Amery Street
Triq Amery
Amery Street
1. Introduzzjoni
1. Introduction
Fl-ewwel snin tas-seklu għoxrin fl-inħawi ta' Tas-Sliema kien qiegħed isir żvilupp kbir ta' bini. Djar kbar u sbieħ bdew jieħdu post ta' għadd ta' għelieqi li kienu jdawru l-inħawi. Dan l-iżvilupp wasal ukoll fl-inħawi fejn illum hemm Triq Amery, triq kbira, wiesgħa u dritta li minn ħdejn l-inħawi tal-knisja ta' Stella Maris twasslek għal Għar id-Dud.
Sa madwar ħamsa u erbgħin sena ilu, din it-triq kien ikun fiha dehra mill-isbaħ, l-iktar fl-aħħar Ħadd ta' Ġunju meta l-Parroċċa ta' Stella Maris kienet tiċċelebra bil-kbir il-festa tal-Qalb ta' Gesu'. Il-purċissjoni numeruża mmexxija mill-kavallerija tal-pulizija kienet tinżel minn Triq Amery, iddur għal ħdejn 'Rocklands' fejn kienet tingħata l-barka u wara titla' minn Victoria Avenue.
Very early in the twentieth century, Sliema was going through extensive development with large houses taking the place of the rural areas. This development reached far into the heart of Sliema, where today one finds Amery Street, a straight road which leads from across Stella Maris Parish Church, right to the front.
Up to about forty five years ago, this was a beautiful street, which was well decorated during the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, organised by and greatly celebrated by the Stella Maris Parish. The procession, used to be accompanied by the Police Cavalry, used to head down Amery street and towards 'Rocklands'. Here the Eucharistic Blessing used to be given to the pilgrims and then proceeds through Victoria Avenue.
2. L.S Amery
L.S. Amery
Source: www.pinetreeweb.com/times-history-amery.htm
It-triq hija msemmija għal L.S Amery (1873 - 1955), is-sotto segretarju ta' l-Istat tal-Ingilterra. Ġie l-ewwel darba f'Malta f'Settembru 1919, tliet xhur wara l-irvellijiet tas-Sette Giugno. Ġie b'missjoni li jsib soluzzjoni li permezz tagħha l-Maltin ikollhom f'idejhom xi għamla ta' Gvern. Amery iltaqa' ma' għadd ta' personalitajiet Maltin u barranin bit-tama li tinsab soluzjoni.
Amery qata' figura tajba, ix-xogħol tiegħu wettqu bil-għaqal, tant li nhar id-19 ta' Novembru 1919 tkellem fil-House of Commons u talab biex il-Maltin jiġu f'dati bit-tmexxija ta' pajjiżhom. Meta din l-aħbar waslet Malta, kien hawn ferħ kbir. Il-ħidma tas-sotto segretarju Amery wasslet għall-għoti tal-Kostituzzjoni u l-ewwel Gvern Malti fl-1921. B'Sinjal ta' rikonoxxenza din it-triq fi stadju ta żvilupp, issemmiet għalih.
The street is named after L.S. Amery (1873-1955), a British Conservative MP and Secretary of State. Three months after the uprising of the 7th June 1919 (locally known as the Sette Giugno) he visited Malta with a the vision of settling the unrest, by proposing that Malta should have its own elected Government. Whilst in Malta he met many local and foreign VIP's in an attempt to find a solution.
On the 19th of November 1919, Mr Amery made a request to the House of Commons for Malta to have its own local government. This request was approved, which news was commended by the Maltese. This transcribed in the eventual writing and approval of the Maltese Constitution and the first Maltese Government to take office in 1921. As a sign of appreciation, this street, which was being developed at the time, was named after this English politician.
3. Art Nouveau
Meta din in-naħa ta’ Tas-Sliema bdiet tiżviluppa, kienu qed jinbnew djar kbar u sbieħ bi stil Art Nouveau, stil li feġġ f’pajjiżi differenti ta’ l-Ewropa. Eżempju ta’ dan l-istil jinsab fi Triq Amery.
F’Kantuniera bejn Triq Amery u dik Howard, għandna l-ewwel eżempji tas-sbuħija oriġinali ta’ dan l-istil. Id-dar bl-isem “Tarka” u bini li jmiss magħha u li jduru għal Triq Howard, inbnew kollha fl-1928. L-annu jinsab minqux fl-opramorta tal-bejt. Il-gallerija żgħira hi tabilħaqq oriġinali.
During the development of this part of Sliema, the Art Nouveau style was very much in fashion. This was very popular in many European countries, and in Amery Street one can find various example of this style.
Examples of this style can be found in many of houses in this street. Namely a house by the name of 'Tarka' found corner with Howard Street and adjacent houses which are also found in the latter street. These were built in 1928 as engraved in Roman numerals, on the façade at roof level.
4 Gustav Vincenti
Ftit ‘il fuq għandna eżempju ieħor ta’ dar mibnija fl-1929. Hawn hu xieraq li nsemmu lill Perit Gustav Vincenti (1891-1960) li kien il-moħħ li ppjanta u ħażżeż dan il-blokk bini. L-istil Art Nouveau narawh idur mal-faċċata kollha ta din id-dar bħall-gallerija ta’ l-injam kif ukoll f’tal-ħadid u fil-vilistrun tal-bieb.
