Biography: Antonio Schembri
Born on April 10, 1813, died on December 6, 1872
Ornithologist
Considered as the father of Maltese ornithology, Schembri was born in Valletta. After completing his education at the UM, specializing in agriculture and zoology, he joined the ‘Gio Batta Schembri e Figlii’, a family business, engaged in the organization of marine transport to and from Malta.
His rapid success in shipping activities brought him close to the business world abroad. He was made Malta Consul for Prussia in 1836 and for Belgium in 1849. He was also elected member of the Council of Government in 1856, but soon had to relinguish this post because of further diplomatic commitments abroad.
In December 1837, Società Medica d’Incoraggiamento di Malta was foudned and besides encouraging the study of medical aspects it gave special importance to the study of Nataural History. In 1840 Antonio Schembri was accepted as an honorary member of the Società Medica and in 1844 the Society entrusted him with acting as Secretary among 40 chosen members to organise a new society whose aim was to encourage sound agricultural methods in our islands. He founded the Società Economico-Agraria del Gruppo di Malta. He devoted most of his life to it and served as its secretary in 1855 and its president between 1855 and 1872.
With Giuseppe Gauci Azzopardi of the Società Agraria, in 1854 he founded the Annual Agricultural Show at Buskett. The event was a great success and later he also organized a similar show in Gozo.
A lover of ecology and prolific writer on wild life and natural science, Schembri was held with the highest esteem both in Malta and abroad. He has since been regarded as ‘the father of Maltese ornithology’. He is the author of several works on different topics.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.