CCP • Corradino Civil Prisons - List of the documents of the Prison Department 1851-1988
The prisons’ documents include various materials such as registers, loose papers, reports, files, dossiers, etc. Among the 170 sub-fonds are 12 that have already been described:• CCP 01: Registers of Admissions of Male Prisoners (1850 – 1988)• CCP 02: Registers of Admissions of Female Prisoners (1864 – 1958)• CCP 03: Registers of Admissions of Military and Naval Prisoners (1906)• CCP 04: Registers of Admissions of Prisoners Awaiting Trail (1894 – 1946)• CCP 05: Register of Admission of Defaulters (1922 – 1949)• CCP 06: The Letter Book of Outgoing Correspondence (1865 – 1921)• CCP 07: The Letter Book of Incoming Correspondence (1853 – 1885)• CCP 08: Register of Death Records (1876 – 1986)• CCP 09: Registers of the Board of Visitors (1891 – 1974)• CCP 10: Registers of the Superintendent/Director Journal • CCP 11: Registers of Punishments of Male and Female Prisoners (1905)• CCP 12: Inquiry on Allegations of Inhuman Treatment of Prisoners at Corradino Civil Prison (1986/87)
CDE • Civil Defense 1944-1972
The Civil Defence department was responsible for the mobilization and defence of Malta. Therefore it drew up schemes, and was concerned with recruiting and propaganda. The department maintained shelters, provided and maintained various equipment, and kept records of accidents and incidents. It took care of fire and radioactivity precautions. Some files deal with staff matters, i.e. employment, training programmes for staff officers, rescue courses, and training of the Civil Defence Corps as well as exercises for forces/troops. The Civil Defence department also provided training programmes for other persons (e.g. first aid courses for Government employees, housewives, teachers, air hostesses etc). On the occasion of national holidays and the Queen’s Birthday it participated in the festivities by organizing parades.
CIN • Charitable Institutions 1816-1956
‘Charitable Institutions’ dealt with matters concerning hospitals, asylums for orphans, the aged and the infirmed, and issues of general sanitary conditions (Sanitary Office). In this fonds can be found correspondence between the head of the departments of Charitable Institutions and the Chief Secretary, and Inspectors’ letters to the Chief Secretary. It includes various reports on inspections, on sanitary conditions, and on the state of health in some districts. This office also kept Registers of Deaths as well as Hospital Admission and Discharge Registers.
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ARP • Air Raid Precautions and other Wartime Correspondence 1934-1945
‘Air Raid Precautions’ was an important department during pre-wartime and World War II under directives of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. For this reason these files were stored with confidential Lieutenant Governor’s Office files dating from 1935 to 1973.The Air Raid Precautions Department was responsible for the passive defence of Malta by taking precaution measures such as• First aid, decontamination and anti-gas precautions• Providing equipment such as anti-gas respirators, sandbags, helmets• Maintaining decontamination posts and air raid precaution centres in the case of an air bombardment the department evacuated towns and villages. Reports on air raids, on damages, on missing people, and on food control are included. The Air Raid Precautions Department also held District Committee Files regarding ARP Centres in towns and districts.
A Courts of Law was probably established in Gozo with the Universitas, the administration of justice fell under its competence. There was a civil and a criminal court together with a court of appeal. Its functions were increased in 1803 and in 1840.
The records transferred to the archives start from 1609 and include a collection of all sorts of proceedings normally related to the Courts. These include: Registri Atti Civili as well as Registri Sentenze, court decisions with resumè of proceedings; Registri Mandati and Mandati, precautionary acts, including warrant of description, warrant of seizure, garnishee order, warrant of impediment of departure, warrant of prohibitory injunction, and "meditatio fugae" warrant; Citazioni and Citazioni e Depositi, proceedings instituted by libel, petition, writ of summons or applications; Processi, decrees in civil matters of voluntary jurisdiction; Depositi, records of deposits of cash, gold, silver and other objects and related claims; Subaste, demands for sale by auction and related documentation; Registri Bandi e Subaste, misellaneous public notices; Libelli, written pleadings containing the plaintiff’s statement of claim and documents produced in support.
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GOV • Despatches 1800-1913
The correspondence between Governors and Secretaries of State and that of the preceding Civil Commissioners was copied in various series of registers and bundles. The General Letter Book (‘Out’ letters, seven volumes) contains copies of the Civil Commissioners’ letters to Consuls abroad, military and naval personnel, foreign Heads of States, Colonial and War Office etc. Governors were required to send with their original dispatches to the Colonial Office duplicates of the correspondence. There are 29 volumes and four boxes of these facsimiles. The sub-fonds ‘in’ Despatches contains the original numbered despatches and their enclosures. The first volumes also include Colonial Circulars.