Some doors up the road is another house carryng this style which was built in 1929, designed by the architect Gustav Vincenti (1891-1960). The Art Nouveau design of the façade, which includes the gallerija, iron balcony and above the front door.
5. Iżjed Art Nouveau
5. Art Nouveau once again
Ftit ‘l isfel, fuq in-naħħa l-oħra naraw żewgt idjar, it-tnejn mibnija f’l-istess żminijiet. Għalkemm mhux mibnija fuq l-istil Art Nouveau, il-vilistruni ta-bibien fihom element ta’ dan l-istil.
Two other houses built round about the same period, and situated opposite the latter, have an element of this Art Nouveau style evident in the metal work above the main door. Nevertheless, the house was not built in this style.
Aktar ‘il fuq, fuq in-naħa l-oħra, naraw dar oħra kbira b’numru ta’ dettalji marbuta ma’ dan l-istil. Dawn jidhru ċari fit-twieqi, fil-vilistrun tal-bieb u b’mod speċjali fil-par pilastri sbieħ tat-truf tad-dar.
Another large house just a few doors away, has various elements of this style in its windows, above the main door and most especially in a number of pillars marking the perimeter of the façade.
6 "Lisieux"
Tmis ma’ din id-dar naraw oħra b'l-isem ta' "Lisieux" li għandha par galeriji sbieħ li għandhom xogħol sabieħ tal-hadid, li għalkemm m’għandux l-istil Art Nouveau, hu xieraq li wieħed japprezza ix-xogħol sabiħ li fihom
Another house adjacent to this, has beautifully designed metal balconies, which although not in Art Nouveau style, is worth mentioning. This house is called "Lisieux"
7. Galleriji Uniċi
7. Unique gallerijas
'Beatrice' hu l-isem ta' dar li tinsab f'kantuniera ma' Triq Milner. Fil-faċċata tagħha ghandha tliet galleriji żgħar tal-ħadid u fuq kull naħa għandha galleriji ta l-injam, waħda għal fuq Triq Amery u l-oħra għal fuq Triq Milner. Ikun qrib ħafna s-sewwa meta ngħid li dawn il-galleriji bi stil oriġinali, huma uniċi f'dawn il-gżejjer.
Another house worth noting and which has originally designed balconies which could be unique for Malta, goes by the name of 'Beatrice' and is situated in Amery Street corner with Milner Street. This house has three small iron balconies on the façade, and two wooden gallerijas one in Amery Street and the other in Milner Street.
8. Lavur oriġinali fil-ġebel
8. Origninal stone decorations
Fi Triq Amery insibu numru ta' djar b'lavur oriġinali li jżejnu l-aperturi u l-faċċati. Eżempju ta' dawn jidhru f'dawn ir-ritratti li ġejjin
Amery street boasts of its original stone decorations. Examples of this can be seen in the following pictures:
Sabiha u artistika hija skultura tal-gebel li tinsab fuq gallerija wiesgħa ta' dar li- tinsab f'kanuniera ma' triq Howard. Din id-dar kienet ġiet rinovata b'għaqal u b'sens kbir artistiku
Very impressive is a stone carving which decorates a large balcony of a corner house at the junction between Amery and Howard Street. This house was skilfully restored to reveal this artistic beauty.
9. Bla mistenni!
9. Unexpected!
Qalb dawn id-djar b'dettalji interessanti, sbieħ u artistiċi, jitfaċċaw ħwejjeg oħra li ma tkunx qed tistennihom, bħal m'huma żewġ bibien bil-panew, imżejna b'par pilastri u b'kaptell doriku. Dawn il-pilastri jingħaqdu permezz ta' frontispizju. Id-detalji ta' l-iskultura għadhom ċari billi qatt ma nżebgħu.
To further enhance the architectural beauty of the houses situated in this street, one finds, rather unexpectedly, two houses with panelled front door guarded by two columns and Doric capital. The two columns support a frontispiece.
10 F'l-aħħar nett
10 And finally
Jiġbed imbgħad l-attenżjoni bini ieħor li jinsab fil-bidu ta' din it-triq, faċċata ta' triq Milner. Fl-Imgħoddi dan il-bini kien imiss mal-ġonna ta Villa Bonnici. Dan il-bini jidher li kien l-ewwel dar mibnija fi Triq Amery.
At the end of the street, just opposite Milner Street is an old building, adjacent to which once stood Villa Bonnici's gardens. This building can be said to be the oldest building in Amery street.
11. Għeluq
11. In Conclusion
B’hekk tajna ħarsa lejn din it-triq b’l-istil Art Nouveau jiddomina f’ħafna mill-binjiet ta’ din it-triq, xhieda ta’ l-imgħoddi, pero stil li s-sbuħija tiegħu tibqa’ tul is-snin.
We have come to the end of this street, with the Art Nouveau style dominating in many of its buildings. This is a witness of days gone by, the beauty of which however remains throughout the ages.
