Initially, the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic shook populations right from their roots. The need to shut ourselves from the rest of the world seemed horrific if not tragic. Yet the ability of humanity’s ingenuity to find ways of surviving once the shock is over, is brilliantly captivating.

Although seemingly isolated in their houses, people found their way out on balconies and on rooftops. Away from the streets and yet close enough from a safe distance, people rediscovered these areas which up to some years ago used to serve as meeting points among neighbours and passers-by.

This week’s selection of photos from the Shield Collection that was donated to Heritage Malta focuses on roofscapes. The photos were shot by Dr Peter J. Shield PhD, ARP from various vantage points offered by churches in Malta and the Citadel in Gozo during the late 1950s.

Due to popular landmarks which are present in each of the photos, it is not difficult to recognize the locations. Besides their nostalgic value and their comparative potential, the beauty of such images is in the detail which good observers will perceive.

Photo 62146
This photo was taken from the roof of the Parish Church of Mellieħa which is dedicated to the Birth of Our Lady. Although there are some areas that are easily recognisable, such as the immediate surroundings of the church, the bridge on the opposite side, and the roads, the landscape has changed completely. Can you identify any of the houses showing in the photo?

Photo 62167

62167. Copyright: Heritage Malta

Roofscapes are of minor importance in this photo which was also shot from the roof of the Parish Church of Mellieħa. Instead, we see open views of Għadira Bay with the islands of Comino and Gozo in the background. The solitary winding road leads our eye to the soldiers’ barracks and up to St Agatha’s Tower, known as the Red Tower in Mellieħa.

Photo 62262

62262. Copyright: Heritage Malta

This is what the photographer captured from the roof of St Nicholas Church in Siġġiewi. The immediate buildings in the photo portray a nostalgic scene of traditional architecture with its particular local characteristics. At the left hand side of the image, there is a large niche of Our Lady of Sorrows located high above in a corner on St Nicholas Street. Further down at the centre of the photo, we find the quaint chapel of St Margaret in St Margaret Street. Typical of our islands, several churches appear in the background, namely in Naxxar, Gharghur, Żebbuġ, Lija and Birkirkara. Even Tal-Għaqba Windmill was spotted!

Photo 62227

62227. Copyright: Heritage Malta

The building from which this photo was shot is imparted through the sprawling shadow of St Gaetan’s Parish Church on the opposite buildings in High Street, Ħamrun. The advantageous height from the belfry shows a harmonius composition of houses with matching architectural features, such as the pleasantly aligned traditional closed balconies.

Far in the background, the building of the Church of St Francis of Assisi in Villambrosa Street looks brand new. On the left hand side of the photo, the old chapel of Our Lady of Porto Salvo is huddled between the buildings. A woman is hanging her clothes on one of the roofs. Some people have been captured near two shops in High Street, namely Vella House and Central Ironmongery Store. Both shops are now taken over by new businesses.

Photo 62265

62265. Copyright: Heritage Malta

Even this photo was taken from the belfry of St Gaetan’s Parish Church but it points to another direction. Once again, the rooftops are the protagonists of this photo. Look closely at this photo and try to capture the numerous details. A few churches are in shot, each at a different point in the photo. These include old churches in Birkirkara, Santa Venera and Ħal Balzan. Can you find any others? A long white chimney catches the eye. Today, the chimney is gone but the old building is still there and the original function of this structure has been immortalised in the name Farsons Street.

Photo 62209

62209. Copyright: Heritage Malta

This photo was taken from the Citadel in Victoria, Gozo. Although several similarities can still be noticed today, when you compare the old photo with a modern image, you will see that most of the fields in the background are gone. A good number of landmarks were clearly visible at the time, such as St George’s Basilica, the Church of St Augustine and the Augustinian monastery, the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, more commonly known as Ta’ Savina, and the Manderaggio area in Victoria. Nowadays, even though these buildings are still there, you need to look out for them among the other structures.

Heritage Malta is appealing to the public to share any observations about these photos. Do join in the fun! You can view these photos and many others from the Shield Collection at https://heritagemalta.org/pjsc/. 

Should you wish to get in contact with Heritage Malta to share any details about the photos, your stories or any photos of interest, kindly e-mail digitisation@heritagemalta.org.