Aspects of demographic trends in nineteenth century Malta 1841-1901

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to give a demographic and social view of population growth and trends in nineteenth century Malta. I chose this particular period as the nineteenth century marks the start of the British period in Malta, and it also marks the transition into the modern period. In my work I tried to show the major trends which were characteristic of the different types of Maltese settlements, namely, the urban area, the suburban, and the rural. Moreover, I also studied the occupational and migratory trends in all these areas. As primary sources, I made thorough use of the Censuses of the Maltese Islands, particularly from the first one dated 1841 to the Census of 1891, published at decennial intervals. The use of these particular censuses was crucial as my dissertation was focused on the nineteenth century. Gaining accurate population figures prior to 1841 was rather challenging as there was no official enumeration of the local population. Other primary sources used include the Malta Blue Books which provided details about public work projects underwent by the British Government, the Malta Government Gazette, and the Status Animarum. The Malta Year Books also provided insightful articles dealing with an array of subjects relevant to my studies. Working on this dissertation helped me understand what the Maltese people went through in the nineteenth century, what their daily lives comprised, what their occupations were, and, ultimately, what led to move away from their hometowns and into new settlements, be they in Malta itself or abroad. It is my hope that my studies will give a somewhat clearer understanding of the social and demographic climate in the Maltese Islands in the nineteenth century. ` It was impossible to study every single settlement in the Thus, I have chosen the larger settlements of the Islands. The first chapter of my dissertation focuses on population movement and growth in the urban areas. Areas under study include the Cottonera area, namely Birgu, Bormla and l-Isla. I also studied the epidemics and economic conditions which vi undoubtedly left their mark on the population itself. The second chapter deals with population movement and growth in the suburban areas. The suburban areas which I chose to study include Birkirkara, Marsa, Ħamrun, Paola, Żabbar and Sliema. The third chapter studies population movement and growth in the rural areas, with particular reference to villages such as Gudja, Tarxien, Rabat, Dingli and Mosta. The fourth and final chapter studies migration and occupation trends in the nineteenth century. Naturally, since the dissertation deals with the nineteenth century, this chapter mainly deals with both internal migration and migration out of the Maltese Islands towards the shores of the Mediterranean. The different types of occupation of the Maltese people were also studied. Hopefully this work proves to be as interesting to others as it has been to me. I have thoroughly enjoyed researching this subject, and hope that my work casts light on the demographic trends of the Maltese Islands in the nineteenth century.