Patriot

Filippo Sceberras was born at Pietà, the son of Goffredo Sceberras and Anna née Vella. He graduated MD in 1874 from the UM. Soon after graduating, Sceberras went to Naples, where some of his paternal aunts and uncles lived, and to Paris to further his studies. Back in Malta, Sceberras went into private practice where he was highly esteemed by both colleagues and patients. He never charged the poor and the needy for his services and often offered them financial help.

Elected president of the National Assembly in 1919, of which he was the promoter, Sceberras took a very prominent part in framing the draft of the Constitution which was subsequently granted to Malta under self-government. He is rightly described as a great patriot and constitutional reformer.

Sceberras was knighted by the Prince of Wales immediately after the opening of Parliament on 1 November 1921. In 1919 he had been granted the degree of  LLD (Honoris Causa) by the UM.

Sir Filippo Sceberras married Teresa nèeTestaferrata Abela on 8 August 1881 in the church of St Paul Shipwrecked, Valletta, and they had two daughters Bianca and Ida.

In an appreciation in The Daily Malta Chronicle on 30 August 1928, Sir Filippo Sceberras was described as ‘an ardent patriot, honest, upright, and fiercely independent. He lived and died in the service of his country... a politician of the old school with a moderation and sincerity which could not fail to win for him the respect and admiration of even those who did not agree ... with his political views.’ He was given a public funeral.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.