In nineteenth-century Gozo, a rural world in which personal disputes, revenge and jealousies were confined to the private domain, response remained at the level of private vendetta: burning the opponent’s fields, shooting with weak shot, or from a ‘safe’ distance to injure but not kill. The lecture will discuss how issues of this nature arose and tended to be resolved. In doing so, it will contrast the Gozitan situation with the Maltese. In Malta, other, more serious and dangerous practices – throwing or placing bombs – were adopted, and not necessarily to settle private scores.

The Speaker

Michael Refalo graduated in Laws at the University of Malta in 1980 and practised as notary public for 35 years. He obtained a B.A. in History and Philosophy followed by a Ph.D. with a thesis entitled The Maltese Commercial Class 1870-1914. Business, Families, Networks. He has written a number of papers and books mainly concerned with late 19th-century Maltese history. His latest book is At the Margins. Children, petty criminals, suicides and others in 19th century Malta and beyond, published by KITE Group.

This event is kindly sponsored by the Alfred Mizzi Foundation