PISANI

• UPDATE JULY 08! Felix Pisani (b. 16/11/1847) was the brother of my great-great-grandfather Lorenzo Pisani (b.24/08/1853) [see March 08 update below]. I recently received further details of his family from the Parish of Cospicua, Malta,

  • Married to Giovanna Maria Rickard, 6th April 1875, Cospicua, Malta

  • Children of that marriage were:Catherine (b.27/12/1875), Carmela (b.17/10/1877), Salvatore (b.16/05/1879), Phillip (b.06/05/1882), Maria (b.04/06/1884), Joseph (b.24/07/1887), Concepta (b.24/02/1890)

  • Further more Joseph Pisani (b.24/07/1887) was also married in Cospciua, 7th September 1915 (wife unknown at this point).

  • Children of that Marriage were: Carmela (b.31/05/1916), Dolores (b.22/09/1917), Lorenzo (b.29/03/1919), Giovanna and Joseph (twins b.15/03/1922), Concepta (b.27/09/1923)

  • Joseph (b.15/03/1922) married Maria Dolores Farrugia 26th April 1945 in Santa Venera, Malta.

  View Felix's family in the context of my family tree.

  If you have any information, or are related to any of these people, please get in touch!

• Lorenzo Pisani married Giovanna Aquilina, 1st June 1882 at St. Catherine's church, Alexandria, Egypt

  • UPDATE February 08: I have recently received the marriage certificate from the church in Alexandria and so I am now in a position to continue my tree back into Malta from this point. All Alexandria church data is now held at St. Catherine's so if you find yourself researching in this area get in touch and I can let you know the address. Any information regarding Egyptian marriages of the Maltese is gratefully received.
     

• Salvatore Pisani (father of Lorenzo above) is considered to have been at least born and married in Malta (possibly Cospicua). He may then have died in Egypt.

  • UPDATE March 08: I recently received confirmation from the Parish of Cospicua, Malta of Salvatore's marriage to Carmela Barbara on 3rd June 1845. The parish priest, Father Joe, also confirmed that his son Lorenzo had 5 siblings: Joseph, Felix, Michael, Paulus and Rosa.

• The parents of Salvatore Pisani were Joseph Pisani and Rosa Cachia

  • This is confirmed on the marriage certificate of Salvatore Pisani and Carmela Barbara

  • No other data currently held.

AQUILINA / MICALLEF

• The parents of Giovanna Aquilina were Vincenzo Aquilina and Giuseppa Micallef.
  • Update March 08:I recently received information from Malta that confirmed that Giovanna and Vincenzo were married in Cospicua on 13th June 1858.
  • Update March 08: From that Marriage certificate I am able to confirm that the parents of Vincenzo Aquilina were Salvatore Aquilina and Gratia Farrugia, while the parents of Giuseppa Micallef were confirmed as Giuseppe Micallef and Concepta Curso (although I am dubious around the spelling of her surname as I am going on a hand written document).
  • Update March 08: Interestingly it was also pointed out to me that Giuseppa's name was in fact Maria Giuseppa on both her Baptismal and Marriage certificate. Giuseppa's birth date was confirmed for me as 14th July 1839.
     

• My great-great-aunt, Concetta Aquilina, married into the Gonzi  dynasty (which includes the current PM of Malta Dr. Lawrence Gonzi) and moved to Egypt, where she died.

  • I have the descendant data from her marriage into the Gonzi, and I also have the Gonzi ancestral information too, however I am keen to trace the Aquilina line back further, to Malta and in particular Concetta's parents (the parents of my great-great-grandmother Giovanna, potentially born in Cospicua, Malta). Any information regarding this family is gratefully received.

• Giovanna Battisto Micaleff - A witness at the wedding of Lorenzo Pisani and Giovanna Aquilina in 1882, Giovanna is potentially related through Giovanna Aquilina's Mother, Giuseppa Aquilina née Micallef.
   

• R Micallef - An R Micallef was noted as the informant on the Death Certificate of Lorenzo Pisani in 1908 and that his relationship to him was as Nephew. He is most likely related, again, through Giovanna's Mother (as above).

BARBARA / GRIMA

• The parents of Carmela Barbara were Felix Barbara and Margaret Grima
  • This is confirmed on the marriage certificate of Carmela Barbara and Salvatore Pisani
  • No other data currently held.

ZAMMIT / BONNICI

• My great-grandfather, Giuseppe Zammit, was born and raised in Malta where he married my great-grandmother, Marianna Bonnici. Several of their children were born in Malta. Despite the fact that they had moved to Egypt, Marianna would always go back to Malta to give birth. My grandmother, Amelia, was the second youngest, and her younger sister and her were the only two born in Egypt. Giuseppe was a Policeman and died in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic, aged 38.
   
• Family lore states that my great-grandmother, Marianna Bonnici, had a brother who was a Bishop (or some other elevated member of the clergy) in Malta named Giolandrin/Gilander/Andrea Bonnici. So far I have been unable to confirm this.
   
• I recently acquired the Marriage certificate for Giuseppe and Marianna from Malta which shows that they were married in Curmi (Qormi), the town of their birth, 16th April 1899.
   
• UPDATE OCTOBER 08! Giuseppe's birth certificate shows that he was born in Curmi on 7th May 1880, and named Giuseppe Antonio Andrea Zammit. His father was also Giuseppe Zammit, aged 30 at the time of his birth, and his paternal grandfather was Tommaso Zammit. His mother was Emilia Samut, daughter of Gio Maria Samut who was aged 23 at the time of his birth.
   
• UPDATE OCTOBER 08! Marianna's birth certificate shows that she was born in Curmi on 2nd September 1879, and named Marianna Vittoria Filomena Giovanna Bonnici. Her father was Andrea Bonnici, aged 36 at the time of her birth, and her paternal grandfather was Giovanni Bonnici. Her mother was Maria Fenech, daughter of Giuseppe Fenech, who was aged 33 at the time of her birth.

ZAMMIT / SAMMUT

• Recent documents received from Malta have highlighted the parents of Giuseppe Zammit (my great-grandfather) as Giuseppe Zammit and Emilia Sammut
  • Giuseppe's profession is noted as 'Picconiere' (Driver)
  • Giuseppe's father was Tommaso Zammit
  • Emilia's father was Gio Maria Samut

BONNICI/ FENECH

• Recent documents received from Malta have highlighted the parents of Marianna Bonnici (my great-grandmother) as Andrea Bonnici and Maria Fenech
  • Andrea's profession is noted as 'Connestabile' (Police Constable)
  • No other information currently held

GONZI

• Leonardo Gonzi - Witness at the wedding of Lorenzo Pisani and Giovanna Aquilina in 1882, Leonardo is potentially related through the marriage of Giovanna's sister Concetta to Giuseppe Gonzi (See note above)

CURZI

• I am interested in any information regarding the surname Curzi, and in particular information regarding families of that name in Egypt.

MISC.

• I am looking to collate stories and accounts of the Maltese of Egypt, especially regarding the years leading up to and including the Suez crisis. Please get in touch if you have any written media that you would be willing to share with me as I am considering compiling and publishing an account of the era.