Sliema in pre-war postcards

Abstract

Sliema can hardly claim to be typical of the rest of Malta in any way. A very late starter in urbanization, it caught on rapidly only after the 1850s. Then, particularly round its sea-fronts, it changed its architectural fabric even more rapidly from the 1970s onwards. Apart from Valletta, at the other urban conglomerates in Malta were originated by and for the local inhabitants, with later accretions by foreigners: real knights and British settlers. With Sliema it was mostly the other way round. The 'residential' potential of that rural area seems to have been discovered only by the knights - for idyllic country getaways - see Luc de Boyer d' Argens, who has rued' Argens named after his property, then by foreigners, like the Prince of Capua, of Capua Palace, and by British officials with their families. [excerpt]