A study of Ħal Luqa Parish archives

Abstract

Parish archives contain a wealth of information for the historian and researcher. These archives are also frequently consulted for demographic studies since they are the main source of information before the establishment of the Malta Public Registry in 1863. The parish of Luqa dedicated to St. Andrew was established in 1634. Throughout its history the parish has accumulated a number of records. These records have evolved into two different archives, the parish records archives and the depository archives. The parish records archives consist of baptisms, confirmations, marriages and deaths records. These are in the parish priest's office and are accessible. The depository archives contain documentation of entities which have formed within the parish church. These archives have been stored in a room with no organisation. The aim of this long essay is to investigate and document the contents and state of both archives, with a detailed look into the baptism records from 1634 to the present day. Furthermore a catalogue to the holdings of both archives has been created with the aim of being a finding aid to future researchers.