When young people would go on a date to Senglea’s Stoll Cinema during the 1960s, they faced the judgement of its owner and his infamous torch.

Leone Gambin would shine his light on couples getting too close for his liking and shout “vergogna” (shame) before separating them and forcing them to sit on opposite sides of the cinema.

Leone Gambin would shine his light on couples getting too close at the cinema. Photo provided by Malcolm Galea

The no-nonsense proprietor of the long-shuttered Victory Street establishment is one of the characters immortalised in a free audio tour app that is available to download on all smartphones. 

It Happened Here: Stella is created by Malcolm Galea, Philip Leone Ganado and game designer David Chircop following months of interviews with older residents of the city.

Guided by the fictional character of Stella, a young woman living in post-war Senglea, users will walk the streets, unlocking chapters at different landmarks through GPS.

Leone Ganado told Times of Malta that some of the people the creators interviewed had survived World War II in shelters, watching buildings fall to the bombing.

The area suffered extensive damage from Axis attacks targeting the port cities.

Other interviewees described leaving in a hurry when the bombing began and returning to a city that had been mostly destroyed.

They heard Mass in the ruins of the basilica, the destruction of which, according to some, could have been prevented had the venerated statue of the Maria Bambina been left there, rather than taken to the town of Birkirkara for safety.

Interviewing Anthony Gellel. Photo provided by Malcolm Galea

The statue of Our Lady, app users are told, made it to Senglea at the beginning of the 17th century after it was found floating in the sea together with other wreckage from a galleon.

The people of Senglea then petitioned the pope to have the statue officially crowned in 1920.

App users will also learn about people who worked at the dockyards and children who would gather around British soldiers at the waterfront bars picking up loose change whenever a fight broke out.

Local hero, Wenzu l-Bozen, whose house was among the first struck during the air raids, killing his daughter, also features in the audio tour.

Wenzu was a key contact for anyone seeking work with the navy and a mentor to young sailors as well as a leader of the regatta team for decades. He died in an explosion at his home in 1983 at the age of 86.

The project is currently available in English but the team behind it hopes to add a Maltese version as well as a website to share background research and allow users to share their own experiences.

It is also exploring opportunities to expand the project to other localities.

It Happened Here: Stella was created in conjunction with Science in the City, the Senglea local council and Mighty Boards with the support of the Arts Council Malta and the Malta Chamber of Scientists. 

Download It Happened Here: Stella for Android or Apple devices.