Preamble by Paul Pullicino (ta’ Tony):
When I was still studying law in Malta, my uncle, Dr. John Pullicino, son of Sir Philip, lent me two small diaries which he had in his possession, which I copied before returning to him. It is clear that the compiler of the first diary was Dott. Antonio Pullicino, the second son of Dott.Fisico Arcangelo, born in the early 19th century. His elder brother, Paolo, was the compiler of the second diary which was added to by either my said uncle Dr. John Pullicino alone, or for a time by his own father.
The first diary and the second overlap for the period 1814 to 1873. The second diary displays more detail than the first and is complimentary to it.
The year 1814 marks the beginning of the Pullicino – Schembri association. Till then the Pullicino family was a part of the higher village hierarchy in Zebbug and the smaller suburb of Mqabba (Micabiba), living as Notaries,Doctors, Clerics and also as general benefactors. Upon his marriage to Marianna Schembri, Arcangelo leaves behind his ancestral home and its memories of the general plagues of the time, and sets up residence in the Capital. His wife gives new life to the line and her two sons, Don Paolo and Giudice Filippo, hold positions of influence with the Palace and Church in Valletta.
Filippo, as a city lawyer, continues to enrich the family status with a distinguished legal and judicial career which is surpassed only by his son Giovanni. Both were unfortunate in having some children who were born sickly and died young.
It is truly remarkable, as the diaries show, that the male line succeeded given that the family offspring from generation to generation was subjected to infant deaths, vocations to the priesthood and other natural calamities!.
The next Filippo, later known as “Sir Philip”, with Maude, made amends by siring a skein of six sons and five daughters who all married in their time.
But returning to the diaries which commence at the year 1678, it is noted that from other sources, the beginning of the family Pullicino in Malta is believed to go back to the arrival of one Luca Pullicino, and maybe a brother, from Messina, Sicily, about some years earlier. He was engaged in the Dejma, which was the local armed forces for the defence of Malta.
I know that several copies of genealogical tree exist which go back beyond the starting point of the diaries. The most accurate one is with the estate of the recently deceased Dr. John Pullicino and could be easily copied.
When preparing this edition, it became clear that this could form the foundation of a family history for each of the different branches representing the trunk ancestry of Sir Philip Pullicino. I therefore did not attempt to add to the entries as these would obviously been centred about my own particular line coming down from Sir Philip through my father, the late Dr. Anthony who died in 1986. Nevertheless, there should be an attempt by each branch to compile a third diary for their own interest which could be exchanged and kept alongside this edition. I personally would be happy to receive any writings or memoirs of members of the family which may be found.
Dr.Paul Pullicino – 1.9.1997
