Felice & Pietro Attard. Family, Profession, Interests and Passions. Authors: Joseph Attard Tabone & Michael Refalo

Description

Felice Attard (1803-1874), born in Senglea, but with connections that extended from Sicily to Gozo, graduated as notary public on 17 February 1834. In Gozo, his adopted home, he established a good reputation. This is confirmed by the increasing number of deeds published, particularly in the village of Nadur. There, Attard also performed police duties as Syndic. Following the death of his wife, Felice relinquished his profession in favour of an official appointment as Adjutant to the Executive Police, later Inspector. Despite his official duties, Attard engaged in a variety of activities, the most notable of which being the commencement of the Giuliana Masini – a monumental work of Gozitan genealogy and social history. The work would be continued by his son, the perito Pietro Attard (1836-1916) who inherited and expanded his father’s flair for incessant activity. Pietro’s engagement with cultural and social activities on Gozo, ranging from horticulture to numismatics, from theatre to music, together with those of his father deserve commemoration for their contribution to the social and cultural advancement of a community which lay at the very fringes of the Maltese Islands.