Politician and Journalist
Daughter of Lord Gerald Strickland and Lady Edeline Sackville, Strickland was born in Attard. She was educated at Presentation Convent, Hobart, Tasmania and also privately in Australia (1904-1917). When the family returned to Malta, she joined the staff of Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean as a naval cypher officer (1917-1918).
From 1921 until 1945, when the Constitutional Party was dissolved, Strickland served as its assistant secretary and later, when the CP was reconstructed after World War II, she became its vice-chairman.
Strickland was elected to the legislative assembly in 1950 and in 1951. In 1953 she formed the PCP, with whom she unsuccessfully contested the 1953 and 1955 elections. She was elected in 1962 but was unsuccessful in 1966. Strickland led the PCP delegation in the Malta Round Table Conference in London 1955. She also participated in the constitutional talks and the Malta independence conference held in London in 1958 and 1963 respectivily.
Strickland’s other great love was for the newspapers. In fact, in 1935, together with her father, she founded the daily Times of Malta. In 1945 she was appointed war correspondent with the British Army of the Rhine and covered the Nuremberg Trials for her newspapers. She was editor of The Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta (1935-1956). She was also managing director (1940-1955) and chairman Allied Malta Newspapers Ltd. (1950-1955 and 1966-88), and director, Progress Press Ltd. (1957-1961 and 1966-1988).
Strickland was also chairman, Xara Palace Hotel (1949-1961) and member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Malta Industries, the International Press Union, Life Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and a Council Member of the Commonwealth Press Union, which presented her with the Astor Award in 1971 for a lifetime of service to the Press of the Commonwealth.
Strickland was awarded the OBE (1944), the C. St J. (1947), and the Coronation Medal (1953).
On 11 August 1979, Strickland set up ‘The Strickland Foundation’ which, on her death became the beneficiary of the majority shareholding in Allied Newspapers Ltd. Its main objectives are ‘To foster the national interest of Malta and in particular to promote in Malta democratic principles, the observance of human rights, and the exercise of a free press’.
A born fighter for what she believed to be right and just, when her press was burned down by rioters on 15 October, 1979, she immediately gave the order to rebuild the press, while never missing an issue. Strickland was also very generous and went out of her way to the very end of her life to help people in need or in distress. She died at her residence in Villa Parisio, Lija, and is buried in the family vault in Mdina Cathedral.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.