HOM • Head of Ministry 1921-1934
The Maltese were given self-government in 1921, but the Constitution was suspended in 1933, and Malta fell back into its former colonial administrative form of rule. All departments of the Maltese public service worked under the direction of the Head of Ministry, who was also concerned with consular correspondence and letters by individuals (Petitions).The departmental section includes the files of these departments such as the treasury, the department of education, public works, fisheries, etc. Consular files deal mainly with people who emigrated or who wanted to emigrate. Petitions were sent by individuals and covered such issues as claims for alimony, firing of fireworks, applications for staying in Malta, etc. These petitions were indexed in registers. In each case the circumstances were checked, before a decision regarding a particular petition was made.
LEM • Department of Labour and Emigration 1948-1989
The Department of Labour and Emigration issued visa to various countries and dealt with all matters concerning employment. The visa applications cover following date spans• Australia 1974 – 1988• Canada: 1978 – 1989• USA: 1978 – 1989• Italy:1981 – 1988 (1 bundle)• UK: 1981 – 1988• Various countries (1 bundle)Several files deal with Umpire – National Insurance/Assistance Act, covering a date span from 1958 – 1977. A large amount of records contain employers’ and employees’ dossiers, application of employers to employ new staff, etc...
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PDE • Private Deposit No. 1 – Maritime Insurance of Biagio Tagliaferro 1853-1868
This collection was donated to the National Archives by Mr. Paul Azzorpardi of Sliema, in January 1992.
PST • Public Secretary and Treasurer 1800-1813
Through the Office of the Public Secretary was channeled all civil administration of Malta. All policies of the British Civil Commissioners were carried out into effect. It operated between 1800 – 1813, at which time the Office was re-structured and the last Public Secretary designated to become Chief Secretary to Government. Between 1804 and June 1811, Public Secretaries were also Treasurers to Government. Up to late 1813, all letters are in the Italian language, which was the official medium of correspondence of the local Government. The fonds contains correspondence in Italian, orders, copies of appointments, promotions etc, salaries for Government employees etc. The material in English includes, e.g. ‘Out’ letters of the Treasury, a Register of the Mediterranean Passes, an Index on Ships and Masters, and Account Registers of the Treasury
LEM • Department of Labour and Emigration 1948-1989
The Department of Labour and Emigration issued visa to various countries and dealt with all matters concerning employment. The visa applications cover following date spans• Australia 1974 – 1988• Canada: 1978 – 1989• USA: 1978 – 1989• Italy:1981 – 1988 (1 bundle)• UK: 1981 – 1988• Various countries (1 bundle)Several files deal with Umpire – National Insurance/Assistance Act, covering a date span from 1958 – 1977. A large amount of records contain employers’ and employees’ dossiers, application of employers to employ new staff, etc...
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CSG • Chief Secretary to Government 1813-1921
The office of the Chief Secretary was the head administrative office of the Civil Government. Through it were channeled all departmental, consular, ecclesiastical, and individual correspondence concerning civil matters. This office was the highest civil authority, second only to the Governor, and worked in close consultation with and under directives of the Governor’s Office. Chief Secretaries supervised the preparation of the Annual Blue Book, censored the Government Press, and controlled the working of all public civil Departments. The Chief Secretary had charge of all Government records including the archives of the Order of St. John.
In the Commercial Department of the Chief Secretary’s office all ships were registered under the various Shipping Acts. This branch also issued:• Bills of health, personal passports, and certificates of competency to master mariners, mates and padroni.• Acts of naturalization and letters patent of denization to aliens• Warrants to act as advocate, notary, physician, broker etc.• Licenses to deal in marine stores, to act as auctioneer etc. The Chief Secretary’s office also kept records of licenses granted by the Governor, for marriages performed in non-Catholic churches. After the 1921 Constitution all work dealing with purely local matters was taken over by the Maltese Government. The Maltese Imperial government dealt only with ‘matter reserved to the Crown’.
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MIL • Maltese Personnel in the British Forces 1800-1970
Information concerning an individual’s army record can be released by way of confirmation only in response to a written request by the individual, his next-of-kin or a bona fide researcher. In order to trace an individual it is necessary to provide the research officer at least with the army number and name. Information on disciplinary measures and medical examination/treatment will not be released. There are 13 collations containing records about the personnel of the Royal Malta Artillery (RMA), the Royal Engineers (RE), the King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia, and several other army units such as the Malta Territorial Forces (MTF) and the Royal Signals, etc...
