were with nanna' he replied with a little laugh 'but I still chased girls'. He then continued that he chased girls in Valetta, Cospicua and where he lived Zabbar. Nanna use to cook and clean and often he would go shopping with her where she would buy him sweets!. From the conversation and from witnessing the lives of the majority of my family that live in Malta, it hasnt changed a bit.
I love the traditional lives of the Maltese and I suppose that has alot to do with the religion aswell,the majority are catholic so its taken extremely seriously. in England however its difficult to appreciate one religion fully, as there are so many other religions in practice.Nunnu and nan came to live in England because one of his 4 brothers had came to live here to earn better money, so he decided to. He did add that he was coming back and forth from Malta for many years and did not settle here in England until 1972. This explains why my mum has so many childhood memories in Malta.

Unfortunatly My nan Grace very sadly passed away in April, so Im not able to comment on her life in Malta and her version of events but I know she would have only nice things to say about the things she did and the people she met, she loved Malta and that is where he final resting place is, even though her immediate family are in England, the family chose to bury her in her favourite place where its peaceful and sunny all year round.