OPM • Office of the Prime Minister Files 1947-1959
The Office of the Prime Minister Files contains material on various subjects. Several files deal with the British Consulate Generals in Alexandria and Naples as well as Royal visits and other royal issues such as birthday celebrations, the attendance of the Prime Minister at the funeral of King George IV, etc. The Office was concerned with colonial issues, e.g. arrangements for sending colonial students to UK, account of the colonial week, etc. The Office of the Prime Minister also registered various organisations under the press law. Some records deal with matters regarding repatriation and emigration, especially to Australia. The Office of the Prime Minister issued grants, exemptions, and compensations, and kept records of complaints and protests. There is also an Annual Report for 1955/1956 as well as reports on various subjects.
POL • Police records 1900-1972
The Police Records include mainly documents of B’Kara police district, although 486 volumes of the Commissioner’s Occurrence Book originated from Hamrun police district.116 volumes of the Magistrate’s Book list prosecutions by the executive police and include the details of the accused, the charge, magistrate, prosecuting officer and reference to the decision reached. The Application Book of B’Kara contains applications for all sorts of activities, e.g. band marches, structural alterations, embellishments, driving, lotteries, etc. The Police registered marriages, births, deaths, and illegitimate children as well as clubs functioning at B’Kara. It issued respite warrants and permits (can include other districts) regarding wine and spirits, wireless telegraphy, and retailers. The fonds also includes correspondence, log books, requests to cancel licenses, affidavits, and permissions to hold events etc.
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EDU• Education 1922-1981
Ministry of Education Records (1965 – 1969)The Ministry of Education was the head office in education issues. It fostered international relations by participating in cultural exchanges/co-operations with several countries and by being involved in international conferences on various subjects. A variety of reports and papers issued by the UNESCO and Council of Europe are included in the Ministry of Education Files. The Ministry of Education organized training courses abroad, registered Maltese students abroad, and granted scholarships. Several files deal with staff matters, even with Museum staff. There is also material not necessarily related to education, but to cultural issues: a geographical study on the Maltese Islands, Tourist Hotel Project on Manoel Island, excavation and preservation of archaeological sites, organization of exhibitions, festivals etc. The Education Department. The Education Department dealt with issues regarding primary and secondary education. It provided and maintained equipment of schools, supplied food, and maintained school buildings and accommodations. The department was responsible for the appointment and pay of teachers and other staff required in schools. The Education Department also supervised the opening of new schools, and the holding of evening classes. It was involved in the formulation of Syllabuses for educational institutions, was concerned with medical care in schools, and issued exemptions from payment of certain fees. The Education Department also organized the annual Malta Education Week. There are press extracts and letters to the local press. The papers also include circulars, reports, publications on issues of education, and papers concerning the Malta Union of Teachers.
OPU • Official Publications 1813-1999
The Maltese Government has issued various publications such as• The Government Gazette (1813 – 2003): the government’s medium to publish notifications about new acts, appointments, statistics etc.• Portafoglio Maltese (1840 – 1849): comparable to the Government Gazette, in Italian language• Electoral Registers (1929 – 1995)• Malta Ordinance (1813 – 1820, 1826 – 1969): information on laws made by the Legislative• Blue Books (1821 – 1983): including information on Government employees, departments, salaries, taxes, duties and fees, grants of land, population etc.• Trade Statistics (1999): detailed statement of imports• Estimates (1991 – 1993)• Draft of Malta Customs Tariff (date unknown, late 1950’s)• Several volumes containing Debates of- The Council of Government of Malta (1876 – 1921, 1939 – 1945, 3rd April – 26th April 1946)- The Legislative Assembly (1921 – 1933, 1948 – 1952, 1957 – 1958, April 1963 – October 1964)- Senate (1921 – 1933)- The House of Representatives (June 1955 – December 1955, November – December 1964, February 1965 – January 1970)• Index of the debates of the Council of Government (1945 – 1947)• Duplicates: General Indexes to the unrevised official report of the debates of the House of Representatives (May – July 1967, November 1967 – February 1968)• Office of Prime Minister (OPM) Press Conferences (June 1950 –February 1959, March 1959 – March 1960), Executive Council Minutes and Agenda (1959 – 1962), and Proceedings of the Council of Government (1904 – 1911) can only be accessed by permission.
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